Does spinach always bolt?

[Nik]

I love spinach, I could eat it every day. True spinach I'm talking about - although I'll eat leaf beet as a second choice.

But I have never managed to grow it without it bolting after I've got a couple of meals out of it. I've tried two or three different varieties and it's always the same. Does spinach just always run to seed? Do I just need to successionally sow to get spinach all through the summer?

Try it with a bit of soya sauce and a sprinkling of sesame seeds - delish!

[rustylady]

It doesn't like hot dry weather. Try and plant in semi-shade and keep well watered.

[Alison]

At this time of year you'll do well to stop it bolting but if you plant early under plastic you can get a pretty good crop which will stand well without bolting. Likewise, sow in later summer and you'll get a good autumn crop. I also sowed in October in the polytunnel and had a fab crop before Easter which worked really well.

[vegnut]

Interesting question that, i have the same problem. So this year i intend to sow some in semi shade at the same time as pak choi and japanese spinach in august and september. The reason for this is that i sowed some florence fennel in august and i had a good crop, but at the begining of the season it all sent up a flower spike and was useless.
Just a theory, but anythings worth a try.

[Florence Fennel]

Not tried a late sowing, but I will now.

[Two_Sheds]

I also sowed in October in the polytunnel and had a fab crop before Easter

This is the only way I can get radish or pak choi too: from a Sept/Oct sowing

[Aberdeenplotter]

This is the only way I can get radish or pak choi too: from a Sept/Oct sowing

OOOh I have pak choi growing away well. first time I have grown it. Is it prone to bolting as well?

[Nik]

That's good, I'll have plenty more space in September so I'll do another big sow then. I harvested lots in early spring which I wasn't expecting - I just assumed they were last year's plants which had come back to life like chard does - but it could have beeen some self seeded ones from the Autumn that I overlooked.

[baldrick]

yes! or it does for me anyway!

[Jono]

OOOh I have pak choi growing away well. first time I have grown it. Is it prone to bolting as well?

Don't think Pak Choi likes the heat. Plant it too early and it'll bolt. I've found it quite hardy too. Will last into winter sometimes.

Is leaf beet perpetual spinach? I grow perpetual spinach and it takes an age to bolt.

[Nik]

Leaf beet is perpetual spinach (I think). I just pulled all mine up because it bolted - but I picked some leaves and put them in a frittata before I composted it. Big mistake - it was disgusting!

[JamesM]

It always has bolted for me, as you say after a couple of meals. I've re-sown about three trays worth and once they've germinated they'll be put in a good shady spot

[Nicki85]

I have had really good luck with spinach, chucked it in a fairly large and deep pot and watered sometimes... it's in full sun and it hasn't bolted yet! It's been on the go since April this year and i'm still harvesting.

I'd have to check when I get home but I *think* it's Tetona which you can buy in the expensive speedy veg section or the other trade names do it as well. It's really good stuff and i'm really pleased with it. It says it's best in salads but I leave mine to mature and wilt it like usual spinach.

[BUFFS]

like you,i love spinach,but always seem to have problems with it,so now i sow perpetual spinach each year,i crop it 4/5 times in the summer/autumn,with 95% being blanched and frozen down,we are now just finished last years and adding this years to the freezer,with our weather on the west coast i find this the answer for us,in your drier area i would dig out a trench in the spring,where you intend to grow your spinach down to 8/10ins, and lay 3/4ins of flat newspapers(saved over the cold months),give it a good soak, and backfill,you now have a water sump that would take months to dry out,,,so good luck..

[Bren In Pots]

5 of my 10 perpetual spinach plants have bolted so I've sown some more in case the rest decide to go the same way.