Spinach in raised beds

[sweetcorn]

I've used Linkaboard raised beds for the first time this year, and my spinach doesn't seem to be doing v. well at all. Is it cos the soil is so light and fluffy? Or could it be that it's drying out too much? Should I be firming them in more, like you have to with brassicas?????

[dan1979]

I have spinach growign in a small container filled with plain old multi-puropse compost.

It seems to be doing ok.

[moggssue]

I sowed spinach in my slightly raised brand new bed and they're now a couple of inches tall and doing very well. They're only in full sun in the mornings and I water them every evening it hasnt rained (not very many so far haha!). The soil is new and not at all compacted - not that I know what I[m doing, this is my first time, but they seem perfectly healthy so far.

[Vegmonkey]

Hi there sweetcorn, i've grown spinach from seed, and it has prospered wonderfully. The soil, multi-purpose compost, i cut with 20 percent sand to help the drainage. I planted it about 10cm apart and 10cm between rows.

Drainage is important, but my soil is very similar to yours by the sound of it.

It's also important to keep it really well watered!

Good luck!

[Alison]

You don't need firm soil for spinnach in fact if you did firm it you could end up with poor drainage which would cause other problems. The usual problems I've had with spinnach have been due to slugs and the like eating the new shoots before they get the chance to become established. Have some going in a trough at the moment which seems to be doing OK. Oh yes and the other problem you can get in summer is it can bolt very quickly so would suggest that you pick a variety which claims to be bolt resistant. Obviously this doesn't help you at all with your current problem, maybe you just have off seeds?

[rustylady]

Perhaps your soil/compost is a tad too "fluffy". Spinach won't do well in really hard compacted soil or compost but it does need to be firm enough to hold the plants steady and allow them to get their roots down. Raised beds are a good idea in principle, but they can get a bit dry if they're too free-draining and spinach is a crop that doesn't like to be hot and dry.

[sweetcorn]

I think perhaps I didn't keep them watered enough. They are up, but not doing anything much. The seed leaves look a little yellow - could that be lack of nitrogen, or is it just because they don't need the seed leaves any more? I know the slugs have had a bit of a go at them. I've been using some organic pellets, which seem to have done the trick with the slugs now.