Spinach

Overview

Spinach - Spinacea oleracea inermis                     Rotation group – Others

Spinach is a notoriously tricky crop to grow well. The summer cultivars suffer in the hot, dry conditions and the winter strains do not like it when it is cold and wet; despite this it is a quality vegetable and well worth persevering with creating a fertile, water holding soil to grow it in.

How to grow

Sow

Both summer and winter spinach are grown from seed. The summer spinach seed is round and the hardier winter spinach is prickly seeded, similar in appearance to beetroot seed. The seed can be sown into to modules to be transplanted into the open ground when the plants are large enough; although it is better to direct sow them in the open ground to prevent any form of check to the plant. This will reduce the risk of the plant bolting if it becomes stressed.

The summer spinach can be sown from March to July. Space sow the seed at 15cms/6ins spacings along the row in drills that are 2.5 cms/ 1ins deep, watering along the row with liquid seaweed just before sowing takes place. Make the rows 30cms/12ins apart. It is best to make several sowings of summer spinach every three weeks or so. The winter spinach should be sown in August and September.

Grow on

After the seed has germinated the seedlings have to be thinned to one per station. It is safer to cut rather than pull the unwanted seedlings out of the soil in order to avoid disturbing the strongest plant that will remain. Water along the rows with liquid seaweed to re settle the soil around the young plants.

Aftercare

Water the plants regularly to prevent them from running to seed. Hoe between the rows and the plants to keep down weeds. It may be possible to grow the summer spinach in the shade of a taller growing crop such as peas or climbing beans to help keep the plants cool. The overwintering spinach will require the protection of cloches from October onwards all through the winter months.

How to Harvest

Harvesting

The summer spinach can be ready to harvest after 8 weeks from sowing. Pick the leaves whilst they are still young and tender but always leave some on the plant to keep producing new leaves. Pick the winter spinach more sparingly during the winter months.

Issues

Pests and diseases

In damp, crowded conditions with poor air circulation spinach will be attacked by downy mildew. This can be recognised by yellow patches appearing on the leaves and a grey mould growing on the underside of the leaves. It can be controlled by using a suitable fungicide.

If the young leaves turn yellow it is symptom of spinach blight caused by cucumber mosaic virus. The leaves will gradually curl up and die. Dig the plants up and destroy them.