Good enough to eat

●● Spinach TRUE spinach is an annual, green leafy plant popular in salads, steamed or used in stir-fries. It is best sown in succession through the summer and cut when small, before it starts to bolt.

The first sowings can be made in February in short rows once every three weeks, directly into a well-prepared seedbed in drills 1cm deep and 30cm apart.

The first leaves should be ready for cutting around 12 weeks from sowing, but don’t sow in summer or the plants may bolt quickly. However, true spinach can be cut right through to November, although you may have to protect it with cloches if you live in a cold area.

Types like ‘Giant Winter’ will overwinter from an autumn sowing.