A gathering place for vegetable gardeners & allotmenteers

Spinach issues

I love spinach and for the second year in a row it wont grow - surely it should be one of the easiest things?

Last year, 3 attempts and it wouldn't germinate; this year, some germination, planted them out and they have all gone yellow and died. I thought the cat might have peed on them, but he's only small and don't think he would cover all of them!!

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Permalink Reply by Sarah on June 11, 2008 at 8:34pm: Hi Jane
According to the 'veg and herb expert' book (very good info) yellow leaves on spinach mean manganese deficiency. It suggests applying a trace element spray containing manganese to the soil.
Hope this helps, I can't imagine not having spinach available every day of the year.
Sarah; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul Wyman on June 11, 2008 at 8:39pm: As soon as you said they turned yellow I think of Nitrogen deficiency, although it could also be a deficiency in Magnesium, Potassium or Phosphorous. And guess what cat urine is made up from? Yup, 5% Nitrogen, 3% Phosphorous, and 1% Potassium. So if the new crop also goes the same way it might be worth trying to get him to take a leak near the Spinach. Te he, I would love to be a fly on the wall as you are training him to do it.

Another possibliity is, they are getting scorched by too much sun/heat?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jane on June 11, 2008 at 10:22pm: thanks folks
stuff around it all seems to be ok, and had plenty of compost and all that.

am i too late to try any more? i dont think it germinates well in warmth does it?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul Wyman on June 12, 2008 at 6:26am: Yeah it will be fine, most spinaches are hardy down to -5, and they will contnue growing well down to +4, gemination temperature is min 8deg, max is 24deg C.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by judimac on July 21, 2008 at 7:35pm: I sowed some spinach last week and it's germinated already. I'm going to use it for baby leaves.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Hahna on July 22, 2008 at 9:45am: Hi

Spinach has been on my mind too: just acquired an allotment and a secondhand copy of 'Companion Planting - successful gardening the organic way', Gertrud Franck, pub. Thorsons, ISBN 0-7225 0695-3 (0 7225 0694 5 for pbk version).

She recommends - to start a veg garden - an initial mass sowing of spinach in 50cms across the entire garden (as a green mulch) ... the saponine and mucins 'soft mass of leaves' has a quick fertilising effect ..

Does anyone know where one might purchase bulk quantity of spinach seed? We have 130 square feet to cover on the allotment!

Many thanks
Hahna; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Roger Dawkins on July 23, 2008 at 2:47pm: I always struggle with out door sewn spinach but l set seeds indoors seems to work a treat.
Cheers Roger; ▶ Reply to This