Spinach 'Bloomsdale' (Spinach)

Bloomsdale is the heirloom spinach that made savoyed leaves famous. Its thick, deeply crinkled foliage has a rich, mineral flavor that flat-leaf types simply can't match, and that texture makes it exceptional in salads, sautees, quiches, and stuffed pasta. Leaves hold up well to heat without turning to mush, and the crinkles catch dressings and olive oil in the most satisfying way. Days to maturity run about 48 days for baby leaves and 55-60 for full-size harvest.

The Oregon coast is genuinely ideal spinach country. Cool, moist conditions are exactly what this cool-season annual craves, and the mild winters here let you stretch the harvest well beyond what inland gardeners manage. Sow in late summer for a fall crop, or in late winter for spring eating. Plants bolt in heat, so time your sowings to avoid warm spells. Bloomsdale has decent bolt resistance compared to older varieties, but it still prefers soil temperatures below 75 degrees F. Succession-sow every three weeks for continuous picking.

Harvest outer leaves as they reach full size, leaving the crown to keep producing. Young plants tolerate light frost down to the high 20s.