Hybrid

Charbell

Beta vulgaris

Wikimedia Commons

Charbell was bred for cleaner, loftier, more colorful baby leaves, but we found it also performs very well at full size. Strong Cercospora resistance and upright habit for a healthy looking bunch. Vigorous plants with good bolt resistance and wide petioles. Unlike traditional magenta chard, Charbell is very bolt resistant. A premium baby leaf variety for its fast growth; brilliant deep magenta stems and veins; and heavy, textured leaves that create loft in salad mixes.

Harvest

28d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun

☀️

Zones

3–11

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

18-24 inches

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Harvest

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Harvest

Showing dates for Charbell in USDA Zone 7

All Zone 7 brassica →

Zone Map

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Charbell · Zones 3–11

What grows well in Zone 7? →

Growing Details

Difficulty

Easy

Spacing4-6 inches for baby leaf, 12-18 inches for full-size

SoilWell-draining loam or clay loam, rich in organic matter

WaterRegular, consistent moisture; 1-2 inches weekly depending on rainfall and temperature

FlavorMild, slightly sweet at baby leaf stage; develops subtle earthiness and minerality when mature, with tender, less-bitter character than many chard varieties

ColorDeep magenta stems and veins with dark green leaves

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone	Indoor Start	Transplant	Direct Sow	Harvest
Zone 3	March – April	May – June	May – June	May – October
Zone 4	March – April	May – June	April – June	May – October
Zone 5	February – March	April – May	April – May	May – November
Zone 6	February – March	April – May	April – May	April – November
Zone 7	February – March	April – May	March – May	April – November
Zone 8	January – February	March – April	March – April	March – December
Zone 9	January – January	February – March	February – March	February – December
Zone 10	January – January	February – March	January – March	February – December
Zone 1	April – May	June – July	June – July	June – September
Zone 2	April – May	June – July	May – July	June – September
Zone 11	January – January	January – February	January – February	January – December
Zone 12	January – January	January – February	January – February	January – December
Zone 13	January – January	January – February	January – February	January – December

Succession Planting

Charbell matures in 28 days as a baby leaf, which makes succession planting worth the small effort. In zone 7, direct sow every 14 days starting March 1 through late April; pause once daytime highs hold consistently above 85°F. Chard tolerates heat better than spinach or lettuce, but leaf quality drops and the window for tender baby-leaf harvest shrinks fast. Pick back up around August 15 and sow every 14–21 days through mid-October to carry harvest into November.

For a market garden or CSA context, three or four staggered beds keeps a steady cut-and-come-again supply without a glut. If you're growing to full size at 12–18 inch spacing, stretch the interval to 21 days — each plant yields over a longer window and you won't need the volume. The UGA Extension Vegetable Garden Calendar recommends keeping a log of problems and successful techniques by season; for a crop this fast, one season's notes pay off immediately the next.

Complete Growing Guide

Growing Charbell (Beta vulgaris) brassica. Light: Full sun. Days to maturity: 28. Difficulty: Easy.

Harvesting

Ready for harvest in 28 days from sowing or transplant. Harvest at peak ripeness for best flavor and storage life. Pick regularly to encourage continued production where applicable.

Storage & Preservation

Harvest Charbell beets at 28 days for peak tenderness, then store unwashed roots in a cool cellar or refrigerator at 32–40°F with 90–95% humidity—a perforated plastic bag works well. Remove greens before storage to prevent moisture loss from the root. Under these conditions, roots keep 3–4 months. Fresh greens should be used within a week.

For preservation, roasting and freezing captures flavor effectively: cube beets, roast at 400°F until tender, cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to eight months. Pickling is another excellent option—pack hot beets into jars with vinegar, spices, and salt, then process. Charbell's deep color and mild earthiness make it particularly suited to fermentation; shred or cube the roots, combine with salt brine, and ferment at room temperature for added complexity.

History & Origin

Charbell is an F1 hybrid developed through controlled cross-pollination. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.

Beta vulgaris (beet) is a species of flowering plant in the subfamily Betoideae of the family Amaranthaceae. It is a perennial plant usually growing up to 120 centimetres (4 ft) tall.

Advantages

+Easy to grow — beginner-friendly
+Quick harvest — ready in about 28 days

Companion Plants

In our zone 7 Georgia garden, onions and carrots are the most practical companions for Charbell — they root at different depths (onions stay shallow, carrots go down 10–12 inches), so there's no real fight for water or nutrients, and their scent dilutes the chemical signals that draw aphids and flea beetles to the chard. NC State Extension's IPM guidance specifically identifies this odor-masking effect as one of the more defensible mechanisms behind interplanting. Nasturtiums work well at the bed edge as a trap crop for aphids, pulling them off the chard leaves. Keep pole beans out — they're allelopathic to Beta vulgaris crops, and tomatoes are poor neighbors because their peak water and fertility demands overlap directly with chard's most productive window, putting both crops under stress at the same time.

