Green Blog
28 April 2011
Grow your own food, week 7 - perpetual spinach
Perpetual spinach looks and tastes like the real deal - but is not spinach at all. In fact it's part of the beetroot family. Hence its other name, leaf beet.
At least one thing perpetual spinach shares with beetroot is ease of cultivation. So if you're having trouble growing spinach proper (and in this current hot weather I'm not surprised) try the perpetual stuff.
Sow it now and aim for plants about 30 cm apart, if you want a big crop. Or sow it closer together and pick as baby leaves.
You can do the same with Swiss chard, which veg-growing guru Joy Larkcom describes as 'an ideal vegetable for beginners'. And anything Joy says is good enough for me.
Dominic Murphy, Publishing & New Media Team
Dominic Murphy's book 'The Playground Potting Shed' includes an easy guide to growing food throughout the year. To order a signed copy at the special price of £6.99, please visit our Shop
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