Chard. Chard is a beet that has been chosen for leaf production at the expense of storage root formation. Chard will produce fresh white, yellow or red leaf stalks. It is an attractive ornamental that adds color to the vegetable garden.hard can be harvested while the leaves are young and tender or after maturity when larger have slightly tougher stems. Chard is extremely perishable, so keep refrigerator storage time to a minimum. Store unwashed leaves in plastic bags in the crisper for 2 to 3 days.