THEY BOTH MADE SPINACH FAMOUS. However, Landreth did so first. About a hundred years earlier, actually. Landreth introduced the Bloomsdale Long Standing variety of spinach in 1826 and it’s still the most popular variety of spinach sold in the U.S. Just goes to show you that not all heirloom seeds are long forgotten relics.
Our favorite part about spinach is its hardiness. It’s one of the first to go into the garden, and one of the last to come out. It takes a few months off in the summer heat. But we all deserve a vacation. Basically, wherever a space arises in the garden in spring or late summer…in goes the spinach seeds. Chard, though a bit more finicky and slower than spinach, is another garden star. Once we finally get a good batch growing, it seems that we can cut it for dinner one evening and have new leaves by the next morning. Plus the colors… Our favorite variety, “Ruby Chard” is a shortened nickname for “Rhubarb Chard.” The brilliant scarlet of its stems looks exactly like miniature stalks of rhubarb.
Oh! And let’s not forget our “faux” spinaches. New Zealand spinach isn’t spinach at all. Doesn’t even look like it really. But it bridges that time in the summer when “real” spinach goes on vacation in the heat. And Strawberry spinach – also not a true spinach – has beautiful small red/pink berries that are beautiful and tasty enough that we don’t care what kind of plant it is. Tough to grow though. Give it a shot.
Here are the varieties we’re growing this year. Let us know if you’re trying any of them in your garden in the comment section below the photos. Now we’re off to practice our Popeye laugh.
BLOOMSDALE LONG STANDING SPINACH – Introduced by Landreth Seed Company in 1826, it’s still the most popular spinach sold.
STRAWBERRY SPINACH – Grown in Europe for centuries, this is not a true spinach, but its leaves are delicious in salads. Its red mulberry-like fruits can be dried or used fresh.
NEW ZEALAND SPINACH – Not a true spinach, but flavorful in salads. Can be grown in summer when other spinach cannot grow.
LUCULLUS SWISS CHARD – Introduced in 1914, this variety was named after the Roman general and epicure, Lucius Licinius Lucullus. Vigorous plants grow 24 30 in. Large, thick, deeply crumpled light green leaves have large, white, rounded midribs. Tolerates hot weather.
RHUBARD RUBY RED SWISS CHARD– Introduced in 1857, this is also known as Rhubarb Chard or Ruby Chard. It is very popular because of its deep crimson stalks and veins and the black green, heavily crumpled leaves. Stalks are thick, tender and juicy and taste is milder.
