Spinach Bolting!

[KellsSimon]

SO i've turned over some new, previously slabbed ground,
Planted 'Medania'
Its sprouted, Hurrah!
only spaced it out by 2 inches though...
it's been a hot dry May...
and it's planted in 'unproven' ground with possibly very little organic matter.
and now it's bolted... i wonder why it was stressed!

i have also planted more and this has recently sprouted, i am keeping the spacing more to 3" and damp by watering regularly... hopefully i will get a crop this time.
Any sugestions to a new gardner to make sure? by the way i live on a seacliff facing the isle of man... windy and exposed? yes
Simon of Kells

[Norm]

Hi Simon and welcome to the vine. I'm pretty sure that this question will be asked on innumerable occasions over the next few weeks about many and various crops.
The problem with starting plants off early and putting them out before the weather warms up is that if there's a warm bit when you plant them out, then a cold snap, many plants will be "dropped back" in their growing cycle and will bolt when the weather warms again. None of mine are in the soil yet. I always sow seed in mid April and wait until after the last full moon in May to plant out.
I always found spinach awkward to grow and it needs to be in well prepared ground, well watered and well fed, so I grow Kale which is easy and the taste is better.

[Two_Sheds]

Spinach is notorious for bolting. Many people now grow perpetual spinach aka leaf beet or chard, instead.

[KellsSimon]

Cheers norm,
I thought i was late!
The spinach was sown direct, along with some beetroot, rocket, mixed leaves and some Dwarf french beans.
The beans have all been decapitated by slugs or snails but i have replaced them with pot grown re-enforcements...
I'm reading that spinach is more of an autum veg? but i'll see how the second lot do, they're just sticking out their first true leaves now.
Living in coastal northern Cumbria, should i just be planting later than what it suggests on seed packets or earlier to give things longer to grow, (is that my ignorance showing?)

[Nicos]

My leaf beet, chard and sorrel have all bolted this year

[KellsSimon]

We have had a really warm dry May so far, or so it seems.
All the wild sorrel here has gone to flower too.
it is just to hot, dry and bright?

[dexterdoglancashire]

My spinach also bolted this year. Picked out the flowers and planted them! Fingers crossed. Have also planted some in reserve. Here goes.............. Bernie aka DDL

[Norm]

Living in coastal northern Cumbria, should i just be planting later than what it suggests on seed packets or earlier to give things longer to grow, (is that my ignorance showing?)

If you have a greenhouse or a polytunnel, you can start them in there no matter what the weather outside is like. Seed packets tend to give about 6 weeks planting range. Up our end, it's usually two thirds into the time scale. The later sowing time is probably about right for Scotland and the earliest time for the coste del Cornwall.
Be careful not to have too much unprotected outside at high tide in a strong westerly or it will all glow in the dark.
Mate of mine runs a hotel in radiation bay