Spinach advice

[smallblueplanet]

I've just seen the posts on 'Penellype's Allotment' thread about spinach. We eat lots of spinach, baby leaf in salad and bagged frozen stuff in curries.

I think it's time we tried to grow it again. We've never had much success but looked on in envy when our previous neighbour just 'threw seed' in the ground and grew huge plants! Ours we started in modules, because of slugs (our neighbour put down pellets which we will not do), and then planted out never seemed to get very big at all and were 'lost' to weather, and slugs I guess.

Maybe we don't plant/transplant at the right time? Maybe try sowing direct again? Maybe it's the wrong variety? Or maybe we need to get out with head torches on and de-slug?!

Advice please.

[Penellype]

To make this easier to find using the search I am copying a post I have just written on my allotment thread here.

I always grow spinach for cut and come again - the only reason I haven't harvested any of the current crop is that they were slow to get going due to slug damage and I don't want them to be over-stressed in the cold weather. The danger with leaving them until they get bigger is that they have a tendency to bolt, and this happens extremely quickly once it starts. There isn't really a time when they are "mature" until they start to bolt.

Spinach is an interesting crop - the same variety and even the same plant behaves completely differently according to conditions. Young spinach sown in spring produces fast growing soft paleish green leaves which are round in shape, have a mild flavour and are suitable for salads. The same variety sown in autumn produces slow growing dark green leaves, which are much tougher, almost leathery, have a stronger taste and really need cooking. As the plants get older the leaves get bigger and become more pointed in shape. Some varieties (including Amazon which I grow) can produce huge leaves at this stage - occasionally bigger than a sheet of A4 paper. Pointed leaves are a sign that the plant is starting to develop flower buds which are not yet visible. Then suddenly, almost over night, a flower spike appears, and this can soon become 2-3ft tall from a big plant. The leaves on the flower stalk become increasingly narrow and pointed and look like they are from a completely different plant. They also become increasingly tough and stringy. I use these (including the stalk but not the seeds) for soup, which I blend and sieve to remove the stringy bits. Bolting can be initiated very quickly if the plants dry out or get too hot, and can happen even if the plants are very young with only a few very small leaves. Spinach therefore almost never grows well in summer, and this is the reason why it is often regarded as difficult to grow. It isn't, it just needs cool conditions and an absence of slugs.

[Penellype]

I've just seen the posts on 'Penellype's Allotment' thread about spinach. We eat lots of spinach, baby leaf in salad and bagged frozen stuff in curries.

I think it's time we tried to grow it again. We've never had much success but looked on in envy when our previous neighbour just 'threw seed' in the ground and grew huge plants! Ours we started in modules, because of slugs (our neighbour put down pellets which we will not do), and then planted out never seemed to get very big at all and were 'lost' to weather, and slugs I guess.

Maybe we don't plant/transplant at the right time? Maybe try sowing direct again? Maybe it's the wrong variety? Or maybe we need to get out with head torches on and de-slug?!

Advice please.

To add to the above post, I direct sow in spring in a hotbed, which usually works because in early spring (February) and in fresh horse manure there are few if any slugs about. Large containers of fresh compost would probably give similar results. Later in spring and in autumn I sow spinach in modules, but you have to be very very careful not to let it dry out and to transplant it before it gets too big for the modules, otherwise it just bolts even when very small. The variety makes a difference too - I tried several before settling on Amazon, which is reliable and makes nice big leaves. The important thing is to avoid the warmer months. Slugs are a problem - I use slug gone wool pellets and nematodes particularly for autumn crops which are much more vulnerable particularly in wet weather.

[Penellype]

Another point about spinach, once you get it to grow, is that it can get infested with beet leaf miner, which tends to start appearing in late March or April. I grow my spinach (and beetroot) under insect mesh to keep it out.

[Snoop Puss]

Thanks for starting this thread, smallblueplanet. I was thinking as I read Penellype's post on her plot thread that it would be useful to have a dedicated spinach thread. I love the stuff. Mr Snoop has a genetic aversion to it, so I don't grow it. But I should even if he doesn't want to eat it.

Thanks Penellype for such a detailed description and advice.

[smallblueplanet]

Gonna get me some spinach seeds and try again! Great advice Penellype lots of things to try. I think I'll hunt out the insect netting - we use environmesh for our salads - and check it's not too big holes. Love spinach in dhal as well.