Spinach Ideas, Tips & Guides

You might be able to guess by the look of our pasta recipe archives, but here at Better Homes and Gardens, we love to use our noodles. From zoodles and gluten-free to stovetop mac and spaghetti, we’re definitely pro pasta. 

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In the world of gardening, the practice of companion planting has gained popularity for its remarkable ability to enhance the health and productivity of crops. When it comes to spinach companion plants, the strategic selection of plants to grow alongside this leafy green can make a significant difference to your harvest.

Kelsey Hansen

It has been estimated that a 10m (30ft) row of spinach supplies just about the right amount for a family of four during the summer months. But one sowing is not sufficient. Fresh young foliage is demanded and where spinach is much appreciated, successional sowings should be made fortnightly between late March and mid-July. For later autumn supplies and for pickings in the following spring, a sowing should be made in a sheltered position in mid-August.

I made a decision about a month ago that from 6pm on Saturday until 8am on Monday morning I would put my phone in silent. I know this may sound rather odd to some of you, but when you’re self employed there are times when you just have to switch off and have a bit of time to yourself. No work phone calls or texts can be that important between those times. I’ve also decided to not answer any claire’s allotment messages during that time as well, they will just have to wait until Monday. I do check my phone occasionally just incase there is a phone call or message from family, but other than that it’s a phone free day. Try it, it’s very liberating.

The Birds and The Bees (and Bunnies...) My backyard seems to be the perfect place to raise a brood of bunnies! Baby bunny takeover

Discover amazing Malabar Spinach Benefits – a nutrient-packed leafy green that’s bursting with benefits for your health and well-being. Often overlooked in favor of its more common counterparts, this vibrant vine is not only a culinary delight but also a powerhouse of vitamins, antioxidants, and medicinal properties. Whether you’re a health-conscious eater, an adventurous foodie, or someone simply looking to elevate their diet, Malabar Spinach is a revelation waiting to happen!

One thing I sometimes grapple with is how far apart to space seeds and plants in a container. Should I follow the guidelines on the side of the seed packet – or can veg in containers be grown closer together? After playing around with different spacings, I ‘discovered’ some general rules of thumb.

Even the most experienced vegetable growers sometimes struggle with spinach. It’s a very fussy plant, demanding the best possible conditions and even then running to seed at the drop of a hat. Forget about transplanting your spinach, or nursing it through a dry season, or just forget spinach entirely and try one of the other leafy plants that are just as good to eat and easier to grow.

A couple of weeks ago I was talking about my Madeira vine (Anredera cordifolia), which was a gift from a friend and lives on the (north-facing) kitchen windowsill. I’m not quite sure how long I’ve had it, but it’s happy there and sends out quite a volume of climbing, leafy shoots. Occasionally it gets out of hand, and I cut it back.

I have been out in the garden a bit more over the last week. Rather than wait until later in the day, when I generally don’t feel like going outside, I have started going out to do something first thing in the morning, before I sit down at my desk. The weather is very mild, and a lot of days have been dank and overcast, but on the brighter mornings I can happily potter about for an hour before coming inside. It’s quite often the nicest part of the day, weather-wise.

This is the list of (the main) things that are harvestable in the garden this week, from which I can put together a garden menu. I’ve never been that great at eating things out of the garden, for a variety of reasons (including an uninterested audience, a lack of time or motivation and a lack of experience of planning and producing meals that didn’t come from the supermarket). So this week I have surveyed what’s growing well in the garden, and I’m doing my menu planning before I put together the final shopping list for the week.

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Brie Goldman. Food Stylist: Annie Probst

Hydroponic gardening is a method that uses a supply of water with other water-fertilizer solutions to grow plants. Hydroponic systems grow faster than other conventional ways, and more importantly, they are suitable for all seasons.

Don’t like waiting? Want to grow fresh homegrown leafy greens in no time in limited space? Start these Fast-Growing Leafy Green Vegetables You Can Harvest in Just 15 Days. These taste delicious in salads and many dishes!

You can have success with successional sowing of seeds.

Growing Spinach in Containers is the best way to enjoy a homegrown harvest in a limited space like a windowsill or a balcony. This nutritious leafy green is not difficult if you know all the tips on How to Grow Spinach in Pots!

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March is typically filled with just about everything green, from St. Patrick’s Day to a great time to start planting your spring leafy vegetables. March 26th is National Spinach Day and is also one of my favorite leafy greens. Spinach can help compliment any meal whether stewed, tossed with other vegetables or blended into a smoothie. Spinach is naturally fat-free, cholesterol free and high in dietary fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, and folate. For more information on folate, see HGIC 4068, Folate.

The Cranberry is one of only three native North American fruits that was an important source of food long before the Pilgrims arrived. Native Americans, who referred to cranberries as sassamanash, recognized their healthy giving properties. Cranberries were recognized by the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans as a nutrient-dense fruit. University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service.

