It depends a lot on the variety. I grew 4 varieties this spring (Tyee, Melody, Spargo and Giant Winter) and the GW has gone to seed already. Not surprising, really, as it is meant to be grown in the fall and into the winter. But I did think it would go a little longer being as it hasn't got hot yet. The rest are still producing nicely, but that may change as it's supposed to heat up a lot this weekend!

Anyway, to answer your question - when spinach starts to go to seed ("bolt") it's best to pick anything that's salvagable right away and pull the plant, because what's on there will deteriorate rapidly. Unless you want to save seeds, in which case you leave it as is.

Cheers,

Tim

Two of mine did this too this week. They were under 5" tall and only had a few true leaves on them - nothing really worth eating. The rest in the same bed are OK so far. It went from too wet to too hot on June 1st, and I guess the spinach did not appreciate it much. I also had something from my mesculin blend bolt before it had reached a harvestable size. We tested it after we pulled it and it was bitter, but it may have just been a bitter green to begin with.

Belgianpup is correct. Longer day length signals it to set seed.

I was wondering the same thing. If that means no more spinach it won't kill me because I'm tossing most of it due to leaf miners anyway. I do love the spinach though!

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's garden adventure

I have always had trouble with getting spinach to amount to much in the past, bolting way too soon and not being very big. I read an article in last month's Organic Gardening about growing good salads. It said that consistent water is REALLY important to spinach and some lettuces. Once it dries out even a little bit, it says adios and sends up seeds.

So I have been fanatical about keeping my spinach plants in moist soil this year, and viola' I have the best spinach ever! I also just bought some green romaine lettuce seeds, that is supposed to be something that can grow well during the long, hot part of summer without bolting too soon.

Marcia

"I also just bought some green romaine lettuce..."

You went off topic, Marcia, :-), so I will sneak in a plug for Nevada lettuce, which is the most amazingly non-bolting variety I have grown. It is good looking and good eating too.

Back to spinach now.

Jim

I've been told that Tyee spinach will endure the summer, so I'm going to try a planting soon and see what happens.

As to lettuce, does Nevada (or any other variety) take the sun without going bitter? I can grow summer lettuce without it bolting, but it's pretty nasty stuff!

Cheers,

Tim

I am going to try planting for fall. Spinach won't overwinter for me, but I am going to try reseeding in August or so.

If I were planting with the moon, my spring dates this year were May 15-19. I had my seeds out sooner than that, but I just don't think there's enough time for spring planting without a cold frame. The last frost in my yard this year was May 4th, and we had 7.89" of rain for the month.

Here's to fall spinach!

You should be able to get spinach in before May 15th! Our last hard freeze here this year was Apr 29, and last frost was May 27th. I seeded my spinach Apr 3 and I'm harvesting right now.

As to fall harvest, it seems to be hit and miss. Last year it did poorly, but the year before it was great. It probably didn't get enough water last year...

Cheers,

Tim

The dates for planting by the moon seemed so late to me that I didn't even bother with it. Why was it based off of the May full moon instead of the April one? Who knows! I wouldn't have had tomatoes in until May 15th either. I planted based around the last frost date (statistically April 27th.) As usual, some things thrive and some things (spinach!) (moon phases!) just don't work out.

My aunt used to swear by moon phases. Oddly enough, I can't recall eating any spinach out of her garden :)

You can sow spinach as soon as temps exceed 20F, and six weeks before they reach that temp.

People tend to think that everything that can't take cold will die as soon as air temps hit 32F. That isn't true. Spinach is one that will take a lot of cold, well below 32F.

On the other hand, the tropicals like tomatoes and peppers are so cold-intolerant that if nighttime temps drop below 50F, it disrupts their circadian rhythm, upsetting their photosynthetic metabolism.

Sue

Planted spinach 11/7 and I already have a flower bed. :

You can still harvest and eat them. But it is amazing that this (bolting) happened in zone 8b. You must have had a very warm fall season.