Spinach is a leafy green vegetable that is native to western and central Asia. The spinach’s leaves are a common edible vegetable that can be eaten fresh or after storage and preservation, such as freezing, canning, or dehydration. Probably most of us hated this vegetable while growing up. But, as we get older, we understand that it has several health benefits along with a yummy taste. That is why in this article, we are going to talk about spinach and its different types.
Factors to Consider When Growing Spinach
- Type of Soil – If you are going to plant spinach, the best soil to plant it on is the type that has a proper draining and fertile soil. This way, it will prevent stagnant and flooding water that can destroy your spinach plant.
- Temperature – Keep in mind that spinach does not grow well in extremely cold or hot temperatures. That is why keeping the heat in check when you’re planting, and growing spinach is a must. The average temperature for the spinach to grow and flourish is between 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It is also essential that you keep the soil of your spinach moist regularly.
Spinach Types
Knowing what type of spinach you’re growing is very important. This is because some spinach variety does well in several temperature conditions. Some may do well in cold temperatures, and some do well in warm temperature. There are three significant types of spinach in the world, and these are:
- Smooth Leafed Spinach – This spinach type has smooth and flat leaves. They are straightforward to maintain and clean. This is the type that is mostly used as processed spinach.
- Savoy Spinach – This type of spinach has deep and thick crinkled leaves, which can be quite challenging to clean.
- Semi-Savoy Spinach – This type of spinach has less crinkled leaves compared to the savoy spinach. They have slightly straight leaves that are easy to clean. This is the most common spinach type that is grown in home gardens.
Spinach Varieties
Semi-Savoy Spinach
- Caramel Spinach – This spinach variety are upright, fast-growing, and uniform. It takes about 25 days for them to develop and grow baby leaves, then you will have to wait another five weeks for it to fully mature. They have attractive and dark green leaves along with a delicious taste. They are commonly used in making salads.
- Emperor Spinach – This type of spinach has dark green leaves along with a ling stem that is easy to bunch. The emperor spinach has a medium growth rate, and it can take about 26 days to develop and mature. This spinach is also resistant to mildew.
- Kookaburra Spinach – This variety of semi-savoy spinach has a slight curve, dark green leaves, and they are commonly planted in home gardens. It takes about 26 days for the kookaburra spinach to produce baby leaves and 37 days to produce fully matured leaves.
- Reflect Spinach – This variety of spinach has a moderately straight but oval-shaped leaves that have a medium green color. It can take about 28 days for it to develop, fully mature, and harvested.
Savoy Spinach
- Hammerhead Spinach – This spinach variety has round and curled leaves that have a dark green color. This spinach is rich in fiber, and several people find it delicious. They are often eaten raw or slightly cooked as salads. They have a fast growth rate because you only have to wait 27 days for it to develop and fully mature.
- Palco Spinach – This spinach variety has a deeply curled, cupped, and round leaves with dark green color. The Palco spinach can adapt well to both low and high temperatures. You have to wait at least 38 days for this spinach to develop and fully mature. Plus, they are very resistant to several diseases and mildew.
- Bloomsdale Spinach – This spinach type is a gardener’s favorite. They have slowly curled leaves with medium-dark green color. It takes about 45 days for the bloomsdale spinach to develop and fully mature. Still, the best thing is they are highly tolerant of cold temperatures. They are perfect for eating when they are slightly cooked or tossed in a salad.
Smooth-Flat Leaf Spinach
- Space Spinach – This spinach variety has a round and smooth leaves with dark green colors. The space spinach is very tolerant when it comes to high heat, and it takes about 40 to 45 days for them to fully mature and be ready for harvest.
- Gazelle Spinach – This spinach variety has a delicate, straight, and smooth leaves with dark green color and round shape. They are very resistant to mildew and diseases. Gazelle spinach has a fast growth rate because you will only have to wait 26 days for it to fully mature. They are a perfect addition to your salad.
Flamingo Spinach – This spinach variety has a smooth, straight, and uniformed leaves with dark green color and sharp arrow tip. It will only take 27 days for them to develop and fully mature.