Shrinking Spinach

[Marb67]

I am giving up on this square foot lark because now my Spinach I transplanted into an area that gets more shade is getting smaller and the leaves are distorted. I have also sown some direct which are just coming up but now the weather is excessively hotter than it was last week I fear they will bolt anyway. I fear the same for my radish which look like they are starting to rise in height. I do give them a good soaking in the morning and evening to cool them down but eve before this they have been sickly. The transplanted ones are what I sowed in the greenhouse over winter and were hardly growing. Perhaps this has stunted their growth ? I don't know but it seems most of what I grow with a good start ends up getting smaller and smaller (spring onions,purple broccoli,kale and now spinach) I can't take a photo of them as it is now evening.

Sorry to seem negative again but it's hard to stay positive when things go wrong with no real reason when you try and do the right thing.

[Containergardener]

I had some Amazon spinach coming up in GH , today disappeared . I think the heat .

[Bigmallly]

I am giving up on this square foot lark

Removing the string isn't going to make any difference......................

[Marb67]

I think the weather is going a bit cooler the next few days so perhaps that will help.

[veggiechicken]

Its OK to be disheartened when your plants fail
As they say when you fall off your bike, just get back in the saddle and have another pedal (or did I make that up?)
If its any consolation, all my brassica seedlings have died, so you're not alone.

[Snoop Puss]

Maybe it's just adjusting to the move. There might be chemicals in the ground that have affected it. To be honest, I always start spinach off straight in the ground. It's relatively hardy and can cope. And I'm someone who starts most things off in modules first.

[Marb67]

Don't worry folks, I am not giving up. Just don't like not knowing why things happen. I like to know so I can adjust, improve accordingly.

Some seedlings in the ground have come up so I will wait and see. I have always wanted to grow abundant spinnach as it's one that can be grown in shade. When I visited cholmondeley castle a couple of years ago, the lady who ran the kitchen garden very kindly gave me some of their rare spinnach that had been grown for a few generations. After planting in my shady part of the soil they didn't last long despite efforts to keep them going.

[Containergardener]

I always fail to germinate spinach , maybe I should try outside in pots .

[Penellype]

Spinach is apparently notoriously difficult to germinate, although I haven't had many problems with it. I don't think it likes transplanting (I have never tried). Like any lush leafy veg there will be a queue of potential diners wanting to eat it, so it needs protecting against slugs and caterpillars. It also tends to bolt if it gets too hot or dry.

I grow mine mainly in self watering pots sown direct with slug tape round, and once it gets into June I protect it with nets. Partial shade at least is best.

[Containergardener]

Ah I shall try that then, I've been trying in GH in trays.

[Marb67]

Here is a shot of the three transplanted and some of the seedlings sown direct. There seems to be a lot of other shoots emerging all over my raised beds that I didn't sow. A lot is Borage which I love but it doesn't half get everywhere.

[CaraFlower]

Is it nibbled?

[Marb67]

No bite marks as far as I have seen.

[Marb67]

Well obviously there seems to be something wrong because it's going yellow and even smaller. Other seedlings taking an eternity to grow. Are they always this slow ?

[Nicos]

Try sticking fleece over them at night, it might help to heat the soil up a bit?

Just a thought .