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bolting perpetual spinach

Last post 03-07-2008 7:38 PM by bogweevil. 3 replies.

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  • 23/06/2008 07:19 PM
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    Does anyone know what can be done for bolting perpetual spinach? It has been well watered, though my soil is very free draining. If I pinch out the tops will it put on more foliage?
  • 24/06/2008 12:43 PM
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    • Figwort
    • Peterborough
    • 20 Dec 2007
    • 229
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    Spinach is so prone to bolting that I'm seriusly thinking about giving up growing it.

    If you cut it back - and certainly remove all the flower heads - you should get a useable second crop of leaves. It might also be worth giving it a quick feed of a balanced liquid fertiliser afterwards.

    There are never any problems in gardening - just opportunities!
  • 03/07/2008 07:10 PM
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    Spinach needs to be picked and picked and picked again, it just keeps growing but left will bolt, I grow mine in seed trays, takes very little compost and I get weeks out of each one before it finally exhausts itself, i feed after the second flush of leaves, it means we always  have tender leaves and i add them to every thing and anything, have you tried Pak Choi?  easy to grow the leaves can be cut and come again and again, or use as the whole plant,  grows easy in a container, but a bit deeper than a seed tray but beware the dreaded slug.
  • 03/07/2008 07:38 PM
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     Perpetual spinach is not spinach at all, but a kind of green beetroot grown for its green leaves.

    It is a biennial so I am guessing that you sowed it in early spring or even last summer and that it experienced quite a lot of cold and 'thought' it was in its second year and started flowering.  Sow some more in July for late summer and autumn crops and a few before it goes to seed next year and sow more in April for a summer crop.

     Spinach is an annual and will go to seed if it reaches a certain size or becomes aged. It is a complete pain that runs to seed in dry conditions.  It needs a rich, moisture retaining soil with plenty of watering. On the other hand it tastes lot more interesting than perpetual spinach.

     

    Boggy

    Beware the bat-eared bogweevil