Crop type: Spinach
Spinacia oleracea ‘Missouri’ AGM
Common name: Spinach ‘Missouri’
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
‘Missouri’ is a fast-growing leafy spinach harvested in its first year as either baby or mature leaves. It is suitable for quick container crops and is slow to bolt, a useful combination for gardeners seeking a rapid harvest with some resilience against premature flowering.
This annual or biennial forms a compact clump and carries the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Sow successively to keep young leaves coming, or thin plants to the parent guide’s final spacing for larger mature foliage.
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
Its modest dimensions make it well suited to pots and raised beds. In dense baby-leaf sowings, harvest promptly before crowding limits airflow; for mature leaves, allow each rosette room to expand.
3 - Growing conditions
- Suitable soils
- Chalk, clay, loam or sand
- Moisture
- Moist but well drained
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline or neutral
Use fertile soil enriched with organic matter and maintain a steady moisture supply. Containers need especially regular checks because their compost dries quickly. Water thoroughly without leaving roots saturated.
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
Winter crops need sun, while summer plants benefit from some shade. ‘Missouri’s’ slow-bolting nature is still best supported by cool roots and even moisture. Protect it from hard frost and give containers a sheltered position.
5 - Colour and seasonal interest
| Season | Foliage |
|---|---|
| Spring | Green baby and mature leaves |
| Summer | Green |
| Autumn | Green |
| Winter | Green where protected |
It is a practical edible rather than a flowering ornamental. Its useful presentation is a compact mass of fresh green leaves at mixed baby and mature stages.
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 includes annual or biennial herbs, usually with separate male and female plants, upright stems and smooth ovate or triangular leaves. Edible species are cultivated as spinach.
7 - How to grow
Cultivation
Sow from February under biodegradable fleece or cloches through to the end of May, using the parent guide’s depth and spacing. Make small repeat sowings for baby leaves, or thin plants for mature harvests. The profile specifically supports quick container cropping.
Maintain steady moisture and harvest regularly. Summer crops benefit from light shade, which works with the cultivar’s slow-bolting character to prolong leaf production. Remove any developing flower stems once leaf quality declines.
Propagation
Propagate by seed. Sow directly or into modules, keep the seedbed moist and avoid allowing young plants to become root-bound.
Suggested locations
- Patio container
- Allotment or kitchen garden
- Raised bed
- Sheltered edible border
Pruning
No pruning is required. Cut baby leaves cleanly or take mature outer leaves while leaving the centre intact.
Pests
The profile describes the cultivar as generally pest-free, although slugs and pigeons may cause damage. Protect seedlings and inspect containers and bed edges regularly.
Diseases
Spinach downy mildew may occur. Keep foliage uncrowded, water near soil level and remove severely affected material.