Its cousin spinach may be more popular with foodies these days, but did you know silverbeet can be used in pretty much the same way - adding goodness to soups, pies, lasagne, pizza and dips? In my book, it's also much easier to grow and prepare than its leafy green relative.

Packed full of vitamins, this long-stemmed beauty is a great companion plant too, easily filling empty or tight spots in your vege garden. In fact, I'm often encouraging people to plant silverbeet in between rows of brassicas like broccoli or cauliflower because it's ready to harvest earlier and it grows tall, rather than out.

Keen to give it a go? Grab some Awapuni silverbeet seedlings at your local supermarket, Bunnings or The Warehouse. Or, head to our online store and have them sent direct to your door.

The key to planting silverbeet is making sure your soil is well drained. If it's a bit sluggish, try building it up into mounds. Or if you're using a pot, make sure you use a good potting mix. .

Speaking of pots, I find they're perfect for playing host to rainbow beet. That's right; silverbeet doesn't just come in bog-standard green and white. The rainbow variety boasts coloured stalks, and leaves in differing shades of green which can really make a statement on your deck or patio - a healthy one at that. With coloured beet being a bit more sensitive than traditional silverbeet, pots also help keep the frost at bay, and allow you to position the plants for full sun.

Whichever variety you decide to go with, planting beet is easy. Dig a little hole and place the seedling inside. Whether you're planting them in your garden or pots, simply space the seedlings around 20cm apart. From here they pretty much tend to look after themselves - just make sure you keep snails at bay with our tried and true beer bait.

Your silverbeet will be ready to harvest in around eight weeks if your soil is well-composted and free draining, or up to 12 weeks if it's a bit sluggish. Try harvesting your coloured beet when it's still young and add it to a spinach salad. Not only will it taste great, you'll create a real family get-together for the two leafy cousins.