How to grow Silverbeet

At a glance

🌱 Grow your Silverbeet with GardenDex

• Reminders to water it, timed to your weather and whether it's in a pot
• Frost and disease alerts for your garden, the night before
• Follow it from seed to harvest, and see what your garden grew in $
• Point your camera at any plant or bug to identify it

🗓️ When to plant

Sow directly in mid-spring after the last frost, or in late summer for autumn harvest. In mild climates, silverbeet can be sown year-round.

🌰 How to plant

1. Soak seeds for 1–2 hours before sowing to speed germination.
2. Sow seeds 2 cm (¾ in) deep directly into prepared soil.
3. Keep soil moist until seedlings emerge (7–14 days).
4. Thin seedlings to 30–45 cm (12–18 in) apart when 5 cm (2 in) tall.

💧 Care

• Water regularly to keep soil moist, especially during hot, dry periods.
• Mulch around plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
• Pinch out flower stalks promptly to encourage more leaf growth.
• Feed with a balanced fertilizer or compost every 4–6 weeks for continuous harvests.

🧺 Harvest

Begin harvesting outer leaves when they're 15–20 cm (6–8 in) long by gently pulling or cutting them at the base. Continue picking regularly to encourage new growth; the plant will keep producing for many weeks.

🐛 Common problems

Leaf miners: Remove affected leaves promptly and cover young plants with fine netting to prevent egg-laying adults.

Powdery mildew: Improve air circulation, avoid overhead watering, and spray with sulfur or neem oil if severe.

Slugs and snails: Handpick in early morning, create barriers with copper tape, or use organic slug pellets around plants.

🤝 Companion plants

💚 Good neighbours: Beans, Onions, Garlic, Marigolds

⚠️ Keep apart from: Fennel, Pole beans

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