Swiss Chard bolting

This is a new one for me - I have never had swiss chard send up a flower stalk before. This is not last year's roots, but new plants started this spring. Most (not all) have sent up a flower stalk. Anybody else having that problem? It's rainbow chard and seems to be the red ones only so far. I'm in Zone 6a. Very cool nights all spring and so far this summer (lows in 50s many nights).

That's really strange, cause my rainbow Swiss Chard has been growing since last fall and hasn't bolted yet -- although I'm kinda ready for it to do something different....

I planted my rainbow chard this spring and so far it's doing well. Sorry I can't help!

That's odd. Swiss Chard is one thing that grows here even in summer.

My last fall planted rainbow Swiss chard has bolted too. I pulled most of it and fed it too the chickens. It still looked wonderful, so I used some leaves from stalks going up (no flowers yet) and it was still great tasting. That stuff is great and beautiful as well. I plan to start more seed in a few days.

I still haven't figured out how to cook it so I like it. I eat all sorts of greens, but I can't find the wonderful taste ya'll keep talking about. I think I was picking it too late. Bubbamocity told me to pick the young leaves, but I never got my timing right. Ren thinking bout cutting it back and refreshing the soil for another try St the baby leaves. Wanna give it a fair shot.

I don't like it cooked, but we like the baby leaves in salad.

I like it cooked; it has a kind of salty taste, and works well with olive oil and garlic. Or mixed with spaghetti and clam sauce. Or sauteed with eggs.

I hadn't thought of using it with eggs. I'll give it a try.

We love greens with eggs - spinach, broccoli raab, turnip greens, and asparagus, which of course aren't really greens. I figured chard would work and it does. The garlic is essential, though! (Actually, it's not, and you can also add grated cheese.)

Gymgirl,
Along with the garlic and olive oil I add a little nutmeg just as I do with sauteed spinach. You might like it with that added. It really zips up the flavor!

I had to just go ahead and eat Chard a lot, I wasn't really fond of the flavor. Just as a salad, chopped and raw with bleu cheese dressing, mixed half and half with Olive oil. Then, all of a sudden one day, I said "Yum!" and I've really liked it since.