Description
1/4 OZ
Days to Maturity: 45 DAYS
For early spring and fall; good cold soil emergence but a tendency to bolt in the heat. Performs well in winter greenhouses or overwintered outdoors under mulch. David Landreth developed the original Bloomsdale spinach in the 1800s.
Field or tunnel
Early spring/fall crop
Ideal for overwintering
Soil Nutrients and Requirements: Like all leafy greens, spinach thrives in fertile and moist soil. Spinach is sensitive to soil pH, preferring a range of 6.5-7. Magnesium deficiency manifests in yellowing leaves similar to nitrogen deficiency. Because spinach will carry excess nitrates if over fertilized, try correcting Magnesium first.
Seeding Depth
1/8-1/4”
Plant Spacing
For babyleaf ~40seeds/ft” in 2-4” bands, for bunching 2”
Row Spacing
For babyleaf space bands 1-2” apart, for bunching 12-18”
When to Sow
Direct seed as soon as soil can be worked in the spring, and again in the late summer-early fall. Greenhouse spinach is sown in early fall to give just enough time to germinate and produce a modest amount of leaf, but not grow so fast as to require a lot of upkeep. Seed germinates best when soil temperatures are 32-60°F and achieves the best quality when air temperatures are 55-60°F. Sow every 7 days for a continual harvest.
Harvest
Harvest individual leaves or cut baby leaves 1” above the ground. Harvest the entire plant for bunched spinach by cutting the whole plant right below its crown.
