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Growing silverbeet (chard)
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Silverbeet growing in containers
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We've been growing silverbeet, or chard, for years now. It's technically
part of the beetroot family but often incorrectly called spinach in a
lot of Australian green grocers.
You can also now get a rainbow variety of silverbeet with brightly coloured
stems.
Silverbeet is a useful vegie to have, especially for stir fry meals.
Growing conditions
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Silverbeet can be grown all year round in most climates with the
exception of the hottest and coldest months.
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They can grow in full or partial sun, provided the soil has good
drainage.
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Silverbeet loves an organically rich soil.
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Depending on how puritanical you are with your crop rotation you
can either grow your silverbeet where ever you have space or keep
it to a specific bed as part of a crop rotation system. Probably the
best bed for it is with the brassicas and legumes (broccoli, cabbage,
cauliflower, beans and peas).
Garden care
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You can directly sow silverbeet seeds where they'll grow (our preference)
or in a seed raising mix.
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If transplanting silverbeet wait until the leaves are about an inch
long.
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Because silverbeet is a leafy vegetable it likes regular liquid manure
applications.
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If you're growing in containers you'll find silverbeet is just the
right size.
Harvest time
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Silverbeet is ready for harvesting usually 8-12 weeks after planting.
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When harvesting silverbeet just pull the outer leafs off in a downward
motion. By leaving the inner leafs you'll encourage future growth.
But don't wait too long to harvest. We once took too long and it tasted
a little like dirt.
Last Updated
17 November, 2008
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