Does anyone grow spinach and lettuce??Questions!

[Attack Chicken]

When do you havest it?both
What do you do when it starts to seed/flower? spinach
What does it mean when the leaves start to wrinkle up? to old? spinach

Thanks for looking

This is our first year growing spinach and lettuce. If anyone has anymore info please post it

thanks!

 

[georgialee]

Well, usually when it flowers (which is called bolting) it's too hot for it to grow. To harvest I just cut off leaves and it grows back again. Wilting leaves means it's too hot or not enough water. If it's just wrinkled it's probably just an older leaf. As long as it's not brown or anything it's still fine to eat but may be tough (so I would cook it, not use it in a salad).

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

You want to start picking both as soon as the leaves are a decent size. If you let them go until they bolt (flowers/seeds) the plants put all their energy into reproducing and the leaves get tough and bitter. Keeping the leaves picked will help stall the flowering process.

 

[Attack Chicken]

So can we cut the tops off so they don't bolt?

 

[AhBee01]

I pick the outer leaves for the lettuce, if it isn't head lettuce. I never grew spinach.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

If you already have flower stems, they are bolting. You can try cutting that off and see how the leaves taste, but I'd pick all you can now and call it done. Lettuce and spinach are cool weather crops - plant early spring and late summer and you'll get the best yield. They don't like it hot.

 

[Attack Chicken]

Thanks. We haven't picked any yet but I guess I'm going out to pick some now! Hopefully I can get it in before the chickens snach it. Thanks everyone

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

You're welcome! We fill up the one side of the sink with cold water and soak the leaves. We push them up and down to wash the dirt and bugs off - leave them soak a while; won't hurt them. Then put them in a colander and let them dry well. We don't have the salad spinner thingy so once they're dry, we pack them in plastic bags or even Foodsaver bags with the air sucked out. The more air you get out, the longer the leaves will last.

 

[NRacine]

I planted my lettuce and spinach about a month ago and have been eating it for a few days now. If you have leafy lettuce, just cut it off and it will grow back. With spinach, some leaves come out smooth, some wrinkly. Both are equally delicious. If it tastes good, go for it!

 

[Equus5O]

I've found that once they bolt, that's it.

I've only grown Romaine Lettuce and Swiss Chard. Chard is similar to Spinach. The Chard leaves, and I'd imagine Spinach too, do get "wrinkly." "Wrinkly" isn't wilted. It's more like "puckered." and that's the way it's supposed to be, so far as I know.