Growing Silverbeet, also Swiss Chard or Mangold

Beta vulgaris var. cicla : Amaranthaceae / the amaranth family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    S S S S            
      T T T T          
      P P P P          

(Best months for growing Silverbeet in Australia - tropical regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 50°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 6 - 12 inches apart
  • Harvest in 7-12 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Beans, brassica sp. (cabbage, cauliflower, etc), tomato, allium sp. (onion, garlic, chives), lavender, parsnip
  • Avoid growing close to: Corn, melon, cucurbit (cucumbers, squash, melons, gourds), most herbs, potato.

Your comments and tips

27 Nov 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
How fertile is the soil. A plant once it has used the fertiliser in the soil will go to seed to reproduce itself. I haven't grown silver beet for 20 odd years although a fellow has some growing in the Men's Shed gardens I look after. He has just started to pick them the last week. These were planted after a crop of lettuce and once the SB were established from very small seedlings I gave them a little hit up with fertiliser. I use a little Tupperware cup of fertiliser (7cm across and 4cm deep) into 9 liters of water - leave for a few hours and give a good stir. I used that 9 L to water 7 SB, 12 climbing beans, 4 Ceylon spinach and 6 rock melon plants. YOU could pick the seed head off and give them a fertilizing - but I think it might be too late.
25 May 18, Jane (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Thanks for this Mike. Great helpful reply. I planted spinach a few weeks back from seedlings. Doesn't look like the silverbeet I grew up with but they're slowly doing well (touch wood).
06 Nov 17, Sally Ong (Australia - tropical climate)
i want to ask can - can silver beet grow in equatorial climate like Malaysia? Please advise. Thank you.
07 Nov 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You could try planting April May next year.
16 Aug 17, margaret arnold (Australia - temperate climate)
is silver beet ok to eat raw? thank you..
17 Aug 17, John C (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
The smaller leaves are yummie raw in salads, or in a stir-fry. I think they get a bit tough as they get older / bigger. (As I understand it, you don't get the Iron benefits from raw spinach. Needs to be cooked for that.)
17 Aug 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
The young leaves can be used raw in a salad but silverbeet is usually eaten cooked. Puréed or finely chopped silverbeet makes an excellent base for many dishes. Use blanched leaves as a wrap.
15 Aug 17, Dianne (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I live an hour west of Hobart, when is the best time to plant silver beet seedlings? The temperature still gets down to 0 over night.
16 Aug 17, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Sept to March for you. In future go to the Veg and Herb section above and read up about the plant you are interested in. It has all this info there.
12 May 17, Will stubby (Australia - temperate climate)
Can you grow silver beet in rocky ground ?
Showing 51 - 60 of 187 comments

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