Charbell
Charbell: 28 days to harvest, 7-14 days to germinate, 4-6 inches for baby leaf, 12-18 inches for full-size between plants, hardy in zones 3-11. Give it full sun and regular, consistent moisture; 1-2 inches weekly depending on rainfall and temperature water. Because this is a hybrid, seed saved from it will not repeat the parent — plan on fresh seed each year.
Sowing
Direct sow or start indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost, transplant after soil reaches 50°F
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Regular, consistent moisture; 1-2 inches weekly depending on rainfall and temperature
- Soil
- Well-draining loam or clay loam, rich in organic matter
- Spacing
- 4-6 inches for baby leaf, 12-18 inches for full-size
- Height
- 18-24 inches
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Deep magenta stems and veins with dark green leaves
- Shape
- Upright, heavily textured leaves with wide petioles
- Flavour
- Mild, slightly sweet at baby leaf stage; develops subtle earthiness and minerality when mature, with tender, less-bitter character than many chard varieties
In the kitchen
Raw salad mixes, sautés, soups, grain bowls, fermentation, blanching and freezing
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Beet armyworm, spinach flea beetle, aphids
- Diseases
- Cercospora leaf spot (minimal in Charbell due to breeding), powdery mildew in humid conditions
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April – May | June – July | June – July | June – September |
| 2 | April – May | June – July | May – July | June – September |
| 3 | March – April | May – June | May – June | May – October |
| 4 | March – April | May – June | April – June | May – October |
| 5 | February – March | April – May | April – May | May – November |
| 6 | February – March | April – May | April – May | April – November |
| 7 | February – March | April – May | March – May | April – November |
| 8 | January – February | March – April | March – April | March – December |
| 9 | January | February – March | February – March | February – December |
| 10 | January | February – March | January – March | February – December |
| 11 | January | January – February | January – February | January – December |
| 12 | January | January – February | January – February | January – December |
| 13 | January | January – February | January – February | January – December |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Calories (per 100 g)
- 31
- Protein (g)
- 2.57
- Fat (g)
- 0.34
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 6.27
- Fibre (g)
- 2.4
- Vitamin A (µg)
- 8
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 91.3
- Vitamin E (mg)
- 0.15
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 102
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.191
- Folate (µg)
- 65
- Calcium (mg)
- 46
- Iron (mg)
- 0.69
- Magnesium (mg)
- 21
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 67
- Potassium (mg)
- 303
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.42
- Selenium (µg)
- 1.6
Where to buy seed and equipment
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Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Charbell?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other brassicas with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Charbell suits these too.
- Ruby Red or Rhubarb Chard 32 days
- Mizuna 21 days
- Tokyo Bekana 21 days
- Osaka Purple Mustard 21 days
- Arugula 'Rocket' 20 days
- Purple Top Turnip 37 days