Spinach is one of the fastest growing leafy vegetables. It tastes great when young in salads and when ripe as a steamed side dish. At some point in the harvest season, when you go to collect some of the tasty and healthy leaves, you will notice that your spinach is blooming. Find out what this means and can you eat spinach when it blooms in this article!
These are the signs that your spinach is blooming
If you're growing spinach for the first time, you might miss the first signs of flowering. These usually appear on the leaves. The round and fleshy leaves suddenly become smaller and pointy like an arrowhead.
This is followed by a thick stem growing from the center of the plant. The longer it grows, the smaller the leaves become. The spinach will also be taller overall as the stems continue to grow at the expense of the leaves. Shooting the spinach marks the beginning of flower formation. Once the main stem reaches its full height, small flowers appear on the sides.
The flowers are pollinated, then wither and seeds develop in their place. When the seeds are ripe, the plant dies having completed its task.
What are the causes of spinach shooting
There are many causes that can lead to the end of your spinach's life cycle, and they all have to do with the vegetable's growing conditions. However, as a rule, high temperature is the most common reason. Spinach is a cool-season plant that prefers temperatures between 5 and 23°C. If temperatures rise above this level for more than a short period of time, the spinach will likely bolt and bloom.
If the spinach feels like it can no longer be productive due to a lack of nutrients in the soil, poor watering, or too much competition with other plants around it, this can also speed up the flowering process.
In short, anything that makes your spinach feel like it can't keep thriving will speed up its flowering.
Unfortunately, once the flowering process in the spinach plant has started, it can no longer be stopped. Shooting is a defense mechanism that causes the plant to devote its resources to developing flowers and seeds to maintain the species. There is nothing you can do to stop or reverse this natural phase of development.
Just enjoy the spinach flowers, which will feed beneficial insects, including bees. Wait until the seeds are completely dry and the plant begins to turn brown. Then you can safely collect the spinach seeds in an envelope. Seal and store in a cool, dry place until you are ready to sow the seeds again in the next growing season.
Preventive measures you can take
And although the flowering process is irreversible once initiated, there are some preventative measures you can take to ensure your spinach produces tasty leaves for as long as possible.
Keep your spinach in good condition: Spinach needs humus-rich, well-drained soil. So it's a good idea to plant it in one that has been additionally enriched with compost.
Space mature spinach plants about 10-15 cm apart: This spacing not only means your spinach isn't competing with its neighbors, but it can also help reduce the risk of disease and pest infestations.
Keep the spinach well watered: In the warmer months, spinach should be grown in moist, well-watered soil. Otherwise it could feel threatened and trigger the flowering process.
In summer, it is also a good idea to protect it from the strong sun by providing temporary shade. For this purpose, you can build or adapt some kind of canopy. Remember that more than 14 hours of sun per day is enough to make most spinach varieties appear to have reached the end of their development and entered the flowering phase.
Harvest spinach leaves regularly: Make sure to harvest spinach's outer leaves regularly to encourage the plant to produce more. Remember that spinach leaves can be eaten fresh, cooked, or frozen for later use.
How to pick and preserve the leafy greensfind out here!
Is flowering spinach edible?
Spinach is known for its juicy and green leaves. But as soon as the spinach flowers, these tender leaves become bitter and stringy. Whether you want to eat them raw or cook them, not only do they not taste good, but they also have no health benefits.
