Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Does spinach always bolt?

Collapse

X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Does spinach always bolt?

    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!

  • #2
    It doesn't like hot dry weather. Try and plant in semi-shade and keep well watered.

    Comment


    • #3
      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.

      Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

      Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

      Comment


      • #4
        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.
        "He that but looketh on a plate of ham and eggs to lust after it hath already committed breakfast with it in his heart"

        Comment


        • #5
          Not tried a late sowing, but I will now.
          Granny on the Game in Sheffield

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Alison View Post
            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
            All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Two_Sheds View Post
              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?

              Comment


              • #8
                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.

                Comment


                • #9
                  yes! or it does for me anyway!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Aberdeenplotter View Post
                    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.
                    Real Men Sow - a cheery allotment blog.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      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!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        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

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          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.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            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..

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              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.
                              Location....East Midlands.

                              Comment

                              Latest Topics

                              Collapse

                              Recent Blog Posts

                              Collapse
                              Working...
                              X