Growing Spinach (7-Green)

The 7-Green is the fastest growing smooth leaf spinach.

It produces medium-large, upright plants that bear productive yields of mildly flavored, medium green smooth leaves. They are moderately slow bolting. Suitable for spring, summer or fall planting.

It is an annual plant.

Days to Maturity: 36

Spinach grows in a wide range of soils if moist and fertile, but is sensitive to acidity. pH should be at least 6.0, preferably 6.5-7.5.

Growing spinach seeds germinate best in cool soil. Begin sowing in early spring as soon as the ground is ready. Summer sowing in hot soil-over 85°F (30°C)-risks low or erratic germination! Sow late in July into September for the Fall crop.

Spinach can also be planted from September until freeze-up for an early harvest the following spring; floating row covers offer effective winter protection.

For bunching and full size spinach sow about 9-10 seeds/ft., 1/2" deep, rows 12-18" apart. Harvest spinach full size but before bolting, cutting just below root attachment for "rooted spinach," or cut higher for "clipped spinach."

For salad mix (small clipped leaves sow in a 2-4" wide band, 3/4" apart, about 40 seeds/ft. Clip small leaves in 3-5 weeks, depending on time of year and speed of growth.

Triple-rinse leaves, sort out cut and broken leaves, and package. For a continuous supply, sow every 7 days.

Leaves can be washed, dried, microwaved for a minute then put in a baggie and stored in the freezer, but only if you intend to cook them.

If you want to eat them in a salad, store them at 32°F (0°C) and 95% humidity 10-14 days in the salad crisper portion of your refrigerator.

I have started seeds indoors and will try to grow some inside in containers. Due to our lack of sunshine over the past three weeks, I have had to replant my seeds because they were not growing correctly. When Growing Spinach indoors, plant in CowPots, about 1/2 deep. Put three to four seeds in each pot. You may have to thin later, but putting three to four seeds guarantees that some will sprout.

Sometimes I get 100% germination, sometimes I do not.

Spinach is a leafy green vegetable that grows best in cool weather. Usually thought of as being packed with iron, spinach is even higher in vitamins A and C, thiamin, potassium and folic acid. Spinach also contains the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin.

My family likes to eat it fresh, not cooked. I never did like it cooked myself but do not eat it fresh either. I do like it in a dip and on pizza.

3-23-2010

Below is a picture of a Spinach Seedling. I started these plants about three weeks ago. I have had a problem with my seeds that I started indoors because I did not have enough light on them. I have since bought a light system and I believe I will have better luck in the future.

March 23, 2010

This seedling is now ready for planting outside.

In the next picture is our seedling in the Greenhouse. It is making good progress.

April 10, 2010

Below are pictures of our Growing Spinach. It is ready for us to start picking its leaves at any time.

May 2010

Below is our finished Spinach. We boiled it up and It tasted great. My daughter chopped up some for a salad.

Thank you for your visit.

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