Someone told me you could sow spinach in autumn - is that right?
I'm in London so it is fairly mild. In fact, i can't grow it in summer as my soil is too well drained and our summers hot and dry - it doesnt even live long enough to bolt!.
shall i sow some? or leave it till an early sowing next year, to beat the summer heat?
A bit late now really
Agree with MT for outdoors, but maybe as baby leaf under glass?
well i have got one of those little plastic greenhouses, so i will give it a go. it'sliterally green though, so low light might be a problem. we'll see.
how late and how early would you say i could plant outdoors, for future reference?
I reckon best spinach is sown in Sept/early Oct for nice greens in winter and they don't BOLT :)
I'm in London too and I sowed some in September and it looks a mess now :( : all sluggy and sad. Then again, the summer stuff bolted in record time >:(! This variety is called 'all the year round' ::)
How about joining the late, late carrot planting experiment? My Early Nantes were sown yesterday under a mesh tunnel.
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,91/topic,25634.20 (http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,91/topic,25634.20)
Mind you, looking at the weather forecast, I think optimistic might be an understatement despite being in toasty warm London.
Quote from: dandelion on November 20, 2006, 13:53:48
This variety is called 'all the year round' ::)
If you look carefully on the seed packet above 'all the year round' does it say 'guaranteed to disappoint ...' ;)
I grow Matador spinach over winter, lovely red slender rib, jaggy leaves, tough as old boots (personality) long lasting, sweet and tender (eating) :)
I grow Leaf beet or Perpetual Spinach.... it will grow right through most winters and hardly ever bolts!
:)
Quote from: pigeonseed on November 20, 2006, 13:36:36
well i have got one of those little plastic greenhouses, so i will give it a go. it'sliterally green though, so low light might be a problem. we'll see.
...
I think you'll be in with a chance. Having lost most of my autumn spinach to the birds, I sowed some more in a growbag in a plastic greenhouse, just over a week ago. They're just beginning to sprout, and as soon as they get to a reasonable size I shall try planting them out.
I’m with Saddad on this… sown perpetual spinach in early summer and its still going strong, not even a hint of bolting. Although, I did have to go through a few varieties before we found a really tasty one….
Truff
We're in south London on light soil and also had no problem with perpetual spinach which is still going.
Cavolo Nero does well too - i.e. didn't bolt this summer (although I think it might be a kale not a spinach and I'm not sure how hardy it is).
If you can get your spinach to germinate why not give it a go?
I do like perpetual spinach/chards.
I have a massive slug problem at the allotment though (strangely not in the garden) and things I can train up poles like beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, squash - they're ok, as I can keep them off the ground. But the little leaf beats never make it very far.
maybe i should try somekind of very very raised bed, in the hope fewer slugs and snails will make the journey.
We've put copper tape round some of our raised beds which seems to help (provided they're not in there already!)
my mum swears by copper wire but obviously you can't put it round every spinach seedling, so yes a raised bed sounds like the thing.
in practical terms though, what am i going to make it out of... ? I see lovely sturdy ones in the allotments, all made of offcuts of wood and neatly put together. i never get myact together enough to do that.
actually I've got some big plastic crates - maybe I could use them.
Sorry but Spinach has to be the most horrible tasting veg... Yuk :P
i quite like spinach. it's one of those few veg that tastes better when cooked for ages - like indian-style spinach.
but for light cooking i agree leaf beat and swiss chard are much tastier.
;) I'm with KT not my cup of tea, I'm also from London but the posher part
North London, spinach just appeared late summer on the plot I never even planted any typical never anything you like appears like some nice juicy strawberrys, I think february is the correct time to plant it. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D :P :-*