'Cause I Eats Me Spinach! -Popeye
Have you ever considered gardening, but were too intimidated? Afraid that you will kill everything? It is easier than it seems to grow healthy, fresh food and you don’t even need a lot of space.
Springtime is the best time to start planning what you would like to grow and where. If this is your first garden, aim for plants that are easy to grow and easy to take care of. Spinach is a plant I would recommend for first time gardeners. Growing a sure-fire crop like spinach this year will give you the confidence to try other crops in the future years!
Spinach
Spinach is not only one of the first seeds to be planted in spring, but also very nutritious. It shares a similar cool weather growing season and requirement with lettuce but offers more versatility as it can be eaten raw, cooked, or frozen for future use. Spinach is packed with iron, folic acid, and vitamins A, K and C, making it a nutritional powerhouse. Spinach also contains chlorophyll, a pigment found in green plants that is essential for photosynthesis to take place while the plant is growing. When consumed, some research shows that chlorophyll may provide assistance in wound healing and may aid in the treatment of iron deficient anemia as well!
Temperatures over 70 degrees can cause your spinach plants to bolt and become bitter. Plant spinach early to allow it to mature in cool weather for a least six weeks. It can be grown in the ground or in containers, making it perfect for first-time gardeners.
To grow, directly plant seeds outside about a ½” down and keep the soil well-watered and fertilized to prevent yellowing leaves due to nitrogen deficiency. Harvest young leaves that are about 3” in size for best taste, and harvest just the outer leaves for continuous harvesting or cut the entire plant at the base. Don’t wait any longer, it’s time to plant this superfood!
Green Goddess Smoothie
Makes 1 Smoothie
Ingredients
1 Cup Soy Milk, Unsweetened
1/2 Medium Banana
1 Cup Spinach - Fresh or Frozen
1/4 Cup Walnuts
Directions
Blend all ingredients together and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts - 322 calories, 20 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 26 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 14 grams sugar, 0 grams added sugar, 12 grams protein.
This smoothie is an excellent source of fiber, vitamin A, calcium, vitamin C and magnesium. It is also a good source of iron; providing 2.76 mg, or ~15% daily value per smoothie.