MAGAZINE GARDENING ARTICLES
Posted on Friday, April 11th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Why isn’t my Perpetual Spinach Growing up?
I recieved a free packet of seeds for Perpetual Spinach on the front of a garden magazine, and read the article inside for growing it. The article stated that if planted in a propergator in late August, the half grown plants could be hardened off through late september and planted outside, where they would grow throughout the winter and could be used if individual leaves were picked and the plants were given time to regrow.
The problem I have is that although I planted the seeds inside in the propergator, in Mid August, the seedling have grown to be an inch tall with just four or five leaves each, then stopped growing. They have remained like this, alive but not doing anything, since about six weeks ago and have made no attempt to grow bigger.
I have potted them up into individual pots, each with its own little cloche inside the house on a windowsill with a radiator beneath, and still nothing seems to be happening.
Spinach like a lot of plants is day light length sensitive rather than temperature sensitive. Put the plants in an unheated greenhouse or cold frame to harden them up. If they are by a radiator they are also likely to be getting extra light from your household light bulbs etc.
SCIENCE OF GARDENING: Pitcher Plant Dissection