Did you know that when you harvest spinach, it will grow back for continuous harvests? Just by picking the right leaves at the right time, the plants will keep sending up new foliage for more spinach-artichoke grilled cheeses and green smoothies in just a few days. Here are a few key pointers to make your crop last:

• When spinach plants have multiple leaves and are 4-6" tall, they can be picked.
  
• Harvest spinach leaves in the morning or evening to avoid the hottest part of the day. The heat will stress the plants and your freshly cut leaves will be wilted.
  
• Take the outer/oldest leaves of each plant working around the center. Harvest about 1/3 of each plant.
  
• Water, wait, repeat. Spinach leaves will regrow in just a matter of days. 
• If new leaves look narrow, pointy, and a thick center stem with flower buds comes up, the spinach is starting to "bolt". When this happens, the leaves will be bitter because the plants are putting more energy (sugars) into flowers and seeds. At this point, it is time to pull out your spinach plants. Plant your new round or "succession" of spinach, but use a different area of your garden for good rotation practices.  
  

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