- Protect spinach seedlings sown in the fall from the cold by covering with fleece or a cloche.
- Shade spinach crops in hot weather to stop the soil from drying out and the spinach plants from bolting. You can do this by planting them next to pole – or runner – beans which as they grow will provide shade to protect the tender spinach plants from the heat of the sun.
- Protect young spinach seedlings from slugs, snails, and birds.
- Water and fertilize Oriental king f1 spinach plants regularly, but try to avoid getting the leaves wet.
Harvesting Spinach
If you follow the advice on how to grow spinach, it should be ready to harvest between 6 to 10 weeks after sowing. If you sow successionally in spring and autumn, you can have spinach to harvest throughout the year. Keep an eye on spinach crops as the plants usually grow quicker in warmer weather. There are options for how to pick the leaves for a later harvest. You can cut individual outer leaves when the plants are 3 inches tall and allow the inner leaves to continue to grow for later harvests. Or cut the whole head when the plant is 6 inches tall and wait several weeks for regrowth and a second harvest. Baby leaves are great for use in salads, whereas mature leaves can be wilted into soups, stews and pasta. Leaves are ideally used directly after harvesting for the best flavor, and any extras can be stored in the fridge for up to 14 days.
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