Silverbeet / Swiss Chard

This green leafy vegetable is a must for every garden.  It is related to the beetroot and you'll see this in the shape and colour of the leaves.  Sometimes the stem of the leaf (blade) is reddish in colour, though you can find white, yellow or green stems too.  

How To Grow Chard

Firstly prepare the soil with plenty of sheep pellets or animal manure as this loves nitrogen. The seed can be sown direct between spring and autumn.  If you are transplanting then do this once the pants have reached 7-10 cm high.   In the Northern Hemisphere planting takes place between June and October In the Southern Hemisphere planting is from November through to April. If you are going to plant in spring make sure you put another crop in around late summer so that you have a fresh plant to take you through the winter months.

Culinary Uses for Silverbeet / Swiss Chard

Firstly make sure when you pick the leaves you do leave central young ones alone so that you can enjoy a future crop.  In other words don't strip the plant bare - it will go into shock and may not revive.   Young leaves can be used in salad raw Nutritional content of Silverbeet Contains vitamins A, K, E and C - it also contains magnesium, manganese, iron and potassiu, .