Spinach Bolting

We had a few warm days in early April, so I planted spinach. It has been pretty dry, so they grew slowly. But I figured that because I planted them so early I’d at least be able to harvest enough for a salad or something. But then about 2 weeks ago they started bolting.

The first to go to seed were actually the most immature plants. As you can see in picture 1, 2, and 3, they still have their seed leaves! I’m very disappointed. This must be how parents of teens who get knocked up feel. My babies are having babies!

The last picture is of a more mature plant. The bigger plants didn’t go to seed until like a week after the little ones started. So I looked at them in the garden and I said to myself, “I’ll go to the store first and buy some spinach to subsidize what I have in the garden, so there will be enough to actually cook something. Then I’ll pick the spinach that hasn’t yet bolted tomorrow.” And guess what, when tomorrow came, everything had bolted.

I don’t know how farmers manage to do it. Sew the seeds as soon as the ground thaws? I think I’m gonna give up on growing spinach. Frozen spinach is like what, a dollar? Or just not eat spinach at all. I don’t really like spinach, to me it feels kind of gritty on my teeth. Swiss chard FTW!