Plant Together

Dill

Attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps that control cabbage worms

Nasturtiums

Acts as trap crop for aphids and flea beetles, protecting brassicas

Onions

Repels cabbage maggots, aphids, and cabbage worms with strong sulfur compounds

Marigolds

Deters flea beetles and aphids while attracting beneficial predatory insects

Lettuce

Provides ground cover and utilizes different soil nutrients, maximizing space

Carrots

Helps break up soil for brassica roots and doesn't compete for same nutrients

Mint

Repels ants, aphids, and cabbage moths with strong aromatic oils

Spinach

Compatible growth habits and helps suppress weeds around brassicas

Keep Apart

Tomatoes

Can inhibit brassica growth and both plants compete for similar soil nutrients

Strawberries

Both plants are susceptible to similar fungal diseases and may cross-contaminate

Pole Beans

Can stunt brassica growth through root competition and nitrogen fixation interference

Nutrition Facts

Calories

31kcal(2%)

Protein

2.57g(5%)

Fiber

2.4g(9%)

Carbs

6.27g(2%)

Fat

0.34g(0%)

Vitamin C

91.3mg(101%)

Vitamin A

8mcg(1%)

Vitamin K

102mcg(85%)

Iron

0.69mg(4%)

Calcium

46mg(4%)

Potassium

303mg(6%)

Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #747447)

Pests & Disease Resistance

Common Pests

Beet armyworm, spinach flea beetle, aphids

Diseases

Cercospora leaf spot (minimal in Charbell due to breeding), powdery mildew in humid conditions

Troubleshooting Charbell

What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.

Irregular tan or gray spots with reddish-purple borders appearing on older leaves, sometimes with a dusty white coating on the leaf surface in humid weather

Likely Causes

Cercospora leaf spot (Cercospora beticola) — Charbell has bred-in tolerance but isn't immune under heavy disease pressure
Powdery mildew — spikes when nights are cool and humidity stays high, common in Georgia's fall shoulder season

What to Do

1.Strip and trash (don't compost) affected leaves as soon as you notice them — slowing spread buys you weeks of harvest
2.Thin to at least 4 inches between plants; overcrowded beds trap humidity right at leaf level, per NC State Extension's guidance on air circulation and disease management
3.Switch to drip irrigation or water early morning so foliage dries before nightfall — evening overhead watering is one of the fastest ways to move this along

Ragged holes chewed through leaves, or leaves reduced to just the mid-rib, sometimes overnight

Likely Causes

Beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua) — populations build through spring and summer and peak hard in fall plantings
Spinach flea beetle (Disonycha xanthomelas) — leaves a characteristic shothole pattern, especially on seedlings under 4 inches tall

What to Do

1.Check leaf undersides for beet armyworm egg masses — they look like fuzzy white clusters — and crush them before they hatch
2.Cover the bed with row cover immediately after direct sowing to block flea beetle pressure; remove once plants hit 6 inches
3.For heavy armyworm populations, apply Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) in the evening when larvae are actively feeding — it won't affect beneficial insects

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Charbell chard take to grow?▼

Charbell reaches baby leaf stage (4-6 inch leaves) in 14-21 days, making it ideal for fast-turn salad mix production. Full-size harvest is ready in 28 days. The speed comes from hybrid vigor and vigorous growth habit. You can begin partial harvesting at 3 weeks and continue picking outer leaves for 6-8 weeks or longer, depending on climate.

Can you grow Charbell chard in containers?▼

Yes. Use a pot at least 12 inches deep with drainage holes and quality potting soil enriched with compost. For baby leaf harvesting, space plants 4-6 inches apart. For full-size plants, use 12-18 inch spacing (one plant per gallon). Container chard dries out faster than ground beds, so water more frequently and mulch the soil surface. Containers in part shade extend harvest in hot climates.

Is Charbell chard good for beginners?▼

Absolutely. Charbell is one of the easiest chard varieties for new gardeners. The hybrid vigor ensures reliable germination, the upright habit makes harvesting simple, and the exceptional bolt resistance means fewer failures from premature flowering. It tolerates inconsistent watering and neglect better than most leafy greens, and minimal pest or disease management is needed.

What does Charbell chard taste like?▼

Charbell has a mild, slightly sweet flavor when harvested at baby leaf stage. Full-size leaves develop more pronounced earthiness and subtle minerality typical of mature chard. The taste is less bitter than some Swiss chard varieties, making it popular for raw salads. The deep magenta stems have a slightly more vegetal, tender taste compared to white-stemmed varieties.

When should I plant Charbell chard?▼

Direct sow or transplant outdoors once soil reaches 50°F—typically 2-3 weeks before your last spring frost. Charbell thrives in cool spring weather and produces heavily through late spring and early summer. In mild climates, succession sow every 3 weeks spring through early fall. For fall/winter harvest, sow in midsummer. Charbell tolerates light frosts and often produces through the first frost in fall.

Why is Charbell chard more expensive than other varieties?▼

Charbell commands a premium because it was bred specifically for high-value baby leaf production with exceptional color and texture. The strong Cercospora resistance, bolt resistance, and hybrid vigor reduce production losses, while the vigorous, upright habit produces cleaner, more marketable leaves. These agronomic advantages, combined with the visual appeal of deep magenta coloring, justify higher seed costs for commercial growers and serious home gardeners.