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                    
      T                
    P P                

(Best months for growing Silverbeet in USA - Zone 5a 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

07 Feb 10, Dee (Australia - temperate climate)
Many thanks for the tip Gary!
01 Feb 10, gary (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Raelene and Dee, With silverbeet you can harvest and use the outer leaves leaving the central ones to continue growing. We tend to harvest them when they're around 20-30cm long including the stem. The older outer leaves can get a bit tough.
30 Jan 10, Dee (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Raelene. I'm new to growing silverbeet too. I have a great crop going at the moment and just cut the outer leaves off as I need them. I've found I need to water them every day or they get droopy, and have had to keep a close eye on them as the grubs love them. Ive been told that you can cut the whole plant at once - maybe someone else can give some idea on that one?
03 Dec 09, Raelene Mcmahon (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
hi i have just started planting silverbeet, which i havent never grown before. do you have any ideas when to harvest it Raelene
15 Nov 09, Drasjic (Australia - temperate climate)
just wondering if laying silverbeet leaves directly on the beds around plants kinda like a mulch is an ok practice??? or will it harbour pests beneath them
29 Aug 10, jaime (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
no no no!! dont do that! the leaves will sweat and draw all the moisture and nutrients out of the soil! the best thing to do with old leaves is put them in the compost or feed them to the chooks, they love em and it gives the eggs a wonderfull strong flavour
14 Nov 09, Vicki (Australia - temperate climate)
Something is eating my silverbeet, it has holes in the leaves and has like black spots up the stems, these have not been sprayed prefer to go natural? Nothing else has been eaten, i even have some in a polystyrene box not too far away and is ok? We live in wide bay qld. Any ideas, Many thanks. Vicki
29 Jan 20, Jude Webber (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I have young rainbow beet plants about 20cms high that are being chewed through at base of stem? I have Blitzem pellets on the garden. What could be eating these plants?
20 Dec 16, Joan (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
My silver beet always gets black spots on the stems that gradually infect the leaves as well, no matter in which part if the garden I plant it. I have never sprayed it. I just keep on hoping. if This year the new immature stems are already spotted, and to us the stems are just as yummy as the leaves. Not sure if mid north coast NSW is actually temperate or sub tropical. Any advice? Thanks!
26 Feb 14, Ray Raymond (Australia - temperate climate)
I went to a lot of trouble to keep bugs out, built a fully enclosed area with shade cloth specially to grow silverbeet, get's plenty of sun, water and fertiliser yet i'm inundated with bugs that eat the leaves, i have come to realise that when purchasing the seedlings the eggs/larvae must have been on the seedlings and come with them from the supplier, this also happened to me with all the tomato plants i purchased, had to dispose of them it was so bad.
Showing 161 - 170 of 222 comments

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