Hi,
I'm looking for a Spinach that I can grow in Florida. I love fresh spinach, and Malabar Spinach was suggested.
Anyone have any experience with it?
Thanks
mj
Malabar Spinach
Many folks that eat it don't consider it to taste like spinach.
Malabar spinach is a vine with leaves which can be eaten raw or cooked. I have grown it and prefer mine raw in a green salad or on sandwiches.
It also makes a pretty ornamental vine but can become invasive should the seeds be allowed to drop.
Podster - can you give an idea of the flavour?
I eat "regular" spinach raw...generally buy the generic "baby spinach". Always in salads, sandwiches..etc.
Would this be similar? Is there something similar to "regular spinach"? Can you tell I don't really know anything about the varieties out there? I just want something that will grow in Cental Florida. It's very hard to grow good veggies here, the summers are too hot, and winters can go from freezing to 90 in a few days.
To me it doesn't really favor spinach but is a tasty green. I honestly am not good at taste comparisons ~ sorry. Perhaps someone else will chime in...
It sounds like something I'd like to try...even if I find a "real spinach" that will grow here.
I'm trying it this year. I too love fresh spinach better than cooked...in salads or like lettuce on a sandwich with loads of sprouts(or worms as hub's calls them..."Stop putting them darn fishing worms on my samitch!....LOL)
bigred....are you starting from seeds or plant? Where did/are you getting it from?
thanks
mj
Another option is vegetable Amaranth/Chinese spinach. http://www.evergreenseeds.com/edamyintsach.html
Farmerdill...that does look like a good option! Is it good raw, as I don't generally care for "regular spinach" cooked either.
thanks!
I'm attempting it from seed....from Park Seed
I find the malabar has the texture of spinach, but not so much the taste. I grew lamb's quarter's last year and it tasted just like spinach, but didn't have the texture.lol
I ended up mixing them both in salad and it was a passible substitute for a spinach salad, but I'd still rather have the real deal.
I sewed 3 different varieties of spinach in last falls veggie garden. Even in fall/winter spinach doesn't grow well for me. I've only managed to harvest a very few leaves.
Well, I'm going to be in town later today and am going to look around and see what I can find.
I'm planting from seed this year, new to WA. Hope it does well. Grew great in NC, texture of spinach but mild green flavor, not spinach.
Hi Kris - You're growing Malabar?
Let me know if you want to swap seeds at the Green Elephant in March.
I grow Malabar spinach. I started it from seeds and got a good take without much effort.
To me, the taste is similar to spinach but the texture is "meatier" with more substance than regular spinach.
The vine is a pretty green. The flowers are inconspicuous but the black shiney seeds add to the apprance.
Have read that this can be invasive but I don't think that will be a problem here in the desert.
Lots of different opinions here. You will have fun seeing what you think of it.
katiebear
Thanks, kb - I really like growing different kinds of food. I just wish my climate would accomodate the fruits I love!
Plus I have to try growing them a few times - an off year can keep many vegies from achieving their best. Lots of flavours to celebrate!