SILVERBEET-CHARD-BARESE
SILVERBEET-CHARD-BARESE
A$3.50
Availability: 33 in stock
Spinacia oleracea
SILVERBEET-CHARD-BARESE is often called spinach but it’s not. It is a close relative of beetroot, but it’s grown for its leaves & stems. The first varieties have been traced back to Sicily, rather than Switzerland! Its leaves & stalk are both edible. A great source of vitamin K, A & C, potassium, magnesium, iron & fiber. High in antioxidants & low in calories. A single serving is merely 35 calories, yet contains more than 300% of your daily Vit K needs. It is also rich in a multitude of B-complex vitamins. Juice it, chop it up & include it in your favorite stuffing mix or pasta sauces. The general rule with Chard is to cook the leaves like you would spinach & the stalks like asparagus.
Dampen seed and leave on moist tissue paper for 1-2 hours prior to sowing. Can be raised in trays of Seed Raising Mix. For sowing direct, cover with mix & keep moist. Spring & early Autumn.
| Germination Time (Days) | 10 – 20 |
| Harvest Time (Days) | 50 – 90 |
| Sowing Depth (mm) | 10 |
| Plant Spacing (cm) | 20 – 35 |
| Row Spacing (cm) | 60 |
| pH | 6 – 7.5 |
| Soil Temperature (°C) | – |
| Hardy / Frost Tender | Hardy |
| Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings | Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings |
| Seed Preparation | – |
Scoville Heat Units (SHU)
Plant Height
30 - 45 cm (1 - 1.5 feet)
Season of Interest
Spring to Autumn
Temperature Range
10 - 24 °C
Determine / Indeterminate
Annual / Perennial / Biennial
Biennial
Frost Hardy / Tender
Frost Hardy
Full Sun / Part Sun / Shade
Full Sun to Part Shade
Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings
Sow direct / raise seedlings
Soil
Fertile, well-drained soil rich in organic matter
pH
6.0 - 7.5
Soil Temperature
10 - 24 °C (50 - 75 °F)
Seed Preparation
None required
Sowing Depth
1 cm (0.4 inches)
Plant Spacing
15 - 30 cm (6 - 12 inches)
Row spacing
30 - 45 cm (12 - 18 inches)
Watering
Moderate
Germination Time (Days)
5 - 10 days
Harvest Time (Days)
50 - 60 days
Good Companion Plants
Carrots, Onions, Beans
Bad Companion Plants
Potatoes, Melons
Pests
Leaf miners, Aphids, Slugs
Diseases
Downy mildew, Leaf spot
More About Us
When I started this journey in 2009, I found nothing existed commercially, that was reasonably priced and easy to use. There was a homemade system which I also found was not that user-friendly.
Then a friend of mine told me about a homemade method she used. However, when I tried her method, I found this also didn’t suit my needs, as it too had flaws that I considered where important. It did not keep vermin out, did not have a lockable lid and (to me) looked unsightly in the garden
