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Bloomsdale Long Standing Heirloom Spinach
HEIRLOOM. 48 days. Introduced at the turn of the century, this variety remains notable for its high yield, as well as other fine qualities. Heavy, continuous yield of thick-textured, crinkled, glossy, dark green leaves. Matures quickly. Because they are held erect, they remain cleaner than those of other varieties that lie flat on the ground. For first crop, sow in spring. Plant again in late summer. In mild winter areas, fall plantings yield in early spring. 300 seeds per packet, sows a 30' row. One ounce sows 100'. Sun/Partial Shade. Burpee Seeds
Fall ... in Love With Spinach By John Navazio Spinach is one of the most tender and delicious of all the leafy green vegetables. Yet in many gardens this delightful crop is absent. The reason? Many gardeners have been frustrated because they plant spinach in the spring and get only a small harvest of undersized, parched leaves before the spindly central flower stalk appears, signaling the plant is starting to bolt or run to seed.
What's the best remedy for the spring spinach blues? Plant a fall crop! By
planting spinach at the end of summer you'll get your crop off to a running
start and have it mature to its luscious best during the cool, golden days of
fall. After several years of trialing spinach varieties and gathering
information from other spinach aficionados around the country, I'm convinced
spinach can have a jump in popularity if we just keep it cool.
Spinach can be harvested until seedstalk formation. Spinach planted for early
harvest is subject to bolting as daylight lengthens in late spring and early
summer. Spinach is harvested by cutting the stem below the head or rosette of
leaves. The crinkled leaves should be rinsed thoroughly in cold water to remove
any grit soil particles. The leaves are then bunched. Remember that Fall
spinach is very hardy and not easily damaged by frosts. Harvest dark green,
tender leaves that are 3 to 6 inches long. In your home garden, start by
picking the outer leaves and then harvest the newer leaves as they reach the
desired size. Spinach not needed immediately for eating is best left in the
field until severe freezing is forecast.
Popeye the Sailor Man was right! Spinach is quite possibly the best of the
highly nutritious leafy green vegetables. Spinach is high in vitamins A, C, and
B2, calcium, iron, and anti-oxidant carotenoids. Numerous scientific studies
have demonstrated that spinach, with its high levels of beta-carotene and other
anti-oxidants, is a powerful cancer inhibitor. It also is believed that a diet
high in spinach, which contains high levels of the carotenoids lutein and
zeaxanthin, will help ward off age-related macular degeneration, the leading
cause of irreversible blindness in older people.
The Culture of Spinach
Spinach varieties vary somewhat, but don't seem nearly as dramatic as where and
when you grow them. The same variety grown in different areas can respond quite
differently. For market gardening the easiest and most successful for me has
been the hybrid Melody. Besides ease of culture, the yields were exceptional.
Disease resistance has been good as well, although no variety I've tried
survives a dank soil. Other gardeners prefer Avon hybrid as an all-purpose
spinach. Johnny's Selected Seeds thinks that their Indian Summer is also better
than Melody. They say it holds better in heat, hence the name. A good variety
for the late crop. Standard varieties include Bloomsdale Longstanding (slow to
bolt to seed) and America. which holds up well after picking. Though most
spinach will over-winter. Cold Resistent Savoy and Winter Bloomsdale have been
bred for that purpose. There are also many regional cultivars and they should
not be dismissed, especially ones bred for the south. Check with local growers
and give a call to your extension agent.
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