Spinach

A heat- and drought-tolerant green in spectacular splashes of color! This leafy “spinach” amaranth is popular in Asia, eaten raw, stir fried, or steamed. It is known as bireum In Korea and as xian cai in China. Recent research has shown that amaranth in Asia is identical to that of amaranth in the Americas, and has been proven to have existed in Asia for millennia. The presence of amaranth in Asia is considered a living piece of evidence that pre-Columbian transatlantic trade indeed happened. This is by far the most tender and sweetest amaranth for edible greens, making for vibrant and delicious salad. The young leaves are a perfect spinach substitute; the intricately colored leaves are juicy and succulent. This is the go-to “green” for midsummer when all others have bolted, and can be harvested just 30-40 days from sowing.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 3-4 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 65-90 Degrees F
• Plant Spacing: 6"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Amaranthus tricolor

Growing Tips: Surface sow seeds directly in the garden after danger of frost, barely covering. Requires full sun. Tolerates heat and drought but does best with average moisture and fertility.

Average 55 days to maturity. A runaway winner of the Baker Creek tasting and growing trials, this stunning new super-food contains a high amount of vitamin A! It is also a great source of minerals and protein. A cross between two of the most delicious and hardy greens -- tatsoi and komatsuna -- the lightly savoyed leaves of Chijimisai have a velvety texture and lightly umami flavor that make it a remarkable spinach substitute. This innovative “new” heirloom Asian green is both heat and cold tolerant, making it suitable to grow year-round in most growing zones, save for the extreme seasons of some climates. This quick and easy-to-grow green is phenomenally tasty and more versatile than other greens. It is equally happy in stir fries and soups as it is in salads, lasagna, or atop pizzas. Sure to be the next culinary craze and must-have market gardeners’ green. No patch of greens should be without Chijimisai!

• 4-6 hours of Sun
• Sprouts in 10-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 60-80 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/4"
  
• Plant Spacing: 12"
• Frost Hardy: No
  
• Brassica rapa
  

Growing Tips: Best planted in cool spring or fall conditions. Sow in place.

We are excited to offer this old, traditional komatsuna strain from Tokyo, Japan. Since it makes such a perfect spinach substitute, it’s hard to believe that Komatsuna is actually a mustard! The leaves combine the best qualities of spinach and mustard, with a mild and sweet flavor reminiscent of spinach but with the immensely powerful nutrition of a mustard! Frequently referred to as one of the “most underrated” leafy greens, Komatsuna is simply mouth watering. This leafy green is incredibly delicious, mild and tender. It holds superfood status in its native Japan, and in some studies it contained nearly twice as much calcium as whole milk per 100 grams! The leaves are also super high in beta carotene, as well as vitamins A, C and K. Komatsuna has been revered in Japanese, Taiwanese and Korean cuisine as a mouth-watering veggie for many years, and in America chefs and nutritionally minded foodies have identified it as a delicious, juicy and health-promoting green. Let the culinary experimentation begin!

• 6-12 hours of Sun
• Sprouts in 5-8 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 55-70 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/4"
  
• Plant Spacing: 12"
• Frost Hardy: Yes
  
• Brassica rapa var perviridis
  

Growing Tips: Tolerant of heat and frost but best planted in cool spring or fall conditions. Sow in place. Prefers rich soil; harvest individual leaves or cut entire plant.

45 days. 4 to 10 feet tall and bright red. Beautiful and tasty addition to salads or cooked. Related to lambs quarters. Lovely! Super nutritious.

• 6-12 hours of Sun
• Sprouts in 6-15 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 50-80 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/4"
  
• Plant Spacing: 12"
• Frost Hardy: Yes
  
• Atriplex hortensis
  

Growing Tips: Needs moist, fertile soil. Sow late winter to mid-spring or plant in early fall for late fall harvest.

50 days. The old standard since 1925, does better in hot weather than most. Glossy, deep green, delicious leaves. So popular with fine chefs.

• 6-10 hours of Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 45-75 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Plant Spacing: 6-8"
• Frost Hardy: Yes
  
• Spinacia oleracea

Growing Tips: Direct sow in late winter- early spring, as soon as soil can be worked. Likes rich, well-drained soil with ample moisture. Long summer days or hot conditions cause plants to bolt.

35 days. Galilee is one of the most heat-tolerant spinach varieties available. A true spinach hailing from Israel. Leaves are triangular with pointed tips and a dark green color that indicates high nutrient levels. Fabulous flavor eaten raw or cooked harvested for both baby spinach or large leaves.

