Spinach

Spinacia oleracea

You can pick spinach as baby leaves about a month after sowing, or full-size after about two. It likes cool weather and runs to seed in heat and long summer days. So sow it in spring and late summer. For summer, choose a bolt-resistant variety, one that is slow to run to seed.

Looking after it

Water: Spinach needs a lot of water. Water it regularly in dry weather and never let a pot dry out, or it bolts and runs to seed. Water in the morning. Feeding: Its food needs are average. Dig in compost or well-rotted manure before sowing. On poor soil, rake in a general fertiliser as well.

Harvest and keeping

Pick a few outer leaves from each plant every week or so. That keeps new ones coming. Or cut the whole crop just above the base and it will grow back once. Pull out any plants that start to flower. Spinach is best eaten fresh, but it keeps a few days in a bag in the fridge. To freeze it, blanch the leaves in boiling water for 2 minutes. Cool them in iced water, then pack them.

What can go wrong

Bolting. After heat, dry soil or long days, a flower stalk appears and the leaves turn bitter. Keep the soil moist and grow bolt-resistant varieties. Pull up plants that have started to flower.
Downy mildew. In cool, humid weather, yellow patches appear on the leaves with grey-purple fuzz underneath. Thin out the plants so air can move and water in the morning. Pick off the affected leaves.
Slugs and snails. Slugs and snails eat the soft young leaves. Pick them off at dusk and water in the morning. Keep the weeds down too.

Growing facts: RHS, UC ANR and seed-company sowing guides. Spinach care: RHS. How many to grow: University of Missouri and Kansas State extension. pH: Washington State University extension. Freezing: National Center for Home Food Preservation (University of Georgia).