When to plant swiss chard in Wilmington

Swiss chard is cold-hardy, so every date keys off Wilmington's frost dates of Apr 6.
Step 1 · Sow
Start seeds indoors
Mar 9 – Mar 30
Before your last frost, on a warm windowsill or heat mat.
Step 2 · Plant
Transplant outdoors
Apr 5 – Apr 26
Once frost risk has passed and nights stay mild.
Step 3 · Harvest
Harvest window
May 25 – Jun 4
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Step 4 · Second sowing
Autumn / second sowing
Aug 9 – Aug 23
A second window for a fall crop, timed to mature before the first frost.
Step 5 · Second harvest
Autumn crop harvest
Oct 5 – Oct 15
Maturity window for the second sowing.
Window
Days to maturity
50 – 60 d
Wilmington's 214-day season leaves this much room.
Swiss chard on Wilmington's growing year
Frost-bounded season with crops mapped onto the 12-month axis.
Frost risk Growing Harvest
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
APR 6
NOV 8

Common questions

When can I sow swiss chard outdoors in Wilmington?

Direct-sow around early April (Apr 5–Apr 26) in Wilmington, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 86%.

When will swiss chard be ready to harvest in Wilmington?

Expect to harvest from around late May (May 25–Jun 4) in Wilmington, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 80%.

When should I start swiss chard seeds indoors in Wilmington?

Start seeds indoors around early March (Mar 9–Mar 30) in Wilmington, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 85%.

When can I transplant swiss chard outdoors in Wilmington?

Transplant outdoors around early April (Apr 5–Apr 26) in Wilmington, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 86%.

Can I plant swiss chard in autumn in Wilmington?

Yes — Wilmington supports a second, autumn sowing of swiss chard around early August (Aug 9–Aug 23), timed to mature before the first fall frost.

How long is the growing season in Wilmington?

Wilmington has roughly 214 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 Wilmington's frost dates.

Confidence 89/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.