The easy guide to silverbeet

Silverbeet (Beta vulgaris var. cicla) (Biennial)


Jeremiah 29:5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;












Also known as Swiss chard, chard or Sea Kale beet this plant is very hardy as well as generous as it can be harvested for a year to 18 months. It is a native of the seashore and tolerates a wide range of soils. The seed itself is corky and it's possible that 2 seedlings can come from the same seed. Being easy to grow it can be added to soups, meals, or anything interesting.















How to grow: 

Full sun or part shade in reasonably fertile soil
Sow Spring, Summer or Autumn
Rows 50cm Plant spacing 25cm
Pick the outside leaves by pulling down and twisting
leaving 4-6 leaves in the middle to let the plant keep growing
Spots on the leaves can be controlled by picking infected leaves
and burning them or feeding them to animals. Bordeaux or a similar spray
can help too.
Yield: approximately 2kg per metre











Varieties:

Fordhook - large deep green leaves
Five Colour Mix (heirloom) - looks attractive in the garden
Yellow (heirloom) - Also a nice variety

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