How to Grow Silverbeet in Australia
The ultimate set-and-forget vegetable for every Australian garden
Silverbeet is the ultimate set-and-forget vegetable. It grows year-round in every Australian region, handles frost and heat, and a single planting picks for 6 to 12 months. No other leafy green comes close to that kind of reliability.
This guide covers the best silverbeet varieties, planting and harvesting methods, and how to keep plants producing for as long as possible.
When to Plant in Your Region
Best Silverbeet Varieties
Fordhook Giant
The classic Australian silverbeet. Thick white stems, large dark green leaves. Handles heat and cold. Available at every nursery.
Rainbow Chard
Mix of red, yellow, orange, pink, and white stems. Same flavour and hardiness as green varieties but looks stunning in the garden and on the plate.
Ruby Red
Deep crimson stems with dark green leaves. Slightly more tender texture than Fordhook. Popular for both ornamental and culinary use.
Perpetual Spinach
Technically a silverbeet variety but with thinner stems and smaller leaves closer to true spinach. Slower to bolt in warm weather. Good spinach substitute.
Planting
Silverbeet can be direct sown into the garden or transplanted from punnets. Space plants 30 cm apart in rows. It grows in any reasonable soil and handles full sun to part shade.
Each silverbeet "seed" is actually a cluster of seeds, so you will often get multiple seedlings from a single spot. Thin to the strongest seedling once they have a few true leaves.
Prepare the bed with compost before planting. Silverbeet is not fussy about soil but grows faster and produces larger leaves in well-fed ground.
Harvesting
Pick the outer leaves first, snapping or cutting them at the base of the stem. Leave the inner leaves to keep growing. Never strip the plant bare or it will struggle to recover.
Regular picking encourages new growth from the centre of the plant. You can start harvesting from about 8 weeks after sowing. Take 2 to 4 outer leaves per plant each week for a steady supply.
Year-Round Growing
Silverbeet is one of very few vegetables that grows through every Australian season. It handles light frosts, summer heat, and everything in between. The only time plants slow down noticeably is during the coldest weeks of winter in southern regions, but they pick up again as soon as temperatures rise.
Replace plants when they bolt to seed, which usually happens after 8 to 12 months. Most plants bolt in their second spring or summer. Pull out the old plant, add compost to the spot, and plant a fresh seedling. Stagger plantings every 3 to 4 months so you always have young, productive plants ready.
Common Problems
Leaf miner
Leaf miner larvae tunnel between the upper and lower surfaces of leaves, leaving silver trails and blistered patches. The damage looks worse than it is. Remove affected leaves and put them in the bin (not the compost). The rest of the plant is fine to eat.
Snails and slugs
Snails and slugs love young silverbeet seedlings. Protect new plantings with beer traps, copper tape around pots, or iron-based snail pellets. Established plants are tough enough to handle some snail damage without problems.
Bolting
Silverbeet is biennial, so it runs to seed in its second year or sometimes during temperature extremes. Once the central stem shoots up with a flower spike, the leaves become tough and bitter. Pull the plant out and replace it with a new seedling.
Track Your Silverbeet Growing
Add silverbeet to your garden in the Planting Season app and get reminders for planting and picking times.
Open the App →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow silverbeet year-round in Australia?
Yes. Silverbeet is one of the very few vegetables that grows through every Australian season. It handles frost, heat, and everything in between. Plant at any time of year and expect to harvest from about 8 weeks after sowing.
How do you harvest silverbeet without killing the plant?
Always pick the outer leaves first, snapping or cutting them off at the base of the stem. Leave the inner leaves to keep growing. Never strip the plant bare. Regular picking encourages fresh growth from the centre.
Is silverbeet the same as Swiss chard?
Yes. Silverbeet and Swiss chard are the same plant (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris). Silverbeet is the common name used in Australia and New Zealand, while Swiss chard is used in the United States and Europe. Rainbow chard is simply a colourful variety of silverbeet.
How long does a silverbeet plant last?
A single silverbeet plant will produce leaves for 6 to 12 months before it bolts to seed. Plants usually bolt during their second spring or summer. Once a plant starts flowering, pull it out and replace it with a fresh seedling.
See also: Silverbeet in the Plant Library
