What are these little balls on top of my spinach plant. Is it just a male plant? I’m new to vegetables. Also is this random looking plant a weed?
Is it a weed or just a different kind of spinach?
by RegularPutrid1333
3 Comments
QueenOwl1
That’s the flower developing sorry to say. Something happened that triggered the plant to flower extremely early. The leaves that continue to grow will likely be really bitter.
Heysoosin
Your spinach is bolting, which means that it has decided (based on its enviornment, conditions around the roots, or simply the time of year and nighttime temperatures) that its life will soon be over and it must make seeds to continue the next gen.
When spinach bolts, there is no going back. It will put most of its energy into making flowers and seeds, and will not make any big tasty spinach leaves. It will still grow some leaves, they just wont taste as good and will be a bit more leathery.
Spinach is one of the most challenging vegetables to grow because it bolts so easily. As a beginner growing spinach, youll find that its one of the most finicky plants in the garden.
Here are some things you can do to get a better spinach harvest.
1. Plant in the shoulder seasons. Spinach loves cool nights with mild days. Planting in early spring is always a great bet, planting in late summer is great for a fall harvest. 2. Always direct sow spinach. It is a taproot plant with very fragile roots. When transplanted, it often sustains enough damage to decide to bolt. Direct sow spinach by soaking the night before in plain water, and planting as deep as a nickel on edge. Plant a ton of them in a trench and pull all but the best seedlings, leaving them spaced about 3 or 4 inches from eachother. 3. Spinach for harvesting in the summer needs to be planted in the summer. Do not expect any spring planted spinach to produce well when the days get hot. When theres a huge temperature difference between what the plant experienced as a seedling vs what it lives through as a mature plant, it bolts. 4. It needs a ton of water. More than seems reasonable, especially when the days get hot. Spinach is so thirsty. Let the top 2 inches of soil dry all the way out, then drown the damn thing. 5. The leaves should be dark green and growing outwards horizontally. If the leaves are pale green and point upwards, its bolting. like in your pictures. Pull it as soon as you notice this because you can always plant more. 6. Spinach loves mulch. Get some fallen leaves or straw and cover the exposed soil.
Also yes, the plant in the other pic is a weed, not a carrot nor a spinach.
3 Comments
That’s the flower developing sorry to say. Something happened that triggered the plant to flower extremely early. The leaves that continue to grow will likely be really bitter.
Your spinach is bolting, which means that it has decided (based on its enviornment, conditions around the roots, or simply the time of year and nighttime temperatures) that its life will soon be over and it must make seeds to continue the next gen.
When spinach bolts, there is no going back. It will put most of its energy into making flowers and seeds, and will not make any big tasty spinach leaves. It will still grow some leaves, they just wont taste as good and will be a bit more leathery.
Spinach is one of the most challenging vegetables to grow because it bolts so easily. As a beginner growing spinach, youll find that its one of the most finicky plants in the garden.
Here are some things you can do to get a better spinach harvest.
1. Plant in the shoulder seasons. Spinach loves cool nights with mild days. Planting in early spring is always a great bet, planting in late summer is great for a fall harvest.
2. Always direct sow spinach. It is a taproot plant with very fragile roots. When transplanted, it often sustains enough damage to decide to bolt. Direct sow spinach by soaking the night before in plain water, and planting as deep as a nickel on edge. Plant a ton of them in a trench and pull all but the best seedlings, leaving them spaced about 3 or 4 inches from eachother.
3. Spinach for harvesting in the summer needs to be planted in the summer. Do not expect any spring planted spinach to produce well when the days get hot. When theres a huge temperature difference between what the plant experienced as a seedling vs what it lives through as a mature plant, it bolts.
4. It needs a ton of water. More than seems reasonable, especially when the days get hot. Spinach is so thirsty. Let the top 2 inches of soil dry all the way out, then drown the damn thing.
5. The leaves should be dark green and growing outwards horizontally. If the leaves are pale green and point upwards, its bolting. like in your pictures. Pull it as soon as you notice this because you can always plant more.
6. Spinach loves mulch. Get some fallen leaves or straw and cover the exposed soil.
Also yes, the plant in the other pic is a weed, not a carrot nor a spinach.
Baby bolt