Successional spinach crops

[moggssue]

Hi all, here I am with another daft question! I have two rows of spinach plants growing, about four inches tall now and seem to be healthy enough. I'd love to grow some more to have a second crop when we've eaten these - any idea how long they'll take to reach edible size and whether, therefore, I can get another sowing in to follow them?

Oh, and do they need anything special in the way of feeding - I sprinkled growmore around when I first sowed the seeds and gave them a sprinkling of miraclegro last week when I was doing my flower tubs but not sure I did the right thing (sorry, you must be fed up with questions about feeding!).

[Flummery]

You can sow more whenever you like - but the summer sowings are more likely to bolt. Many people use spinach beet to get over this problem but it doesn't taste the same.

By the way, no such thing as a daft question. Can't promise you won't get any daft answers though!

PS I don't feed mine, they feed me!

[moggssue]

I enjoy the daft answers, they brighten up a dull afternoon in the office flummery!

Will copious watering in the summer help stop the bolting problem? I'm thinking of waiting another two or three weeks before I sow more, so that they're edible when those growing now are all eaten but that will bring me into the summer dry season (if it ever stops of course!).

[Alice]

Hello Moggssue, you can start picking your spinach as soon as you reckon it's big enough to eat. Just pick the leaves from around the outside edge of each plant. You can take up to half the plant without damaging it. It will just keep growing and you can keep picking.

It does have a tendency to bolt, so you could replant now to make sure of a later crop just in case. I don't what kind you are growing, but if you have problems with it bolting, try spinach beet. I find it much easier.

[moggssue]

Thanks Alice, I didnt realise you could keep picking spinach, I was going to pull up the whole plant but it makes far more sense to just take the leaves I need (soon I hope, they're still a bit small!). I can't remember the name of the plants but they were perpetual spinach rather than spinach beet. I'll sow some more at the weekend rather than waiting any longer, just incase!

[Flummery]

As far as I'm aware, perpetual spinach IS spinach beet so you shouldn't have problems with the bolting. I grew it on my old allotment and beware - if it goes to seed you'll have little plants EVERYWHERE!

[moggssue]

Oh I didnt realise that Flummery! So will it taste the same as 'normal' spinach? And so I know for next year, what should I be planting to get 'normal' spinach?! We love spinach so I doubt it'll get the chance to go to seed but I'll try to make sure it doesnt.

[Flummery]

The packet will just say 'spinach' for normal spinach. Not spinach beet, or leaf beet, or perpetual spinach. It's spinachy but not quite the same. It reminds me more of sorrel, but taste is a very individual thing.

[moggssue]

haha, I've been on the web and bought a packet of 'real' spinach for my next sowing, just in case I dont like the taste of this other one. I didnt realise it was different - another lesson learnt!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi moggsue - I've been planting mine every four weeks so hopefully I'll not have a glut of spinach/leaf beet! I grew leaf beet last year and just kept picking enough leaves that I wanted to cook. I'm trying the same for swiss chard this year so hopefully that'll work too. Bernie

[dan1979]

I've been using suttons speedy seeds - I can't remember exactly when I sowed them but the quoted six weeks is pure nonsense.

The slugs have had quite a few and most have withered small inner leaves. The only one that looks really healthy is one I transplanted into a grow bag just to see what would happen as spinach allegedly hates being moved.

[moggssue]

So do I cook and use this spinach beet the same way as 'normal' spinach? Do you think it has the same health benefits? And why oh why do the cats love it so?!! Every couple of days they seem to dig one up for their toilet - ignoring the beans, cauli and other stuff and just chosing the spinach bed! Last question (more serious), from what dan says, does that mean you shouldnt start spinach off in a pot and transplant it? (Thinking of trying to keep cats off until its big enough to fend for itself).

[dexterdoglancashire]

As far as I know moggsue cook and eat leaf beet like spinach. As for cats in your crops - try stick a few prickly branches from something in the ground - they wont be able to put their little botties close to the ground to do you know what! or if they do - they'll be in for a surprise! Bernie

[Flummery]

Yes use in your normal way for spinach. I find it a little more acidic than 'normal' spinach. Doesn't help my arthritic fingers!

[moggssue]

Bernie - my veg plot is covered in bamboo canes but the little blighters somehow get through to the spinach bed, they just push the canes aside and get on with their business. I've now got a cloche back on one end of the bed to try to save at least some of the crop.
Thanks Flummery - I'll pretend its spinach and hope the OH doesnt notice!