• 3-10 hours of Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 45-75 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Plant Spacing: 6-8"
• Frost Hardy: Yes
  
• Spinacia oleracea

Growing Tips: Refrigerating seeds for 7-10 days before sowing may improve germination in warm soil. direct sow late summer for fall harvest. Succession plant every 2-3 weeks, until first autumn frosts. Cut individual leaves to prolong harvest.

45 days. This is the giant of the spinach clan. Plants spread to 25 inches! Tender leaves are great for canning, steaming, or salads; for those who want quantity and quality. Introduced in 1926.

• 6-10 hours of Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 45-75 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Plant Spacing: 6-8"
• Frost Hardy: Yes
  
• Spinacia oleracea

Growing Tips: Direct sow in late winter- early spring, as soon as soil can be worked. Likes rich, well-drained soil with ample moisture. Long summer days or hot conditions cause plants to bolt.

55 days. This European heirloom produces large, broad, deep green leaves well into the fall and winter months in many areas. This flavorful variety comes to us from Italy. The English name is Giant of Winter.

• 6-10 hours of Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 45-75 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Plant Spacing: 6-8"
• Frost Hardy: Yes
  
• Spinacia oleracea

Growing Tips: Direct sow in late winter- early spring, as soon as soil can be worked. Likes rich, well-drained soil with ample moisture. Long summer days or hot conditions cause plants to bolt.

(Gynura procumbens) A super heat tolerant green that is native to China, Southeast Asia and Africa. A nutritious source of edible greens when all else are destroyed by summer heat. The plants take full sun to partial shade; must have adequate water; perennial under frost-free conditions. Delicious when used in salads; equally good as a potherb, in stir fry or tempura. (Do not overcook.) There is some evidence that this unusual herb can lower serum cholesterol levels. Semi upright, takes an attractive, edible ground cover where the growing season is long enough. Be sure to take cuttings in fall to overwinter in frost-free location for next year’s crop. Please consider these terms before ordering live plants: Most plants will be 3"-7" in height. Please make sure you are ready for your order in your zone as these young, tender plants generally have no resistance to cold. No orders ship outside the US. 

50 days. Big leaves to 10 inches long, smooth and deep green in color. Very fast growing plants are popular for fall planting. A gourmet French heirloom that was developed prior to 1866.

• 6-10 hours of Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 45-75 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Plant Spacing: 6-8"
• Frost Hardy: Yes
  
• Spinacia oleracea

Growing Tips: Direct sow in late winter- early spring, as soon as soil can be worked. Likes rich, well-drained soil with ample moisture. Long summer days or hot conditions cause plants to bolt.

60 days. Not the same species as common spinach, this variety takes the heat and keeps producing all summer. Tasty. Was listed by Fearing Burr in 1863 in his book Field and Garden Vegetables of America. Not frost hardy.

• 6-12 hours of Sun
• Sprouts in 14-21 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 55-75 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Plant Spacing: 1-2'
• Frost Hardy: No
  
• Tetragonia tetragonioides
  

Growing Tips: Tender perennial, grown as annual. Soak seed 24 hrs prior to sowing. direct seed in garden at about the time of last spring frost, or start transplants earlier indoors.

90 days. An old-fashioned plant that is poised for a comeback! Native to moist mountain valleys of North America, but also popular in Europe dating back to the 1600s. Plants are fascinating; the arrow shaped leaves remind us that it is a relative of spinach and the flavor and nutritional profile are reminiscent of spinach as well. Perhaps most intriguing quality is its small bright red berries! Young under ripe berries will be mild in flavor and appropriate for salads and savory applications, allow the berries to fully ripen to a deep crimson for juicy sweet flavor. We find the ripe berries to have a watermelon-berry flavor, addictive for snacking and irresistible for deserts. Like its spinach cousin, the leaves are high in oxalates so those with sensitivities to oxalates should take note. The delicious edible berries contain small seeds that in very large quantity may haves some toxic effects, but are considered perfectly safe when consumed in relative moderation. The very easy to grow and adaptable plants grow in a similar fashion to their wild cousin, lambsquarter. The original seeds for this particular variety were found in a monastery garden in Europe. The leaves are a good source of vitamins C and A!

• 8-12 hours of Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 45-75 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/4"
• Plant Spacing: 12"
• Frost Hardy: Yes
  
• Chenopodium capitatum
  

Growing Tips: Direct sow several weeks before last frost of spring; succession-plant until midsummer. Harvest red berries in summer to early fall. Remove spent blooms to prevent seed formation, control spreading.