I have young silver beet in a raised outdoor bed, leaves are approx the size of the top of a cup and they are all going to seed. What is the best way to handle?
I don't think there is anything you can do to stop them going to seed. These thou I find just usually self sow (so just let them go) and more will come up. (I have silverbeet all year round in that bed and I don't replant them)
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.
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).
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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.