When to plant swiss chard in USDA Zone 6b

Plan your swiss chard planting around local frost risk and soil temperature, then work backward from the harvest week your buyers need. The calendar below is a starting point, not a field-level weather forecast.

Boone NC, northern VA, central KY, southern IN. Average last spring frost April 24, first fall frost October 8 — a 167-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: excellent
Swiss chard is well suited to Zone 6b. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.

Key dates

Start seeds indoors
March 20 – April 3
Direct-seed or transplant outdoors
March 27 – April 17
Expected first harvest
May 28 – June 25
Fall planting window
July 23 – August 13
Fall harvest window
September 23 – October 21

Windows are calculated from your zone's average frost dates. Adjust ±1 week for microclimates, elevation, and your own frost records.

Spacing and soil

Plant spacing
10″
Row spacing
18″
Seed depth
0.5″
Soil temperature
50–75°F
Frost tolerance
hardy
Days to harvest
55 days

Grower notes for Zone 6b

Cut-and-come-again crop. A spring planting can produce well into fall with cool weather and consistent water.

Plant near: beans, onions

Keep away from: corn

Other leafy greens for Zone 6b

Same crop, other zones

Track your own plantings

BAU Farm Intelligence turns these windows into per-field tasks — indoor seed-start reminders, transplant dates, harvest projections — using your farm's actual frost history.