Spinach is a very loose term around here. Anything green that can be tossed into soups, stir-fries, stews, curries, quiches gets called a spinach green (even though it is sometimes purple). I love the idea of taking a leaf from this and leaf from that. This way of harvesting...
is easier on each of the plants
sources a much wider range of nutrition for your meal because each plant accumulates different minerals micronutrients from the soil
encourages a perennialisation of the garden
makes use of hardy plants
means there is something always available
These are some of the things I toss into my basket as a 'spinach' mix:
silverbeet
rainbow chard
four types of kale
four types of mustard greens
pea shoots
fava greens
cranberry hibiscus
Surinam spinach
Brazilian spinach
pumpkin leaves
sweet potato leaves
taro leaves
cassava leaves (boiled first separately)
comfrey
borage
amaranth
landcress
sorrel
kang kong
okinawan spinach
mushroom plant
broccoli leaves
celery leaves
beetroot leaves
chickweed
purslane
dandelion
lamb's quarters
dock
nettle
wood sorrel
lush young cobbler's pegs
nasturtium leaf
young turmeric leaves
young QLD arrowroot leaves
young pomegranate leaves
young fig leaves
young choko leaves
yarrow leaves
welsh onion leaves
You get the picture. This is just the beginning really. There are so many edible greens everywhere. There's no point struggling to grow one or two types when such abundance is possible easily in a polycultural resilient garden.
Make every day is different and delightful by expanding the repertoire of greens. Become a forager.
What greens do you favour and appreciate in your garden?
Happy gardening. Feel free to share this post.
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