Spinach
Spinach Emilia F1
A superb hybrid variety with highly nutritious spoon-shaped leaves and a good resistance to mildew, ensuring a longer harvest of top quality leaves. One of the simplest and fastest growing vegetables to grow at home, whether in a vegetable garden or in patio containers. The tasty, tender leaves can be eaten raw in salads when young or cooked and used as a cooked vegetable with all sort of dishes when mature.
Growing Advice
Sow Indoors
Spinach leaves should be sown outdoors, directly where they are to grow.
Sow Outdoors
Sow outdoors February to August. Sow thinly 1.5cm deep directly where they are to grow, in rows spaced 30cm apart. Keep the soil moist and weed free at all times. Seedlings should start to appear after approximately 7-14 days. Thin seedlings out to a final spacing of 15cm apart. It is good practice to water well after thinning out, to wash any dislodged soil back around the roots of the remaining plants. Sow a new row every 2-3 weeks to extend the harvest period. Early sowings will benefit from cloche protection in cold weather.
Top Tips About Seeds
- Once the seed packet has been opened, the seeds can be stored in an airtight container until required for further sowings.
- Spinach seeds maintain their vigour for quite a few years and although there are lots of seeds in a packet, repeated sowings through the summer is highly recommended so they are unlikely to last more than one season.
Growing in Containers
Spinach can easily be grown in large patio tubs or containers. Especially if just grown for baby leaves. Be sure to keep the compost moist at all times.
Common Problems
Plants can bolt, stopping the growth of leaves and running to seed too early, if stressed by drought or by extremely hot weather, especially if grown in exposed locations. Grow in a sheltered location and ensure the compost or soil is kept moist at all times. Slugs and snails can also be a problem especially when plants are young. These can be controlled by making sure any old leaves and weeds are removed regularly and occasional searches for them are carried out after rain showers
Harvest
Harvest from May to October. Leaves can be picked at any stage, from baby leaves to mature plants. Pick a few leaves from each plant and they will regrow quickly without stressing the plants too much. This will allow for a good number of regular harvests.
Ideas on how to use your Spinach
When thinning out just take alternate plants as they start to get overcrowded, allowing the remainder to grow on. These thinnings can then be used as baby leaves. Thin to just 5cm apart if growing space is limited and only baby leaves are required. When picking spinach leaves it is best done in the cool of the morning or evening, this is when they are at their best. Spinach seeds can easily be mixed and sown with the seeds of other salad leaves to create your own favourite blend for the perfect quick and easy to grow salad.
