Both the leaves and the thick stalks go to the kitchen: silverbeet, or chard (Beta vulgaris), is eaten cooked or raw much like spinach, but is generally found to be sweeter. Around Nice it turns up in omelettes, pies and even desserts, and where the soil is kept moist, stalks can be cut from midsummer until the first frosts.
| Name | Beta vulgaris |
|---|---|
| Family | Chenopodiaceae |
| Type | biennial, vegetable |
| Height | 12 to 20 inches (30 to 50 cm) |
| Exposure | full sun, part sun |
| Soil | rather rich and acidic |
| Sowing | spring |
| Harvest | summer-fall |
This biennial is much appreciated for all its parts, leaf and stalk.
Silverbeet is a vegetable that can be sown in spring or planted to the ground a bit later if you’ve purchased it in nursery pots.
If you would rather try to sow, either sow in Mid-spring or late spring in a nursery for cold-weathered climates or direct sowing for warmer regions.
If purchased in nursery pots, silverbeet can be planted all spring long, spacing them 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm) apart on all sides.
Growing silverbeet is possible in pots. It helps to have rich soil and excellent drainage.
It’s very important to water regularly, even more so than in the ground. Indeed, potted soil tends to dry out much faster.
Water morning and evening, without wetting leaves.
Silverbeet can be sown under cover, sown straight into the plot, planted out from nursery pots or grown in a container. The spacing barely changes; what changes is the timing and the watering.
| Method | When | Spacing or depth | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sowing in a nursery | Mid-spring or late spring | Transplant at 4 or 5 leaves, 12 to 16 in (30–40 cm) apart | Cold-weathered climates |
| Direct sowing | Mid-spring or late spring | Seeds buried about 1 in (2 cm), thinned to 12 to 16 in (30–40 cm) | Warmer regions |
| Planting nursery pots | All spring long | 12 to 16 in (30–40 cm) apart on all sides | A quick start without sowing |
| Growing in a pot | Spring | One plant per pot, rich soil and excellent drainage | Terraces and small spaces |
Whichever route you take, the soil must stay slightly moist for the stalks to swell.
Usually the harvest season for silverbeet extends from Midsummer up to the first frost spells, depending on the time of sowing, planting, and on your needs.
Always leave the small central leaves in place: the growing point sits at the heart of the bunch and this is what pushes out the next flush of stalks.
Take only a few outer stalks per plant at each picking.
Go over the plants regularly even when you do not need much, because stalks left too long turn stringy and the leaves toughen.
There are 2 main phases regarding winter care for silverbeet, one phase is before it freezes and the other once the freezing season is over and the plants enter their vegetation phase.
Silverbeet belongs to the same family as red beet, and is much appreciated for its leaves and stalks which are very interesting from a culinary point of view.
It is eaten both cooked or raw, just like spinach, but it is generally found to be sweeter.
In the south of France, around Nice, silverbeet is an omnipresent vegetable. It is cooked there in omelets, baked with cheese, added to pies and even desserts!
Silverbeet is without doubt a true heirloom vegetable that deserves to be invited to our mealtimes more regularly!
Many health benefits of silverbeet are often unknown to the public at large.
Low in calorie intake and rich in fibers, it is a great source of vitamins C and A, iron and magnesium, which makes it an excellent vegetable for fighting drowsiness.
It eases transit and has diuretic and laxative effects on our body.
Silverbeet likes the soil to stay moist, especially when the weather is hot. Remember to mulch in summer to keep the soil cool.
