Swiss chard is so easy to grow: It doesn’t bolt like spinach, it has a consistent flavor even in the hot summer, and it has leaves that keep producing until frost. The following varieties all mature between 50 and 60 days from direct seeding in the garden, but the baby greens can be harvested as early as one month after seeding:

• ‘Dorat’: Yellow midrib variety has thick crinkled leaves and a mild flavor.

• ‘Fordhook Giant’: Heavy producer that features a thick, celerylike midrib with large, dark green savoy leaves.

• ‘Rhubarb’: Heirloom, burgundy-red midrib variety with dark green leaves. Tasty and attractive, but a bit smaller than other chards.