Spinach Apollo

'Apollo' is an exceptional variety of spinach with excellent yields of thick, fleshy leaves. This mildew-resistant variety is best harvested as baby greens during hot spells, as it tends to bolt. Sow the seeds from March to June, and then from August to September. Harvest from May to October.

Spinach is a tasty leaf vegetable that is native to Iran. It belongs to the Amaranthaceae family, along with beetroot and chard. It is widely grown throughout the world for its unique flavour and excellent nutritional values. Its high iron content became famous with the cartoon character Popeye, although its high folic acid content (vitamin B9) is the most remarkable feature. Spinach leaves can be used in a thousand ways: raw in spring salads, in stir-fries, or in a savoury pie with small chunks of goat's cheese. Even kids won’t be able to resist it!

Spinach can be grown all year round. However, each variety has its own growing period that must be respected to avoid premature bolting. Depending on the time of year you wish to harvest your spinach, you can either choose between spring and/or autumn varieties, winter varieties, or even summer varieties. Some varieties have pungent seeds, which are best suited to spring or late autumn sowing.

Spinach gives best the results in consistent, moist and fertile soils with plenty of nitrogen and potash. It enjoys winter sun and mid-shade to full shade during the hotter summer months in warmer climates.

Harvesting: harvest the leaves as and when required. Pick the outer leaves without damaging the heart, as this will continue to grow and develop new leaves. When it shows signs of bolting, harvest the whole plant by cutting it off at ground level.

Storage: spinach tends to wilt very quickly once picked, even in the refrigerator. The leaves are best eaten fresh, as soon as possible after harvesting. They can, however, be blanched (3 minutes in boiling salty water) then frozen for later use.

Good to know: did you know that spinach can be used as a green manure? Recycle your old spinach seeds by sowing them during autumn (about 30 g/m²). The plants will absorb and store nitrogen from the soil, thus preventing it from leaching away over winter.