Here are the top Secrets to Grow Sweetest & Less Bitter Spinach in the garden! Keep on reading to enjoy the most flavorful harvest!
With our Secrets to Grow Sweetest & Less Bitter Spinach you can be sure to grow the most tender and flavorful crop in your yard or limited space garden!
Learn Growing Spinach in Containers and Care here
Secrets to Grow Sweetest & Less Bitter Spinach
1. Choose the Right Variety
Although spinach is a nutritious leafy green, it contains oxalic acid that can leave a bitter taste in your mouth. However, there are some varieties that contain less of it: try growing Baby Bloomsdale, Viroflay, Bloomsdale Long Standing, Tyee, Red Cardinal, Medania, Corvair, Olympia, and Melody Spinach for reduced bitterness.
Check out 28 Best Types of Spinach to Grow in Pots here
2. Choosing the Right Type
For the sweetest-tasting spinach, always go for the smooth-leaf type. This is characterized by its smooth, deep green leaves. It is also known as flat-leaf or baby spinach.
To ensure that you don’t end up growing bitter-tasting spinach, avoid growing savory spinach. It is popular for its uses in cooking and offers a more intense flavor with a slightly crunchy texture.
3. Plant in the Right Location
Follow this simple rule for growing sweet spinach leaves–do not expose it to full-day sunlight, as it results in longer and bigger leaves, which eventually makes them bitter.
The best is to keep the spinach at a spot where it gets partial sunlight for 5-6 hours and then gets shade for the rest of the day.
4. Avoid Excessive Nitrogen Rich Fertlizer
Be mindful that excess nitrogen can result in bitter-tasting spinach as it will promote lush foliage growth, which will result in bigger and bitter leaves.
It is a good idea to feed the plant with a diluted fertlizer or a blend with less nitrogen less frequently. This will keep the leaves tender, limit their length, and make the plant bushier.
5. Do Not Overwater
Excess water can cause bitterness in spinach leaves. This is because when the soil is too wet, the roots are unable to absorb the nutrients needed for healthy growth.
This results in the accumulation of certain compounds in the leaves, giving them a bitter taste. To avoid this, always water spinach plants when the topsoil is slightly dry and avoid over-watering.
6. Harvest Young and Tender Leaves
While harvesting the plant, follow the simple rule of cutting the leaves when they are about 2-3 inches long. At this length, they are most tender, which makes them sweet and soft.
If you will let the leaves grow, they will become longer, harder, and bitter, which will ruin the taste and the savory experience.
7. Harvest Before Bolting
You must harvest spinach before bolting because it is when the plant starts to flower and goes to seed. Flowering means the end of the growing cycle for spinach, and it will become bitter and inedible.
Harvesting spinach before bolting will ensure that you get the most flavor and nutrition from the plant.
Cooking Tip for Sweet Tasting Spinach
To bring out the sweet flavor of your spinach, sauté it in a bit of olive oil and garlic over medium heat for about 5 minutes. You can also add a bit of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for added flavor and sweetness.
Alternatively, you can mix the spinach with crushed garlic or grated ginger root for added flavor.
Blanching spinach is also one more way to reduce bitterness. Check out the 3 best ways to do this at wikiHow!
