The high vitamin content of spinach, especially of vitamins A and C, makes spinach one of our most important greens.
Calorie content is rather low, making it a good nonfattening food (same is true of most leafy vegetables).
Spinach must have a sweet soil. On sour (acid) soil it turns brown and produces poorly, if at all. Even if lime is not to be applied to other parts of the garden, put on a small amount where spinach is to be planted. Almost any kind of soil that is not too sour, is well drained, and well prepared and fertilized will produce satisfactory crops.
Spinach is a quick grower. In addition to fertile, well fertilized ground, it should get nitrogen fertilizer once or twice while it is growing. Heavy applications of both stable manure and complete commercial fertilizer are advisable.
Plant in beds 6 to 7 feet wide with rows on top of bed about 12 inches apart. For a fall crop, sow seed about 60 days before first frost usually appears.
To have an early-spring crop, plant seed just before or soon after first frost date in fall and carry plants through winter.
Little or no protection will be needed except above the Cotton Belt. A straw or hay mulch will carry it through. Another planting may be made if you want spinach in late spring to early summer. Such a planting should be made about six weeks before last frost usually comes. Sow seed thinly. Leave plants 2 to 4 inches apart. When harvesting, cut the whole plant.
Another planting may be made if you want spinach in late spring to early summer. Such a planting should be made about six weeks before last frost usually comes. Sow seed thinly. Leave plants 2 to 4 inches apart. When harvesting, cut the whole plant.
