When is spinach harvested

After cutting, remove any faded, browning leaves from the bunch and relegate them to the compost pile. When you have sorted through your harvest, clean the leaves by rinsing them until the water is free from dirt, and then dry them with the help of your salad spinner.

Check out this roundup on our sister site, Foodal. In an ideal world, you would eat your freshly picked greens right away. For short term storage you can wrap your harvest in a moist paper towel and then put this bundle in a plastic bag or storage container and place it in the refrigerator, where it may keep for up to a week.

Picking spinach is pretty simple! And whether you are picking a few baby greens here and there, or harvesting the mature crop all at once, make sure to leave the crown intact. While I love the baby leaves in my spring salads, my favorite use for my own homegrown spinach haul is to cook up a batch of homemade saag paneer. Or perhaps a savory spinach pie from our sister site, Foodal.

How about you — do you prefer baby greens or large mature ones? Let us know in the comments below. And for more information on growing leafy green vegetables in your garden, check out these guides next:. See our TOS for more details. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. Spinach can be harvested a few leaves at a time, or all at once, depending on your needs and preferences.

If you just need a few leaves, use scissors or garden shears to cut the leaves at the stem, harvesting the outer, older leaves first, then working your way in gradually towards the center of the plant as the inner leaves start to mature. If you prefer to harvest all of the leaves at the same time, you can simply cut the whole plant off at the base, taking care not to cut into the growing point, so that the plant can regrow.

Either harvesting method will encourage regrowth as long as the growing point is not damaged during the harvesting. Your email address will not be published. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. It usually occurs when the climate gets warmer early in the growing season. The spinach prepares to 'flower' and reproduce rather than focusing on leaf production. Wash the spinach. Bring the spinach inside and then rinse the leaves under the kitchen tap to get rid of any dirt.

That way, you won't be using spinach with slug trails or soil all over it. Get rid of damaged leaves. Any damaged leaves or yellow-colored spinach need to be removed. These leaves are best not eaten and instead should go straight to the compost bin. Or, use broken leaves in a soup or stew where the damage won't be an issue.

Preserve the spinach. Place the leaves in a paper towel in a sealed plastic bag. The leaves should be kept in the fridge and can last for up to two weeks. It's best to use the spinach up by then.

Cut the spinach up. Just before you use the spinach, cut the leaves from the stem. Cut the right amount you want to use and then leave the rest of the leaves attached to the stems. Spinach leaves should only be cut up when you want to use them, otherwise they won't preserve well.

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