Overwintering guide
How to overwinter rainbow chard
Winter watering
If you do keep it going indoors, water sparingly — just enough that the compost never dries out completely — and do not feed until growth restarts in spring.
The mistake that kills rainbow chard in winter
Leaving rainbow chard outside over winter expecting it back in spring. As an annual it will not return — seed or cuttings are the only way to carry it forward.
More rainbow chard care
- Overwintering beet — the species this cultivar belongs to
- Overwintering rainbow chard — our other guide for the same plant
- Full rainbow chard care guide
- Rainbow Chard temperature range
- How often to water rainbow chard
- How to prune rainbow chard
- Common rainbow chard problems & fixes
- Best plant identifier apps — tested and ranked
Overwintering rainbow chard — FAQ
Does rainbow chard need to come indoors for winter?
Rainbow Chard is grown as an annual — it is frost-tender and naturally finishes at the end of the season, whatever your zone. In most climates rainbow chard is grown as an annual, so there is usually nothing to overwinter — the plant completes its life cycle and dies back with the first frosts. If you want to carry it over, lift it before the first frost and grow it on in the brightest window you have, or take cuttings; otherwise collect seed and start fresh in spring, which is what most growers do.
When should I move rainbow chard for winter?
Lift or take cuttings before the first frost — or let it finish and save seed.
How often should I water rainbow chard in winter?
If you do keep it going indoors, water sparingly — just enough that the compost never dries out completely — and do not feed until growth restarts in spring.
What kills rainbow chard over winter?
Leaving rainbow chard outside over winter expecting it back in spring. As an annual it will not return — seed or cuttings are the only way to carry it forward.