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

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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
18 Feb 08, fudgemuffin69 (Unknown climate)
this is a great vegetabe 2 grow because it grows all through winter i have just fallen in love with it and i dont even like it
22 Jan 08, Chris (Unknown climate)
I've also found Fordhook Giant to be an superb variety. It keeps growing through drought and cold, and self-sows readily if you let a plant go to seed. Snails ate nearly everything else in the garden when I was away, but the silverbeet was unscathed.
13 Jan 08, Liz (Unknown climate)
If you have a small garden or just like colour, silverbeet in different colours are available. They are all edible and decorate the garden while growing.
02 Jan 08, jim kitis (Unknown climate)
the best variety of silverbeet is the fordhook giant as it takes a very long time to go to seed. i planted 200 in my marktet garden and i used eco vital folair spray on them and was harvesting from them for over 2 years before i moved and the new oeners still have some left a year after i shifted.
Showing 211 - 220 of 222 comments

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