GROW SILVERBEET & SWISS CHARD

Make life a little easier by growing cool season stalwarts Swiss chard and silverbeet. Both of these greens are full of goodness as well as being versatile in the kitchen. I use the leaves in soups, omelettes, quiches, lasagne, pies, pasta dishes or simply steamed with salt and pepper on top.

They are also frost-hardy, easy to grow and care for, and untroubled by disease during winter. In the supermarket, silverbeet bunches sell for around $5 so it makes sense to grow your own.

Plant punnets of seedlings now and lay down snail bait to protect them while they are establishing themselves.

You can also sow seed now, although in the dead of winter, it’s best to raise the seeds in trays undercover – or grow in a glasshouse if you have one. Space the seeds a few centimetres apart and cover lightly with seed-raising mix. Once the seedlings are up, give them a boost with liquid fertiliser diluted in tepid water. Silverbeet grows well in pots too, just ensure they have adequate water and regular feeding with liquid fertiliser.