When to plant swiss chard in Oakland
Swiss chard is cold-hardy, so every date keys off Oakland's frost dates.
Step 1 · Sow
Direct sow outdoors
Dec 26 – Jan 16
Sow straight into warm, workable soil.
Step 2 · Harvest
Harvest window
Feb 14 – Feb 24
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Window
Days to maturity
50 – 60 d
From sowing to first pick.
Common questions
When can I sow swiss chard outdoors in Oakland?
Direct-sow around late December (Dec 26–Jan 16) in Oakland, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 79%.
When will swiss chard be ready to harvest in Oakland?
Expect to harvest from around mid February (Feb 14–Feb 24) in Oakland, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 73%.
How long is the growing season in Oakland?
Oakland has roughly 365 frost-free days, which is enough time to grow swiss chard to maturity outdoors.
The rule of thumb
Sow swiss chard as soon as the soil is workable — it tolerates cool weather and light frost. Every date on this page is derived from that rule and Oakland's frost dates.
Confidence 81/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.