Spinach (Bloomsdale)

📖 About This Plant

Spinach (Bloomsdale Long Standing) is the standard by which all home garden spinach is measured — an heirloom open-pollinated variety dating to 1826, developed by the Philadelphia seed house of David Landreth. Bloomsdale produces deeply crinkled (savoy) leaves of dark forest-green with a rich, earthy flavor that fresh supermarket spinach and certainly frozen spinach cannot approximate. The 'Long Standing' designation means it resists bolting significantly longer than standard varieties, staying in leaf production through temperature fluctuations that would trigger immediate bolting in lesser varieties. The leaves are tender enough to eat raw in salads when young and substantial enough to hold up to sautéing, wilting in pasta, or incorporating into spanakopita without dissolving — qualities that flat-leaf types can't always match.

📊 Quick Facts

📅 When to Plant in Your Area

🌱 Care Tips

Bloomsdale spinach thrives in cool weather and struggles in heat — work around this by planting in two windows: early spring (3–5 weeks before last frost) for a May harvest, and late summer (6–8 weeks before first fall frost) for a October–November harvest. The savoy leaf type Bloomsdale grows more slowly than flat-leaf spinach, typically reaching harvest in 45–55 days. Sow directly in the garden, pressing seeds 1/2 inch deep in rows 12 inches apart. For faster germination in cold soil, soak seeds in cold water for 24 hours before planting. Thin to 4–6 inches apart once seedlings are established — crowding accelerates bolting and promotes downy mildew. Water consistently to maintain even soil moisture; drought stress causes premature bolting in spring plantings. Feed lightly with a nitrogen-based fertilizer (blood meal, fish emulsion) when seedlings are 3 inches tall to push leafy growth. For the spring crop, harvest outer leaves as soon as they reach usable size; do not wait for plants to fully head. In the fall garden, Bloomsdale is more forgiving of light frosts than most vegetables — cover with row cover to extend harvests through October and even November in zones 6–8. In mild-winter zones (7b–9), fall-sown Bloomsdale often overwinters and provides an early spring harvest the following year before summer heat arrives.

🤝 Companion Plants

These plants grow well alongside Spinach:

🌿 Related Vegetable

More vegetable that grow in similar conditions:

❓ Frequently Asked Questions