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

(Best months for growing Silverbeet in Australia - sub-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

29 Aug 10, jaime (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
we boil ours, but if you add bicarb soda to the water, they'll keep their colour. steaming is probably the worst thing to do with leafy vegies. cause it creates a humid environment, they just wilt and go horrible. thats why i have to grow mine in winter.hope that helps!1
10 Sep 09, floody (Australia - tropical climate)
i just had the best crop of beet ever. plenty of chook poo in the soil and blood and bone mixed up in styro vege boxes with water every arvo .
30 Oct 09, Tim (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi, I have some coloured silverbeet in punnet trays that I want to plant out - it is quite leggy, maybe 2.5 cm or so to first leaves. Anyone know if the stems can be buried up to the first leaves like broccoli etc or should I leave the stems above the ground as they are?
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
11 Dec 12, David (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi vicki have you found what the black spots area and if ones can treat ? Cheers David.
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.
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!
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?
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
Showing 41 - 50 of 187 comments

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