Luscious

Spinach is especially prone to downy mildew (often appearing as pale yellow patches on top with gray-purple growth on the underside). Remove and destroy infected leaves immediately, improve airflow by thinning plants, and avoid overhead watering so foliage stays dry; if needed, use a labeled copper-based fungicide and follow the product directions closely. Keep an eye on cool, humid weather spells because downy mildew escalates quickly then.

Harvest when leaves are fully sized for your preferred cut stage: baby leaves can be taken once they’re about 2–3 inches long, and full-size heads of leaves should be thick and dark green. You can start picking around 35–40 days after sowing, taking outer leaves first to encourage continued growth. If the center plants “bolt” (rapidly shoots upward with a flowering stem), harvest immediately for best eating quality.