EXCLUSIVE - We've chosen top quality, sweet and mellow tasting Catalina because its nicely shaped, crunchy textured young leaves are just perfect to harvest at baby size for scrumptious fresh spinach salads. Fast growth and bolt-resistance are bred right into Catalina, and its smooth leaves have a mild, nutty flavor with no metallic overtones. The plants are vigorous, productive and long standing. Plan on going right into the garden with your salad bowl to pick the deep green oval leaves at their fresh flavor peak.
In early spring when danger of hard frost is over, sow seeds in well-worked fertile soil in full sun. Space seeds 1 inch apart in rows 8 to 10 inches apart, or broadcast thinly for bed planting. Firm soil well over seeds to ensure good germination. If first sowing germinates unevenly, plant more seed as seedlings will catch up fast. Sow again in late summer.
Spinach is most productive in cool weather. Grow in cool spring conditions and sow again in late summer for a productive fall crop. After seedlings reach 2 to 3 inches tall, thin out every other plant (and enjoy in early salads) and keep thinning in this fashion until plants are spaced 5 or 6 inches apart.
Either harvest individual outside leaves from well-established plants and let regrow, or harvest entire plants. Keep spinach plants well watered and weeded and fertilize these heavy feeders several times as they leaf out and especially after harvesting outside leaves. Combine well-washed and dried leaves with your favorite garlicky salad dressing; spinach pairs well with hearty dressings like the traditional hot bacon dressing. Good spinach salad additions include thinly sliced sweet red onions, sliced radishes, thin wedges of red apple or orange segments, toasted nutmeats, chopped scallions, crispy bacon bits, hard-cooked egg quarters and finely grated hard cheese.