Crop Rotation Tips for Swiss Chard – What to Plant Before and After
Swiss chard is a relatively low-maintenance crop, but rotating it with other vegetables helps prevent soil-borne diseases, reduce pest problems, and keep your soil fertile. Knowing what to plant before and after chard is key to maintaining a productive garden.
Why Crop Rotation Matters for Swiss Chard
Chard is in the beet family (Chenopodiaceae), which includes beets and spinach. Pests and diseases that affect one member can linger in the soil and harm the others. Rotating crops breaks these cycles.
What to Plant Before Swiss Chard
Choose crops that don’t share pests or diseases and that leave the soil enriched:
- Legumes (beans, peas): Add nitrogen to the soil, boosting leafy growth for the next crop.
- Brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale): Different nutrient needs and pest profiles.
- Alliums (onions, garlic, leeks): Help reduce soil pests naturally.
What to Plant After Swiss Chard
After chard, plant crops with different nutrient demands:
- Root crops (carrots, radishes, turnips): Benefit from soil loosened by chard roots.
- Fruiting crops (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers): Use nutrients chard doesn’t heavily deplete.
- Legumes: Replenish nitrogen before planting another leafy crop.
Crops to Avoid in Rotation
Don’t plant beets, spinach, or other chard varieties in the same bed the following year to reduce disease buildup and pest carryover.
Note from My Experience
In my raised beds, I rotate chard after spring peas and before fall carrots. This sequence improves soil fertility and keeps plants healthy year after year.
Takeaway: Rotate Swiss chard with unrelated crops to keep soil balanced, pests in check, and harvests abundant.
