Seeds of Strawberry spinach (Blitum virgatum)
Strawberry spinach from seed
Strawberry spinach is an old garden curiosity: an upright annual about 50 cm tall with spinach-like leaves and clusters of small red berries along the stems from summer into early autumn. The leaves are eaten like spinach, and the berries, which are sweetest when deep crimson, add colour to salads.
Height
about 50 cm
Sowing depth
about 6 mm, 2.5-5 cm apart
Germination
7-14 days
Spacing
thin to about 30 cm, rows 40-45 cm
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How to sow
- Sow it where it is to grow, as it transplants poorly.
- Drop the seeds into a shallow drill, around 6 mm down and a few centimetres apart, leaving 40-45 cm between drills.
- Within one to two weeks the seedlings show; once they have two pairs of true leaves, single them out so each plant ends up about a foot from the next.
Growing in Europe
This is a cool-weather plant that tolerates frost, so start it outdoors a few weeks before the last frost and sow again until midsummer. Give it full sun. Pick young leaves as needed and harvest the berries when they turn deep red.
Questions
Can strawberry spinach be transplanted?
Poorly. Sow it directly where it will grow.
When should I sow strawberry spinach?
A few weeks before the last frost, with further sowings until midsummer.
Which parts of strawberry spinach are eaten?
The leaves, used like spinach, and the red berries.