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 S S S S S
T T T T       T T T T T
P P P           P P P P

(Best months for growing Silverbeet in Australia - temperate 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 10°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 15 - 30 cm 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

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08 Oct 08, Sam (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
hey trevor try vinegar that usually works or crush some garlic in some hot water then drain it and place it in a spray bottle with water
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05 Oct 08, Trevor (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Does anybody know of a variety of ways to try and repel earwigs. They eat the new buds as they emerge. I tried sprinkling pepper, and use bowls of beer but not much luck
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03 Oct 08, Sam (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
get some silverbeet in a pan welt it get a nice piece of free range chicken brest slice the thick side of the chicken to make a pocket take some garlic butter and ya welted silverbeet and stuff it inside the chicken breast.cook serve with a salad season it with salt and pepper for a nicer taste pour a few dribbles of sweet chili sauce over cooked chicken.
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19 Aug 08, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Sam, if possible rinse the salt off the weed (leave it lying in the rain is fine). You can add the sea weed to compost, or half-fill a tub with weed, top up with water, and leave with a lid on for a few months to make liquid manure. Use diluted to a light-brown ("weak tea") as liquid feed for plants. I've used lake weed as mulch.
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18 Aug 08, sam (Australia - temperate climate)
I have a huge supply of sea weed in my river but is it good for silverbeet how should I use it on silverbeet?
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03 Aug 08, ron (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Could you please help me I have grown fordhook over the years with no problem however just recently It starts off well then goes droopy even flat along the ground not through lack of water.Regards Ron.
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31 Jul 08, Barbara (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Our silverbeet egg salad: first chop and steam it. Drain and place in bowl and while hot mix through 1Tbsp of olive oil and two or three chopped, hard boiled eggs. season with cracked pepper and salt and if liked, a dash of balsamic vinegar. served hot or cold it's yummy! Even vegie hating kids seem to like it.
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29 Jul 08, Anna (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Silverbeet tastes amazing: Wash it, Chop it, Fry it up with some onion and garlic, Add bacon, Let it simmer till leaves are soft, Add nutmeg, Add Salt n Pepper, Add two eggs.... Yummmy.
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Showing 181 - 188 of 188 comments
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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.

- Mike

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