spinach

[meatismurder]

when is the right time to eat spinach? Its been growing for about 2 months and is beginning to flower.

[Clanad]

Spinach is somewhat akin to rhubarb... i.e., if it's flowering it's too late. Best time is just as the leaves are full and thick. Flowering is a prelude to producing seed and the spinach becomes tough and bitter, in my opinion...

[BBWCHATT]

I suspect Clanad is right as usual.

When I buy spinach for my salad at the supermarket I buy the kind labeled "baby" spinach - the leaves are small and tender.

I think you might have time to grow more though.

http://www.vegetableexpert.co.uk/GrowingLeafyG reensPartTwo.html

[BBWCHATT]

http://www.vegetableexpert.co.uk/ManagingTheHa rvest.html

Don't Let Them Bolt
When the heat of summer hits, the natural tendency of cool-weather crops such as flowering brassicas and leafy greens is to reproduce and go to seed, or bolt. Pick these vegetables before they bolt and become bitter or otherwise unusable.

[nickmo]

http://www.eattheseasons.co.uk might be handy for furure reference as well...