[Beklet]

My neighbour offered us some spinach today, Bob said yes, as he doesn't like to be rude, and it looks suspiciously like the stuff that overtook half the allotment last year, and I've just spent weeks digging up...Bob confirms it tastes the same....

I've never planted any just wondered if it's particularly prolific?

Is there anything that does actually look similar that I shouldn't attempt to eat? What do I do with it - do I cook it like normal spinach? If it's any good I may just leave the few that are stubbornly growing.....

[Yorkie]

I've never thought of spinach being at all invasive so I'm not sure what's on your plot already

Cooking regular spinach or spinach beet is much the same, not too much water and only a few minutes.

[Carollan]

I grew spinach and perpetual spinach last year,they certainly didn`t take over my allotment,didn`t move from where I put them.I`ve had to start  new lots this year,the winter killed nearly all of mine!!

[Beklet]

Ah thanks.....it didn't take over as such but when we dug over the part of the plot we'd not grown on yet, loads of clumps of green cabbagey plants came up and not much else.....I may take a pic on Monday, see if anyone can help - sadly my neighbours speak very little English (they're mostly Italian) so it's difficult to ask anything 

[Ice]

Pictures are always best.  My perpetual spinach are very well behaved but they do make an enormous root and are difficult to remove if left for any amount of time.

[Paul Plots]

Ah thanks.....it didn't take over as such but when we dug over the part of the plot we'd not grown on yet, loads of clumps of green cabbagey plants came up and not much else.....I may take a pic on Monday, see if anyone can help - sadly my neighbours speak very little English (they're mostly Italian) so it's difficult to ask anything 

An Italian neighbour! That sounds interesting.... I wonder what else they choose to grow.
No jokes about spaghetti please... we all know our climate is too cold for it here. 

(By the way Beklet which part of the world are you in as your profile doesn't show this.)

[Beklet]

Ah thanks.....it didn't take over as such but when we dug over the part of the plot we'd not grown on yet, loads of clumps of green cabbagey plants came up and not much else.....I may take a pic on Monday, see if anyone can help - sadly my neighbours speak very little English (they're mostly Italian) so it's difficult to ask anything 

An Italian neighbour! That sounds interesting.... I wonder what else they choose to grow.
No jokes about spaghetti please... we all know our climate is too cold for it here. 

(By the way Beklet which part of the world are you in as your profile doesn't show this.)

Will try to get pics - off to the Milton Keynes Garden show today to look for inspiration!

I'm in Bedford - quite a large Italian population here, and from what I can see, courgettes and marrows, tomatoes, beet/chard, salads, broad and runner beans and onions are pretty popular - doesn't seem to be much carrot action.... 

Chap on the other side used to grow a lot of potatoes but he's not there anymore

[Paul Plots]

Thanks for adding your location....... useful. 

Enjoy Milton Keynes Garden show. I hope you're taking photos?

[mumofstig]

Spinach will self-seed readily, and reappear for years
Or it may be cima di rapa (turnip leaf) if it tastes a bit peppery ...makes a lovely pasta dish.

deffo need pics to be sure though.

[Beklet]

No pics of the garden show - was just stalls, however I managed to buy a couple of chilli plants, one for the allotment and one for my windowsill, some mint (I keep killing it!!), lavender and rosemary...

As for the mystery plant - whatever it is, it's the same as the stuff my neighbour has - I suspect it's seeded from his allotment, as some of the plants I have look to be about to go to seed.... I have found a couple of quite nice specimens growing (including one in the flower bed), and Bob says it tastes OK so it can stay for now 

[GrannieAnnie]

How do you manage to kill mint???

[Beklet]

How do you manage to kill mint???

I have no idea...I think the first lot drowned - it was growing in a pot and it got waterlogged.....the second lot thrived on my windowsill for about 3 months then just went funny and died...

This lot is in a very big pot, somewhere it won't get waterlogged.....

Further investigations show it is definitely some form of chard, or beet or whatever, and now I know what it is, and that it won't poison me, it will probably die..... 

[Paul Plots]

How do you manage to kill mint???

Oddly enough I can manage to kill off mint with the greatest of ease! 

Most things I'm given because they look like they're on their way out survive and flourish but mint and I just don't seem to hit it off very well.

Spearmint, peppermint and plain old fashioned mint just don't last. 

Spinach and Swiss or rainbow chard..... no problems even when I don't really want it the stuff grows well.  Babyleaf spinach.... tons of it usually.

Mint? I must remember to do something with the last survivors to keep them going.

[stu007]

Try eating the young small leaves of the spinach / beet / chard in salads  I've never had a problem with it taking over but it can grow large if you let it. 4 plants usually is enough for us.