Monstrueux de Viroflay Spinach Vegetables Seeds - West Coast Seeds

PRODUCT DETAILS

This French heirloom dates back to 1866. This huge spinach can grow up to 60cm (24") in diameter, with 20cm (8") crisp, dark green leaves. No matter how big it gets, the leaves stay tender and delicious with lower levels of oxalic acid than other varieties. Plant Monstrueux de Viroflay spinach seeds for plants that are ready for baby leaf harvest in just 21 days! This is Mark's favourite spinach variety, and a good candidate for planting in the third week in August. You'll get a small fall harvest, and the following spring it will emerge like magic before any pests are around.

Matures in 40-50 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

• Low acid and fine flavour
• Crisp, dark green leaves
• A French heirloom dating to 1866
• Open-pollinated seeds
• Matures in 40-50 days

All About Monstrueux de Viroflay

Latin

Spinacia oleracea

Difficulty

Easy

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If you don’t already have a favorite, go for variety: The Easter Egg (RD674) can’t be surpassed for showing everything a radish can be. Not only do you get a mix of colors, but you’ll come to appreciate subtle flavor differences, and differences in piquancy, or spiciness.

Season & Zone

Season: Cool season
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

Timing

Spinach does best in cool weather. Direct sow in the period four weeks before, and three weeks after the last frost date. Spinach will bolt once days get long and hot. Some varieties grow enough to harvest before they bolt. For continuous supply, plant every 3 weeks.

Sow again in the middle two weeks of August for a fall crop that, if cut at the soil level, will come back early the following spring where winters are mild. Shade summer-sown seed beds, keep very well watered, and sow more seeds than you need, as warm soil will reduce germination rates marginally. Thin seedlings, and use cloche protection as cold weather approaches. Late sowings like this can be harvested into December – in mild winters if cloche protection is provided.

Optimal soil temperature: 5-20°C (45-70°F). Seeds should sprout in 7-14 days.

Starting

Sow seeds 1cm (1/2″) deep, 10 seeds per 30cm (12″), in rows 30-45cm (12-18″) apart. Thin to at least 5-8cm (2-3″) between plants, or further if you want larger leaves.

Days to Maturity:

From direct sowing.

Growing

Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5. This heavy feeder requires rich soil. Dig in ¼-½ cup balanced organic fertilizer beneath every 1m (3′) of row. Overwintering spinach requires well drained soil.

Harvest

For baby greens, pick when the leaves are 7-10cm (3-4″) long. Individual leaves can be picked at anytime, until the plant has started to bolt. Cut the whole spinach plant just above soil level.

Seed Info

In optimal conditions at least 65% of seeds will germinate. Usual seed life: 3 years. Per 100′ row: 400 seeds, per acre: 174M seeds.

Diseases & Pests

Pale, soft tunnels on leaves are probably leaf miner damage. Prevent by covering with floating row cover. You can kill the little insect causing the damage by pinching it inside the leaf. Destroy any affected leaves. Downy mildew is a fungal disease that causes greyish mould on the leaves. To avoid it, provide ample ventilation and avoid overhead watering.