Leafy & brassicas
Silverbeet
Leaves and stems for a continuing harvest.
Sowing & planting windows in Australia
Planting timing varies by broad Australian gardening zone. Local weather, unusual seasons and your garden’s microclimate can shift timing.
Cool
Sow · Sep-Mar
Core months: January, February, March, September, October, November, December
Temperate
Sow · Aug-Mar
Core months: January, February, March, August, September, October, November, December
Subtropical
Sow · All year
Core months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
Tropical
Sow · Mar-Jul
Core months: March, April, May, June, July
Arid
Sow · Feb-Nov
Core months: February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
Getting started
Sow directly into prepared soil, or start in trays. Seed clusters can produce more than one seedling, so thin crowded plants.
The right conditions
Choose fertile, well-drained soil with sufficient moisture for steady leaf growth. This is chard, not true spinach, and the plants become substantially larger.
As it grows
Water during dry periods and keep weeds down while plants establish. Give each plant space to produce a rosette of leaves.
Ready to harvest
Cut or carefully remove outer leaves as needed, leaving the centre intact to keep growing. Younger leaves are more tender; larger leaves have thicker stems.
Related how-to guides
Harvest leafy greens for repeat picking
Identify the crop and whether you want individual leaves or a whole head.
Plant guidance: Desk-reviewed against linked sources; not field-tested. Planting windows are a guide rather than a rule.