Back
Vegetable · Easy to grow
Silverbeet
Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla · also Swiss chard
One of the easiest, most productive greens for Adelaide gardens, cropping for a year or more from one planting. It tolerates heat better than spinach and is rarely troubled by pests. Pick outer leaves regularly and keep it watered for tender growth.
- SunFull sun or part shade
- Spacing30 cm apart
- First pick7–10 weeks
- FrostFrost hardy
- HeatCopes with some heat
- Sow depth15 mm
When to plant where you live
Checking your area…
Add silverbeet to my gardenVarieties (3)
- Fordhook GiantBig glossy leaves with broad white stems; heavy cropper
- Perpetual spinachSmaller, spinach-like leaves and thin stems; slow to bolt
- Rainbow (e.g. Bright Lights)Red, yellow, pink and white stems; colourful and productive
Neighbours
Grows well with
From seed to plate
Plant
30 cm apart, seed 15 mm deep. Full sun or part shade.
Water
Regular water.
Feed
Liquid feed monthly.
Pick, from about 7 weeks
Twist off outer stems.
Good to know
- Twist outer stalks off at the base; leave 4 to 5 centre leaves
- Feed with liquid fertiliser every few weeks for lush growth
Common problems
- Leaf spot (brown spots)remove affected leaves, water at the base
- Snails and slugshand pick at night, use beer traps
- Bolting in its second springpull and replant with fresh seedlings
- Leaf minerpick off affected leaves
If you use a garden chemical, follow the label exactly. Try organic options first, and ask the community or Plant Doctor if you're unsure.
Guides
Safety: High in oxalates.
Where this information comes from
- Australian seed company regional sowing charts (temperate zone) (germination, low confidence)
- UC Master Gardener Program (UC ANR): soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination (germination, medium confidence, checked 27 Oct 2026)
- ABC Gardening Australia fact sheets (growing, low confidence)
- ABC Gardening Australia plant finder: Silverbeet (growing, medium confidence, checked 27 Oct 2026)
- Sustainable Gardening Australia: planting guides (sowing window, low confidence)
- Poisons information centre plant guidance (Australia) (toxicity, low confidence)
Reviewed by AI cross-check (Claude), not a horticulturist on 27 Oct 2026. Version 2.