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Summer Spinach Seeds - Malabar, Red Stemmed - Sow True Seed
Summer Spinach Seeds - Malabar, Red Stemmed - Sow True Seed
Summer Spinach Seeds - Malabar, Red Stemmed - Sow True Seed

Summer Spinach Seeds - Malabar, Red Stemmed

$3.25

Basella alba v. rubra

Thick glossy leaves grow in the heat of summer on this annual vine, keeping up a steady supply of delicious leafy greens when all the others are bolting. This is the red-stemmed variety of Malabar, known as 'Rubra.' Soak seeds for 24 hours before planting. Harvest leaves and shoots for cooking like spinach or swiss chard. Train up a trellis, stake, or fence for an edible wall! These frost intolerant plants are not true spinach, but they will satisfy a mid-summer craving for nutrient dense greens when it's too hot for most other plants.

Minimum Seeds per Packet: 50

Packet Weight: 3g

Planting Season: After Last Frost

Sowing Method: Direct Seed or Transplant

Seed Depth: 1/2"

Direct Seed Spacing: 1/2"

Soil Temperature: 50-85 ℉

Days to Sprout: 14-21

Mature Spacing: 6"

Sun Requirement: Full Sun or Partial Shade

Frost Tolerance: Frost Sensitive

Days to Harvest: 70

When to Seed Summer Spinach

Greens come in different varieties running in color, texture, and shape of leaves. They come from all different parts of the world including Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Southeastern US - that being said, they all grow quite similarly. With a few exceptions like molokhia, amaranth, and summer spinach, most other varieties of greens thrive in cooler temperatures. When it comes to these warm weather greens, direct seed them outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. Certain types, like Malabar spinach, may need trellising.

Where to Plant Summer Spinach

Most greens grow best in moist, rich soil with full sun to partial shade. Prepare for planting by spreading a three inch thick layer of compost over your planting area. 

Growing Summer Spinach

Sow seeds at the depth and direct seed spacing indicated on the seed packet of your variety. As they germinate and grow, thin your seedlings to the appropriate mature spacing distance - and be sure to eat your thinnings! Ensure your greens get at least an inch of water per week. Keeping your greens well-watered is going to be especially important as temperatures heat up so that you can extend your harvest as long as you can. 

Harvesting Summer Spinach

Greens can be eaten at any growing stage. For cut and come again harvesting, pull a few leaves at a time from the outside of your plants and all the main plants to continue to grow. When the plants are mature, you can cut the whole plant at the base with a sharp knife. If you leave the growing point intact, your greens will often resprout.

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Summer Spinach Seeds - Malabar, Red Stemmed

$3.25

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