Unbeatable Silverbeet in a Container Vegetable Garden in New Zealand
Introduction
Container vegetable garden in New Zealand is a perfect way to grow your own silverbeet. It’s also known as Chard, Swiss Chard, Spinach Beet and Sea Kale Beet. These days we are not restricted to one variety of green silverbeet. There is also a great range of red, crimson, pink, purple and yellows so it is easy to create a colourful eye-catching winter display. Some people grow them purely for the attractive colours. Silverbeet is full of vitamins and extremely easy to grow. Silverbeet like to have plenty of water but not wet soggy soil so they grow well in a free draining and self watering GreenSmartTM pot. Look out for “Bright Lights”, “Ruby Red”. “Fordhook Giant” has dark green blistered leaves and creamy white stalks. Ruby Red has brilliant crimson translucent stems. “Perpetual Green” has smooth spinach-like leaves and slender stalks.
In warm northern parts of New Zealand, plant silverbeet in all months. In cooler areas plant silverbeet from early spring through to early autumn. If growing from seeds then soak the seeds for several hours before planting 2-3 cm deep. New gardeners will find that the ‘pop n grow’ varieties are foolproof for Container vegetable garden in New Zealand . The traditional newspaper-wrapped plants are usually cheaper. You’ll be able to fit 12 plants into a large pot or 8 in a small one. Silverbeet grows best in the cooler months By planting them close together you will ensure that the shading of the soil prevents the roots getting too warm. Silverbeet is tolerant of some shade. So GreenSmart Pots are an excellent way of creating easy container vegetable garden in New Zealand. Silverbeet is prone to fungal infections in warm and humid conditions. Make sure there is plenty of air movement or just wait a few months for less humidity.
I get lots of questions about what is the best potting mix to use. I find that Dalton’s product is very good www.daltons.co.nz The key thing to remember for container vegetable gardens in New Zealand is that you want aeration, water holding ability but also free draining potting mix. You can turn the soil out of your GreenSmart Container vegetable garden in New Zealand after 12 months, aerate the potting mix, add more fertiliser then use it again. You can repeat this process 4-5 times.
Fertiliser
Use a good amount of organic fertiliser eg Yates dynamic lifter, blood and bone, sheep pellets. Add lime, dolomite. They are heavy feeders.
Pests and Diseases
Watch for snails, slugs. Repel them by sprinkling wood ash on the soil surface.
Companions for Silverbeet using a Container vegetable garden in New Zealand
Silverbeet does not like growing around basil but does like the company of onion, beetroot, parsnips, lovage and marjoram. I like to plant silverbeet, spinach, lettuces together in a GreenSmart pot so making a mini container vegetable garden.
Harvesting
Silverbeet will be ready to eat 8-12 weeks after sowing and is a great vegetable for ‘cut and come again’ in container vegetable gardens in New Zealand. The youngest leaves are most tender. Regular cutting will result in more growth. Old leaves are more bitter. Leave 4-5 stalks for faster re-growth. Lengthen the harvesting by pinching out the growing tips if showing signs of going to seed.
In the Kitchen
Thoroughly wash your home grown silverbeet to ensure that there are no critters hiding on the underside of the crinkled leaves. Here is a recipe for silverbeet with chili,basil and Parmesan cheese.
www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/recipes/8601477/Su
Silverbeet in GreenSmart Pots…. so easy to grow, so tasty to eat.
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Happy gardening,
Bill.