Spinach

Bloomsdale Dark Green ($3.50) -  50 days, old standard home garden variety dating back to the early 19^th century.  Heavy yielder of glossy, dark green blistered leaves.  Plants are prostrate in growth and slow to bolt into seed.  Plant in spring or fall.  Can over-winter with a minimum cover.

Loaded with iron and vitamins, spinach is one of the most nutritious green vegetables in the garden.  It can be eaten raw in salads, cooked like Swiss chard or it can be frozen.

(Tip) Spinach -  Sow outdoors from early spring to late summer.  There are different varieties for spring and fall culture than for summer culture.  Soil – spinach likes moist, fertile soil.  Supply medium amounts of nitrogen to produce dark green leave.  Adequate moisture is essential for proper growth.  Germination – 5-7 days at 65F.  Keep moist until growth is seen.  Spacing – sow seeds 1cm / ½ “ apart and 6mm/ ¼ deep in rows 12” – 18” apart.  Thin out to 10-15cm / 4-6”.  The main pest is the leaf minor which bores through the leaves.  It is the larvae of the spinach fly, which lays its eggs on the leaves.  Control by covering plants with row covers in mid spring or wait until late summer for a fall crop when minors are not a problem.  Plant late summer for a fall or overwintering crop.  You can usually get a better crop of spinach in the fall than in the spring because heat, weeds and insects are not a problem in the fall.