Throughout September, I've been looking at my plans and taking advantage of free P&P from some of the seed companies, specifically T&M in this case. I'm super excited to receive my seeds that I'll be getting sown through September.
Whilst researching I came across a variety of spinach called Giant Winter which I can't wait to see growing. It is expected to reach maturity in just 50 days and is specifically for growing over winter. In fact you shouldn't sow this variety in Spring as it will bolt. It's also an heirloom variety meaning I could keep my own seed from it. Culinary wise it can be used for baby leaves or cooked once mature.
We use spinach a lot, in salads, soups, smoothies, stews and stir fries so it is something I would love to grow all year round instead of getting a pack from Aldi every week. I am also planning on growing perpetual spinach which is an old favourite and a reliable all year round variety according to the source of Google! I'll try some in the polytunnel and see how I get on, maybe putting some in and out to compare?
Mixed salad leaves are another vegetable we use daily, combined with the spinach. I have to be careful not to run out as we do have a lot of it, which is the case right now actually. There's lots of varieties that you can choose from year round, however I'm going to try a few different ones and will report back! In the photo below you can see I've multi sown radish and just off the shot are peas which I hope to overwinter.
This weekend saw me spending a good few hours in the polytunnel stripping it of the tomatoes that were in there, taking all of the tomatoes off them meaning I have zillions of green tomatoes now. I did a little video on it here if you'd like to see.
Take care everyone, lots of things going on in the world so take care of your own little world.
I've not made as much use of the free p and p as I should have done. I still have perpetual spinach in the pt and three plants outside which have only just started to bolt but still have lots of useable leaves on. I alwasy read about Winter lettuce varieties but I have red and green salad bowl in the pt and it is growing well along with the little gem recently planted out. I'm just giving a go with what I've got instead of buying any new seeds just now. Hope your peas do well, I've overwintered peas a couple of times and always come out well. You take care, too, chic.xx
ReplyDeleteI am going to aim for all year round spinach, it shouldn't be too hard. We have salad bowl or similar in right now, the winter seedlings are coming through. I'm not sure how the peas will do but even pea shoots for salads is something fresh to add isn't it. Psychological ;)
DeleteLove the speeded up section, if only you could work that quickly. Your planning and preparation will pay dividends.
ReplyDeleteI often wish I could work that fast but I am starting to learn we all have a pace and mine isn't that ha
DeleteWe grow Perpetual spinach/leaf beet too. None of this year's plants have bolted yet. I left four of last year's plants in the ground and although they did bolt eventually, they still supplied me with hundreds of little leaves that I used in salads until this year's were big enough. Those four last year's plants got given to the hens who loved them. I tried growing spinach but went back to leaf beet. I let some of the seeds fall into the ground from those that have bolted and then transplant the young plants. Haven't had to buy new seed for several years : )
ReplyDeleteIt's great when you get extra from your plants isn't it. Little and often is the best way for many things I think. That's a great idea, I am aiming for a spinach patch where I can do the same. Need to find the right spot first.
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