Step into March with a clear vision for 2020 as we celebrate National Nutrition Month. Choosing nutritious foods and getting enough physical activity can make a significant difference in your health.

February is the time for planting early vegetable crops. Garden peas (Pisum sativum L), and spinach (Spinacia oleracea) can be planted in the Piedmont region from mid to late February and will tolerate freezing temperatures. Peas planted early can be hardened to withstand a frost. However, the flowers are still susceptible to freezing temperatures and will need protection. A row cover can be used to protect the plants. Choose a row cover made of a spun-bonded polyester material that needs no support above the developing plants. For example, a light to medium weight spun-bonded polypropylene row cover will provide 4 degrees of frost protection down to 28 °F. Remove the row cover before the temperatures get above 75 °F as high temperatures under the row covers may inhibit the growth of the plants. Spinach can withstand temperatures as low as 20 °F.

When you hear the word salad, what comes to mind? Leafy greens? Chicken? Potatoes?

Many of our tried and true recipes and dishes can be ‘modified’ to increase vegetables, fiber, and fruits by making simple adjustments to meals we already eat. Many of us love watching chefs on TV but tend to go back to old favorites, i.e., macaroni and cheese, potato salad, beef stew, soup, fried chicken, broccoli casserole, spaghetti, etc.

Swiss Chard (Beta vulgaris) is a colorful and easy-to-grow leafy green. It is the same species as beet, but without the swollen root, and shares the same earthy flavor.

Lambsquarters (Chenopodium album) is a close relative of quinoa and is generally considered a famine food. It was once a popular green but lost favor after spinach was introduced to Europeans around the 16th century. Although the plant is dense in nutrients, it can be mildly toxic if eaten in often or large quantities. Luckily, cooking resolves this issue. It remains a pervasive weed in agriculture and is found throughout the United States. Lamb’s quarters can be found in waste areas, roadsides, home gardens, and landscape beds.

IT IS NEVER TOO EARLY to plant spinach, and in fact I often feel as if I am running behind on that score. Even though there are snow squalls predicted for later this week in my area, it’s time. Last September through Thanksgiving would have been even better.

I have been known to plant spinach in my mittens, actually, as late as Thanksgiving, and again as early as March if the raised beds have drained out and the soil is workable. Seeds sown from September until the ground freezes up, then topped with a floating row cover, will offer a real headstart of a harvest in the North in April, when much

Spinach has come a long way from its point of origin literally and also genetically, but which of the many varieties available today is for you, and when and how can you plant this nourishing green for best success?I invited Tom Stearns, longtime organic seed farmer and founder of High Mowing Organic Seeds in Vermont, to help me become a better spinach grower—and find my way through the many choices of spinach leaf types, and varieties from heirloom to hybrid. We talked about the oddball reproductive system that makes spinach bolt and other insights, like how among all the vegetable cro

The charmingly fat little book, humbly bound in cloth, was just released by its American publisher this fall, about a year after it was issued in the U.K. (Enter at the bottom of the page to win a copy.)Don’t let its smaller trim size fool you: There are 600 ideas inside.Forget arranging the recipes and variations in predictable chapters like “Entrees” or “Chicken,” though. “Eat” organizes the way we cook and eat, such as “In a Bowl” or “In the Hand,” or “In the Frying Pan” or my favorite section: “Under a Crust.”Yes, Slater admits, making

A popular lecturer and author, Niki gardens in Halifax, Nova Scotia, producing harvests in all four seasons and not just your basic everyday edibles, either. I welcomed her back to the program to talk about a wacky wide range of things to grow this year—and especially about eight surprising substitutes for spinach, in case you crave the flavor but have trouble with spinach in some portion of your growing season, like maybe in the hottest part of summer. I learned that we can eat our hosta shoots (well, not if you want to look at the plants all season) and also purple hyacinth beans and more surprises.Plus: Enter to win a copy of “Veggie Garden Remix” at the bottom of the page.Read along as you listen to the Feb. 5, 2018 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).unusual edibles to grow, with niki jabbourQ. I see that you’re going to be in my area pretty soon, Niki. In March, I think you’

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Growing New Zealand spi

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There’s nothing

Spinach is a popular green to grow in gardens, but it’s also an ideal vegetable to plant in pots. The compact plants don’t need a lot of root space and they’re very quick to go from seed to harvest. Growing spinach in containers just outside my kitchen door means I’ve always got a supply of the tender leaves on hand for salads and cooked dishes.The key to success for cultivating spinach in pots is to pick the best types of containers, fill them with a rich growing mix, and provide consistent moisture. Below you’ll learn everything you need to know about growing spinach in containers. Read on!