Sprouts?

Sprouts are a late crop. I grew mine from seed sown in the summer and started to harvest in the early winter onwards The plants need the colder weather to perform (unlike me), so I think you're being a bit hasty. make sure they're well firmed in so they don't suffer wind rock and have patience!

I grow Swiss chard as my cut and come again greens which keep me going through the Autumn through til Spring. Particularly fond of the Bright Lights variety with those colourful stems.

Could be that the ground around them is not firm enough. I have had sprouts like this when I have not firmed up the soil thoroughly.

I will leave them in as I've nothing else to go there (hate cabbage!). It's just that the leaf joint is so completely bare, I'm used to seeing just a little bud by the time they're this tall. Perhaps they are a late variety - I did get them from a market stall and the label just said sprouts!

Don't sprouts usually come on the plants in the winter? I can remember having freezing cold hands when picking mine.

I remember the clouds of whitefly too.

Good luck. Just give them some more time.

Perhaps they are late sprouts- in the New Year?