Spinach

Tender young spinach, picked fresh from the garden, has no equal -- certainly not in the supermarket. You might not even recognize them as spinach! Use them fresh in salads. As the leaves get larger as the season progresses, cook them lightly by steaming or sauteing just for a moment in olive oil with garlic.

The nutritious leaves of spinach are loaded with iron, calcium, protein, and vitamin A. Plant this cool-season crop in early spring or late summer. In spring, sow as soon as the soil is workable -- four to six weeks before the last frost date. In late summer sow more spinach for fall harvest or to overwinter in a cold frame.

Light:

Sun, Part Sun

Plant Type:

Vegetable

Plant Height:

3-15 inches tall

Plant Width:

3-15 inches wide

Top Varieties

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'Bloomsdale Long Standing' spinach

is a classic variety that is quick growing and slow to bolt. It remains a favorite crinkle-leaf type of spinach. Leaves are dense and deep green. 48 days
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'Olympia' spinach

is a smooth-leaf variety that is slow to bolt, disease resistant, and productive. 45 days
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'Oriental Giant' spinach

yields up to three times more foliage than other varieties, mostly because the huge leaves can reach up to 15 inches long. The large, smooth leaves are medium green in color. 35 days
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'Space' spinach

is a quick-maturing type that reaches full size in just 39 days. It is relatively slow to bolt, and as such, is a good choice for spring, summer, or fall production.
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'Tyee' spinach

has crinkly leaves and is one of the most resistant varieties to bolting and leaf diseases. It matures in 40 days.
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