Crop type: Spinach
Spinacia oleracea ‘Medania’ AGM
Common name: Spinach ‘Medania’
Crop slug: spinach
This Allotment Pro editorial draft summarises the cited RHS cultivar profile and its linked crop guidance. Check the sources and adjust cultivation decisions for local conditions.RHS cultivar profile
1 - Overview
‘Medania’ is a relatively slow-growing spinach that is also slow to bolt. It produces good yields of rounded, slightly blistered leaves with a medium texture and medium- to dark-green colour. That combination gives it a visibly fuller leaf surface than smooth-leaved cultivars without the extreme puckering of heavily savoyed spinach.
This leafy annual or biennial is harvested in its first year. Its compact clump-forming habit, reliable yield and RHS Award of Garden Merit make it useful for beds and containers where steady cool-season production is preferred to the fastest possible crop.
2 - Size
- Ultimate height
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- Ultimate spread
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- Time to ultimate height
- 1 year
- Habit
- Clump-forming
Give mature rosettes sufficient room for their rounded leaves to expand. Closer sowings can be picked young, but thinning to the parent guide’s final spacing improves airflow and supports larger leaves.
3 - Growing conditions
- Suitable soils
- Chalk, clay, loam or sand
- Moisture
- Moist but well drained
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline or neutral
The profile recommends fertile soil rich in organic matter and a steady moisture supply. Add mature compost before sowing and water deeply in dry weather. Consistent conditions support tender growth and reinforce the cultivar’s slow-bolting tendency.
4 - Position and hardiness
- Light
- Full sun or partial shade
- Aspect
- South-, east- or west-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- Hardiness
- H2 — tolerant of low temperatures but not surviving being frozen
Put winter crops in sun and give summer crops a little shade. Protect autumn sowings during cold spells because H2 plants tolerate chill but not freezing. Shelter also helps prevent the broad leaves from drying or tearing.
5 - Colour and seasonal interest
| Season | Foliage |
|---|---|
| Spring | Medium to dark green |
| Summer | Medium to dark green |
| Autumn | Medium to dark green |
| Winter | Green where protected |
Rounded leaf blades, subtle blistering and medium-to-dark colour are its principal identifying features. It is cultivated for edible foliage rather than showy flowers.
6 - Botanical details
- Family
- Amaranthaceae
- Native to Great Britain and Ireland
- No
- Lifecycle
- Annual or biennial
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Clump-forming
- Name status
- Accepted
- Award
- RHS Award of Garden Merit
Genus
Spinacia comprises annual or biennial herbaceous plants, usually with separate male and female plants, upright stems and ovate or triangular leaves. Edible forms are cultivated as spinach.
7 - How to grow
Cultivation
For summer crops, sow small batches every few weeks from February under biodegradable fleece or cloches until the end of May. Sow winter crops during August and September, protecting them in cold spells. Follow the parent guide for sowing depth, thinning and final spacing.
Keep soil evenly moist and harvest clean outer leaves as they reach useful size. ‘Medania’ grows relatively slowly, so do not judge it against rapid baby-leaf cultivars; its strengths are good yield, substantial leaves and slow bolting.
Propagation
Propagate by seed. Sow directly or in modules, maintain moisture during germination and avoid disturbing roots unnecessarily when transplanting.
Suggested locations
- Allotment or kitchen garden
- Patio container
- Raised bed
- Sheltered edible border
Pruning
No pruning is required. Pick leaves selectively and remove bolting plants after useful leaf production ends.
Pests
Pigeons may damage foliage. Protect young plants with safely secured fine netting and keep it clear of the leaves.
Diseases
Spinach downy mildew may occur. Rotate the crop, avoid crowding, water near soil level and remove severely affected plants.