Beaujolais Spinach

seeds

1/4oz: $5.75

not available yet, check back later; Item: 2500-A

Spinacia oleracea

More than a decade ago we carried the variety Bordeaux, but we put that niche spinach on the chopping block when Syngenta bought out supplier Daehnfeldt. We’re happy to list Beaujolais, a very similar wine-themed organic varietal developed by our friends at Uprising Seeds on their farm in eastern Washington wine country. Be forewarned: this spinach bolts quickly so is best grown in the cooler ends of the season. Prized as a baby green for its striking magenta-red stems and veins in deep green arrowhead leaves. Has the characteristic shine of young beet greens, but tastes milder and sweeter in a salad mix. Nikos found the leaves from bolted plants still quite delicious. To borrow the words of Jonathan Swift, this beaujolais should be eaten, it is too good to be drunk.

ships year-round

Shipping

Items shipping from our garden seeds warehouse take 1-3 business days to process.

* We are currently receiving seed from our growers. We may hold orders for up to two weeks as we pack seed to complete orders.

Additional Information

Spinach

1,500–2,800 seeds/oz.
Days to maturity are from date of direct seeding.

Culture: Very hardy, spinach prefers cool temperatures. Planted as soon as the ground can be worked in spring to avoid early bolting. Minimum germination temperature 35°, optimal range 45–65°. Spinach seed will not germinate in soil temperatures above 85°. For fall crop try late July–Aug. sowing; to overwinter, sow late Aug.–Sept. Heavy nitrogen requirements, but avoid applying high-nitrogen fertilizers shortly before harvest to prevent high nitrate levels in the leaves.

Pick large leaves often for heavier production. Smooth-leaved spinach is easier to wash than the semi-savoyed type and is increasingly preferred. Heat, crowding and long day-length (over 14 hours) trigger premature bolting. To retard bolting, avoid hot-weather planting, use wider spacing and irrigate or use shade cloth.

The use of disease-resistant and hardy varieties, cold frames, row covers and hoophouses has made spinach into a nearly year-round crop. Growers should rely on Space or Oceanside for winter production.

Diseases:

BM: Blue Mold
CLS: Cladosporium Leaf Spot
CMV: Cucumber Mosaic Virus
DM: Downy Mildew

Downy Mildew (DM) is caused in spinach by Peronospora farinosa f. sp. spinaciae. This pathogen evolves new races at a fast clip, challenging breeders and growers worldwide to keep up. Resistant varieties are the main management tool. While formerly considered Somebody Else’s Problem, spinach DM has popped up here and there in the Northeast on a seemingly random cross section of spinach varieties. Most cases have been in protected winter crops. Researchers such as Dr. Meg McGrath of Cornell, along with regional seed companies, are tracking these occurrences with hopes of more knowledge before it becomes a major problem.

Germination Testing

For the latest results of our germination tests, please see the germination page.

Our Seeds are Non-GMO

All of our seeds are non-GMO, and free of neonicotinoids and fungicides. Fedco is one of the original companies to sign the Safe Seed Pledge.