How to Grow Spinach

Site and Soil

Spinach prefers a soil rich in nutrients and one which holds water well. The best solution is to add lots of well-rotted compost material to the soil and dig it into the surface soil. A mulch added around the plants will help retain moisture especially in the summer months.

Spinach does not like the full heat of the summer sun, let the heat get to them and will bolt. The ideal site is to plant them between rows of peas, beans or sweet corn. In the early, cooler months of the year the spinach will get full sunlight. As the peas, beans and sweet corn grow they will provide cover from the full sun in the warmer parts of the summer.

Spinach is not one of those vegetables which suffers from soil diseases so it can be grown almost anywhere on the vegetable plot. Rotation is good, but not crucial for spinach.

How to Grow Spinach - Sowing Seed
 

SPINACH CALENDAR			The calendar on the left shows spinach being sown outside in spring and autumn when the conditions are cool and it will germinate. If spinach is sown in warm conditions it will not germinate. If you can sown your spinach indoors in cooler conditions, it can be spread throughout the summer as well. Just transplant the seedlings outside when they are 5cm (2in) tall. Provide some shade for those plants in the height of the summer.
Time	Sow Outside	Harvest
Early Spring
Mid Spring
Late Spring
Early Summer
Mid Summer
Late Summer
Early Autumn
Mid Autumn
Late Autumn
Early winter
Mid Winter
Late Winter

Sow the seed outside in rows 1½cm / ½in deep and with seeds about 2½cm / 1in apart. If sowing more than one row, space the rows 30cm / 12in apart.

When the seedlings emerge, thin them to 15cm 6in apart.
 

Care for Spinach and Bolting
 

The main problem with spinach is that it bolts very easily. As suggested earlier in this article, plant it between rows of taller plants such as dwarf peas. The other alternative as far as spinach bolting is concened is make an autumn sowing (see the sowing / harvest chart above)

How to Grow Spinach - Harvest

Harvest a few leaves from each plant making sure that you leave at least half of the leaves on the plant. Over-harvesting will kill the plants. To reduce the speed at which the leaves wilt, cut them off as near to the base of the plant as possible and do it in the morning or evening. The younger the leaves, the tastier they are.

When you pick the leaves put them in a plastic bag and place them in the fridge as soon as possible.

Cooking and Storing

Spinach will keep in the fridge for a couple of days and can also be very successfully frozen where they will keep for 3 months.

To cook spinach it first needs to be washed a couple of times to remove any mud or soil. Melt about 15 grams / ½ oz of butter in a large pan on a medium heat. When the butter has melted add 450 grams / 1 lb of spinach to the pan. You will need to firm then in. The amount will look huge initially but they reduce to almost nothing.

Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 30 seconds or so. Take the lid off, add some salt and pepper and give the spinach a good mix. Cook for another minute and a half or so until the leaves are fully wilted. Drain and serve immediately.

That's the basic recipe. Lots of other ingredients can be added including finely chopped garlic, a small amount of nutmeg and lemon juice. Give them a try. If you want a recipe to use up excess spinach, try our Fragrant Chicken Curry which needs lots of spinach. This recipe is for a slow cooker but it can also be cooked equally well in a pan on a very low heat.

An alternative recipe for the adventurous can be found here. This is an old fashioned recipe from Mrs Beeton which uses some spinach.

Recommended Varieties
New F1 varieties of spinach are very reliable and tasty. Two varieties we would recommend are:

Scenic F1
This variety has great resistance to downy mildew and reliably produces a good crop. AGM.

Bordeaux
Cut the leaves of this variety when they are young and they can be used raw for salads. The stems and veins are red making them a very attractive addition to salads.

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