Take a leaf out of Popeye’s book
START GROWING SALAD, AND SAVE SPACE FOR THE SAILOR MAN’S FAVOURITE, SPINACH
AS August ends and the garden begins to shift gears towards its early autumnal phase, there’s plenty of work to be done.
Deadheading flowers will eke out a few more weeks of colour, and watering pots has been a priority during the dry season.
There’s lots of cutting back to do as perennials start to die back and you could be collecting seed for sowing now or next spring.
It’s also a good time to get some salad leaves, rocket and cress going for autumn and winter harvesting. You can do this in a pot or window box or if you have a greenhouse, even better.
A kitchen windowsill is a good spot too, where you can keep a constant eye on them. In the ground they can be protected with fleece or cloches to keep plants growing and cropping through to winter.
As well as salad leaves you can also be sowing spinach. You may already have been growing this since spring but now is also a good time with cooler temperatures and moister weather, as spinach tends to bolt when it’s hot.
It is a highly nutritious plant, packed with vitamins and is a good source of iron.
As Popeye the Sailor said: “I’m strong to the finich, cause I eats me spinach”, and he always seemed to have a spare can handy to boost his strength as Olive Oyl looked on adoringly.
The baby leaves make delicious salads and if you get seed in this weekend you could start harvesting them by the end of October.
Spinach will grow in a sunny or partially shaded spot. In summer, partially shaded areas are best to prevent bolting and provide some temporary shade on the hottest days.
For late sowings and into the autumn, choose the sunniest area. Enrich and improve soil by mixing in some garden compost.
Sow the seed thinly in moist shallow drills, cover with soil and lightly water in. Thin out seedlings as they grow so they are a couple of inches apart. Keep the soil moist to prevent bolting.
Slugs and snails will be attracted to tender leafy growth so you need to protect your crop from them as well as birds.
Horticultural fleece will provide cover and warmth during the winter months. ‘Amazon’ is a fast growing variety, is mildew resistant and slow to
bolt.