Growing Spinach Beet

An ideal plant for autumn and winter cropping

Name
Spinach beet is also known as leaf beet. Perpetual Spinach is an improved variety of this traditional vegetable and has an RHS Award of Garden Merit. The Latin name is Beta vulgaris var. cicla. Beta is Latin for beet, and vulgaris means common. Cicla refers to the fact that, unlike some relations, it does not have swollen roots.

Family
Spinach beet belongs to the beet genus (Beta) in the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae). Other family members include true spinach, beetroot, chard, sugar beet, amaranth and quinoa along with the weeds fat hen and good King Henry.

Nutrition
The leaves are soft, succulent and mid-green with pale green stems. They are a good source of vitamins A, B and C, minerals including iron and folic acid, and fibre.

Interesting facts about spinach beet

True spinach is an annual, sown in spring to crop in summer. Spinach beet is sown in late summer and autumn and harvested from October through to April. It is an easier crop to manage as it less prone to flowering and running to seed (bolting). The two taste very similar, and both can be picked as baby leaves for salad, or cooked in the same recipes. Its likely that spinach beet was first cultivated in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East in what is now Iran and Iraq. It was well-known around the Mediterranean in Classical times but only became common in northern Europe after the Renaissance. The Romans are thought to have developed beetroot by gradually selecting plants of spinach beet that had swollen, coloured roots.
Seeds provided by Thompson & Morgan

Growing spinach beet

Sow the seeds in September for an autumn and winter crop or from March to June for a summer crop. Spinach beet prefers fertile, moistureretentive soil. The best way to achieve this is to incorporate lots of bulky organic material, such as garden compost, into the soil well in advance of planting time. If your soil is very short of nutrients, add some pelleted chicken manure at the same time. Before sowing, prepare the ground by removing any weeds then raking to create a level, even surface. Make a groove, or drill, about 1cm deep using the back of a rake, a cane pressed into the ground, or the edge of a plank of wood. If the soil is dry, water the drill before sowing. Sow the seeds thinly, then carefully rake soil over them. If sowing more than one row allow 30-40cm between rows. Thin the young seedlings to 5cm apart. As they get larger, remove every other plant. If the plants start to touch, remove every other one again, so they are 20cm apart. Use the thinnings for salad or cooking. Keep the crop well watered in dry periods. In cold areas protect the growing leaves over winter with clear polythene or horticultural fleece supported on wire hoops, or cover them with plastic cloches.

Harvesting
Spinach beet grows quickly, producing large leaves. Harvest the outer leaves once the green part reaches about 15cm long and allow the inner leaves to go on growing. Larger leaves can also be used, but its best to discard the midrib which can become tough.

Pest and disease problems

Birds may attack the seedlings, so cover them with fleece or netting if necessary. Downy mildew appears as a white, furry growth on the undersides of the leaves, which then rot. It is caused by a fungus and worst in cold, wet spells. Remove affected leaves the others are safe to eat. Thin the plants out if they are touching, to improve air circulation. Greenfly may appear underneath the leaves. Remove them with a soft brush.