Author Topic: Spinach (Read 3562 times)

suziequeue · « **on:** October 30, 2010, 05:59:43 pm »

How do I grow spinach? Is it complicated?

pottsie · « **Reply #1 on:** October 30, 2010, 06:25:38 pm »

Actually it couldn't be more easy, i grow mine in an old dumpy sack which i had sand delivered in but it will grow anywhere, in fairly rich soil. I have five rows in my sack running spinach - chard (bright lights) -spinach - chard - spinach. We love it and the sack grows more than enough for the pair of us. It grows back as you pick so you get plenty. I planted a load in July and it is still looking great, will be eating it all winter in stir fry and in Indian dishes.

Good Luck Rob.

little blue · « **Reply #2 on:** October 30, 2010, 09:08:13 pm »

and if it does bolt and go flowery, the animals will LOVE it!

yes, dead easy

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #3 on:** November 05, 2010, 10:13:03 am »

I either keep the seeds for next year but if I'm too busy to collect it will happily self seed. As they are easy to spot in spring you'll have an early crop. If transplanted I found they bolted earlier, so best to keep them where they come up! It's fun, go find your food

ellied · « **Reply #4 on:** November 07, 2010, 08:43:24 am »

I can manage to grow it each year without fail so it must be simple

Pick leaves rather than the whole plant and it will keep producing more for months on end - baby leaves for salad in winter and bigger ones in curries, soups etc for autumn and winter - really worthwhile plant

darkbrowneggs · « **Reply #5 on:** November 25, 2010, 10:07:41 am »

I always grow the perpetual spinach also known as spinach beet, as I find it less likely to bolt.

All the best
sue

little blue · « **Reply #6 on:** November 25, 2010, 09:53:44 pm »

me too. though my mum and dad's bolted loads this year?! I dont mind though.... they pull it up and give it me for the animals & I replant them and trim off the flower heads!

princesspiggy · « **Reply #7 on:** December 19, 2010, 06:53:44 pm »

iv only grown perpetual spinach and lasted for 2 years so far, we feed it to our rabbits.

Mayangold · « **Reply #8 on:** January 28, 2011, 06:20:46 pm »

I grow perpetual spinach and chard generally and don't bother with ordinary spinach ( I like the stuff from cans in Indian stores!) joking aside, in Autum I put in loads of chinese leaves and pak choi too. I put them in after the lettuces have finished, so as to get two crops per year from the same plot ( then rotate of course).
You don't need to plant the Chinese veg type seeds before mid July, then you can also sow some more mid August or so, and get more new growth as late as November.
Due to the awful frosts all my greens have now died back, but I do see some young shoots of perpetual spinach coming up already ( end of January).
- Roll on March not very long now, and we can get things growing again.

doganjo · « **Reply #9 on:** January 28, 2011, 06:31:40 pm »

I hate it!

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #10 on:** January 28, 2011, 06:45:32 pm »

we love it, seeds in, a bit of weeding, eat! The larger the better, so we tend to go for chards but grow them all

Blonde · « **Reply #11 on:** March 05, 2011, 06:53:43 am »

You can also use the beetroot leaves the same as silver beet. cook them the same.

If you want nice green long leves then you have to leave the lant alone to grow to it maturity.

good garden bed full of manure and a nice sunny spot. caterpillars do eat it but time to watch for butterflies is also essential. You can also collect the seed from any of the plants that get the better of you and collect them for the following years production.