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Is my spinach bolting?

Mike

Might know the answer
Messages
977
Location
Kentucky
Planting Zone
6b


The spinach plants are still very small, but already it looks like this one is getting flowers. What can I do, if anything?
 
M

majorcatfish

Guest
sorry to say yes at least the one in the middle, the only thing is to pull it and save save the leafs they will last in the fridge for a week or so till you harvest enough for a salad.....
fyi try growing "tyee" spinach this fall, we like how productive it is our last harvest was late november.
 

Mike

Might know the answer
Messages
977
Location
Kentucky
Planting Zone
6b
Well that stinks they JUST started getting their true leaves.
 

Rahab222

Well-Known Member
Messages
354
Planting Zone
9B
Like lettuce...I miss it already.
 
M

Mr_Yan

Guest
Yup spinach likes it cool to cold. Start seeds again in September. If you protect it with something like hoops and plastic sheeting you may get harvest out past Thanksgiving. Talking to people around here and spinach can last as long as late December in a hoop house without additional heat up here in northern IL.

Last year I grew red malabar spinach which is a vine from tropical SE Asia. The leafs taste almost like chard or some spinach when cooked / braised. This is a climbing vine (really a bine) that thrives in high heat and humidity but in tropical and sub tropical areas will become invasive. Don't expect spinach salads with warm bacon dressing from this plant though.
 

Rahab222

Well-Known Member
Messages
354
Planting Zone
9B
Mr. Yan; Thanks for the feedback. I'm thinking about constructing some sort of a hoop house this fall so I can keep cool weather crops going as long as possible. I really miss my lettuce. I'll replant after Labor Day and see how it goes. I don't care for chard, so I'll probably wait and plant some regular spinach in the fall with my lettuce.
 

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,492
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
I plant spinach in the beginning of October & harvest it in January. No need for a hoop house as it takes frosts & cold very well.

Your lettuce would benefit from a hoop house though.
 
M

Mr_Yan

Guest
No need for a hoop house as it takes frosts & cold very well.

Your lettuce would benefit from a hoop house though.

Yup @Rahab222 remember I'm in zone 4B northern Illinois heck I'm almost north of the Cheddar curtain (that is in Wisconsin). Some years we've been 15 below zero before Christmas up here and almost every year we have a 4 to 6 inch snow fall the week before Christmas. When I wrote that post I was kind of writing to @Mike who is in Kentucky where they get some months that start to get cold each "winter".

This year I'm seriously thinking about building a cold frame or hoops for my 4x7 raised bed. I've been reading Coleman's book Four Season Harvest (I find he's a bit of a hippy wackjob but some of his garden ideas are worth taking) and reading several predictions of a stronger than average El Nino this year. That combination may allow me to harvest from my garden most of the winter months.
 

Rahab222

Well-Known Member
Messages
354
Planting Zone
9B
Okay, Sam, I'll plant spinach and lettuce in October since September is still pretty hot in Texas.

Mr. Yan, I really would like some sort of a hot house to grow some things, like tomatoes, that cold will affect. Here's hoping we both get one. My cousin was rather shocked by my garden when she came over to make jam yesterday. She's like, "I had no idea you could get so many vegetables in a backyard space!" Course, I've really built my space out and hope to add more next spring. They've got a pool in their backyard, but now they are looking at doing some form of raising veggies. Good influence for us to see each others gardens.
 

Mike

Might know the answer
Messages
977
Location
Kentucky
Planting Zone
6b
Well I cut out the spinach plant that had started to bolt and have harvested a number of leaves on the other plants. Was really looking forward to getting more spinach and who knows maybe I will now that I've cut come back.

I've got plenty more seeds and planned on doing a fall planting as well, hopefully that goes better.
 

Rahab222

Well-Known Member
Messages
354
Planting Zone
9B
I can't wait for the fall to replant my lettuce. Too bad lettuce and tomatoes don't grow at the same time in Texas.
 
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