Spinach
is both delicious and nutritious, and it’s easy to grow in the vegetable
garden. Instead of buying plastic boxes of spinach from the store that go bad before
you can use it all, try growing your own greens. There are a lot of different
kinds of spinach too, so you can choose your favorite, or succession plant to
get several spinach varieties throughout an extended growing season.
Growing Different Types of Spinach
Why not just grow one variety? Because there are so many
great options out there to discover. And, if you plant multiple spinach plant
types, you can get an extended and ongoing harvest.
Different varieties have different maturation times and best conditions in
which to plant, so you can grow them in succession and potentially get fresh
spinach from spring through fall. Of course, another reason to grow multiple
varieties is simply to get different flavors and textures.
There are two main types of spinach: fast- and slow-growing.
The fast-growing varieties do best when maturing in cooler weather, so these
can be started in late winter/early spring and in the fall. Slow-growing
varieties prefer warmer conditions and can be started in late spring and
summer.
Popular Spinach Varieties
Here are some different spinach varieties to try in your
garden as you plan for the next growing season:
- ‘Bloomsdale Longstanding’ – This is a popular medium-growth rate savoy spinach. It has the classic dark green, crinkly leaves and produces prolifically. Time to maturity is 48 days.
- ‘Regiment’ – Another savoy, this is a great variety for harvesting baby spinach. Be ready to pick in about 37 days.
- ‘Space’ – This hybrid variety has smooth leaves and grows fast. It bolts less readily than other smooth-leaved spinach types. It is a good spinach for freezing.
- ‘Red Kitten’ – A fast-growing spinach, this type has red veining and stems. It matures in just 28 days.
- ‘Indian Summer’ – Indian Summer is a smooth-leaved spinach. It matures in 40 to 45 days and is a good option for season-long production. With succession planting, you can get leaves spring, summer, and fall.
- ‘Double Take’ – This variety is slow to bolt and produces a very tasty leaf. It can be grown for baby leaves or mature leaves.
- ‘Crocodile’ – Crocodile is a good slow-growing variety for the warmer part of the year. It is also a compact plant if you have limited space.
If your climate is just too warm for spinach, try so-called
New Zealand and Malabar
spinach plants. These are not actually related to spinach, but they
are similar in texture and taste and will grow in hotter climates.
