Fall in love with Spinach
(Page 4 of 5)
IN THE SOUTH
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In parts of the southern United States growing fall spinach
has a long legacy. A large amount of fresh market spinach
was once grown for fall consumption in coastal Virginia and
Maryland near the Chesapeake Bay. These crops were
traditionally planted for the fall crop from mid-August
until mid-September. Long, warm autumns in this and other
mid-Atlantic areas will ensure bountiful crops that may
yield until the New Year. In Arkansas and Oklahoma spinach
can be planted in the second half of September for fall
salads that easily can take you into December In southern
Texas and in much of the Deep South, spinach can be planted
anytime from early October until the middle of November for
a fall crop that grows through the winter.
In the desert Southwest, where there's a wide range of
environments based on elevation, it's possible to plant
from late August until late November, but you'll have to
experiment for your location. When you plant spinach in
these hotter regions, it's much like planting it in August
in the North: Keep the seedbed cool with some irrigation
water (or some shade) until the seedlings emerge. Formerly
a spinach breeder at Alf Christianson Seed Company in Mt.
Vernon, Washington, John Navazio now breeds spinach and
other crops specifically for organic growers in the Upper
Midwest.
Wilted Spinach Salad
Succulent, fall-grown spinach is great for this recipe.
Just tear the bigger leaves into bite-size pieces after
washing.
Wash, trim and dry 6 cups of spinach and place into a
large salad bowl. Saute 4 or 5 slices of bacon until crisp,
remove from pan and cut into bits. Drainoff all but 2
tablespoons fat and add I tablespoon olive oil. (For a
vegan or vegetarian alternative skip the bacon altogether
and start with 3 tablespoons of olive oil,)
Saute cup grated onion in fat or oil for just a minute
before adding 1/2 teaspoon salt, teaspoon sugar, 1
tablespoon balsamic vinegar and 3 tablespoons white
vinegar. When sugar and salt are dissolved, slowly pour the
hot liquid over the spinach and liberally grind black
pepper over the salad. Toss. Garnish with chopped bacon and
serve on warm plates.
Overwintering Spinach
Spinach is one of the hardiest winter vegetables, sometimes
surviving temperatures far below freezing if grown to just
the right size before going through the coldest part of
winter. 'Winter Bloomsdale' and 'Winter Giant' are the
standards for overwintering, and 'Tyee' and 'Melody' have
been successfully overwintered in upstate New York and New
England. Savoy varieties generally overwinter better than
smooth-leaf types.
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