Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla var. cicla 'Perpetual Spinach'
spinach beet 'Perpetual Spinach'
An annual vegetable with large, dark green ribbed foliage and thick, edible stems. Looks and tastes like spinach but shows very good resistance to bolting, even in dry conditions. Sow March-August, and harvest all year round as a cut-and-come-again crop. Young leaves can be harvested for salads within around 8 weeks
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Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
1–2 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H4Botanical details
- Family
- Amaranthaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Bushy, Clump forming
- Genus
Beta can be annual, biennial or perennial plants, often with rosettes of basal leaves and thick, fleshy roots. The genus includes a range of wild species, as well as cultivated food crops such as beetroot, chard and sugar beet
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in fertile soil in full sun or partial shade. Add compost or well-rotted manure in the autumn and keep watered in dry conditions. See spinach cultivation for further advice
Propagation
Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds
Suggested planting locations and garden types
Pruning
No pruning required. Remove outer leaves when large enough
Pests
May be susceptible to birds, cutworms, lettuce root maggot, root aphid, root knot eelworm and slugs and snails
Diseases
May be susceptible to grey mould, lettuce downy mildew, mosaic virus and ring spot
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