Spinach - Perpetual (Beta vulgaris)

A delicious spinach-x-silverbeet flavour.

Spinach Perpetual is not spinach, nor is it perpetual, but it does grow reliably for quite a long time in the garden. This old heirloom is, in fact a relative of chard.

Grow this plant where it receives at least 6 hours of full sun per day. Soil needs to well drained and enriched with organic matter. I dig through aged compost before sowing my seeds. Seeds are sown in most places in Australia during autumn and spring. As the seeds are large, I direct sow (15mm deep and 20-35cm apart). Give the seeds a good watering after sowing them. Then keep the soil moist not wet. Mulch (I use sugarcane) and protect from snails and slugs. Seeds germinate at temperatures from 10 to 30C. Once seeds have germinated, avoid watering the leaves of plants to avoid fungal diseases. Spinach Perpetual does not bolt but will set seeds if allowed.

Spinach Perpetual should be ready to harvest in approximately 10 weeks. I grow Spinach Perpetual mainly for its leaves which I use both raw and cooked. I start harvesting when the plants are dense with good size leaves. Only remove a few leaves from each plant each time you harvest. Plants need at least one third leaves to stay viable.

Leaves can be used raw in salads and cooked for stir fries and so much more. Stalks can also be cooked. Spinach Perpetual can be blanched then frozen.

For those with fussy eaters, Spinach Perpetual can be finely chopped and added to dishes like casseroles. It will break down and no one will know it is there.

Seeds currently available.

$5.00 - 30 open pollinated seeds

$4.00 - postage within Australia

Email to order - fascinatingbotanicals@gmail.com

Payment - Bank Deposit or Paypal