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#1
07-07-2009, 02:22 PM
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Questions regarding spinach which I think has gone to seed, picture included
Hi again everyone, just to remind you again that I'm a complete beginner, this is only my second year gardening. I don't even fully understand the term 'gone to seed' however my spinach plants have grew long and spindley & I spotted some seedlike things close to the tops of the plants. Last year I had great success with 'perpetual spinach' in fact it was so successful I ended up with far too much spinach, this year I planted a variety called 'bordeaux.' Is there nothing I can do for the plants at this point, should they just be disposed of? Also would it be too late to plant a few 'perpetual' spinach plants, as they can thrive well into the winter. Any advice is very welcome.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...IMG_0811-1.jpg |
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#2
07-07-2009, 05:59 PM
posted to uk.rec.gardening
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Questions regarding spinach which I think has gone to seed, picture included
Freedom_Spark writes
Hi again everyone, just to remind you again that I'm a complete beginner, this is only my second year gardening. I don't even fully understand the term 'gone to seed' however my spinach plants have grew long and spindley & I spotted some seedlike things close to the tops of the plants. They're putting up flower spikes - the seedlike things will be flower buds. Flowers are a necessary precursor to seeds and fruits. Last year I had great success with 'perpetual spinach' in fact it was so successful I ended up with far too much spinach, this year I planted a variety called 'bordeaux.' Is there nothing I can do for the plants at this point, should they just be disposed of? You can probably still pull off some of the leaves for eating, but the flower stems will be inedibly tough. If plants get too stressed, eg by lack of water, they often react by a final attempt at reproduction, ie by putting up a flower spike. Also would it be too late to plant a few 'perpetual' spinach plants, as they can thrive well into the winter. -- Still fine to sow seed. Have you tried chard? - like spinach, but with broad central ribs to the leaves which can e cooked separately (they take a few minutes longer than the leaves). Available with ribs ina range of clours - white, yellow, orange or red. -- Kay |
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#3
07-07-2009, 06:57 PM
posted to uk.rec.gardening
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Questions regarding spinach which I think has gone to seed, pictureincluded
K wrote:
Still fine to sow seed. Have you tried chard? - like spinach, but with broad central ribs to the leaves which can e cooked separately (they take a few minutes longer than the leaves). Available with ribs ina range of clours - white, yellow, orange or red. I much prefer chard for it's bolt resistance compared to spinach. The leaves are very similar culinary wise. Spinach seems to run to seed at the drop of a hat. Chard is one of my regular veg items now. Ideal for cropping over Winter and early spring when there isn't much choice. I like it chopped up fine and steamed and then mixed in a cheese sauce and served with pasta dishes. It can also be chopped fine and stir fried with other vegetables. It is also a nice side dish on its own steamed then with some butter mixed in it. -- David in Normandy. To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the subject line, or it will be automatically deleted by a filter and not reach my inbox. |
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#4
07-07-2009, 09:17 PM
posted to uk.rec.gardening
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Questions regarding spinach which I think has gone to seed, picture included
"David in Normandy" wrote in message ... K wrote: Still fine to sow seed. Have you tried chard? - like spinach, but with broad central ribs to the leaves which can e cooked separately (they take a few minutes longer than the leaves). Available with ribs ina range of clours - white, yellow, orange or red. I much prefer chard for it's bolt resistance compared to spinach. The leaves are very similar culinary wise. Spinach seems to run to seed at the drop of a hat. Chard is one of my regular veg items now. Ideal for cropping over Winter and early spring when there isn't much choice. I like it chopped up fine and steamed and then mixed in a cheese sauce and served with pasta dishes. It can also be chopped fine and stir fried with other vegetables. It is also a nice side dish on its own steamed then with some butter mixed in it. -- The trouble is, chard does not taste like spinach. Spinach has a strange, almost salty taste, and is quite ethereal, whereas good old chard is fine for chopping up and frying as 'Espinaces Catalanas' where you add to frying olive oil pine nuts, garlic, strong cheese and so on. Or in Chinese stir-fry dishes. But spinach is more divine. All my spinach has bolted, but I'm letting them go so I can get the seeds and sow in Sept/Oct when it will be cooler. We have a lot of chard sigh so I will be using that for the rest of the summer. someone |
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#5
08-07-2009, 03:03 PM
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Quote:
Quote:
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'Chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla), also known by the common names Swiss Chard, Silverbeet, Perpetual Spinach, Spinach Beet, Crab Beet, Seakale Beet and Mangold' So it looks like I was growing chard last year without realising.' I'm going to just harvest as many leaves as I can from the plants which have gone to seed & plant a few 'perpetual spinach' plants, I assume they should be planted before the end of this month? Thanks agian everyone. |
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