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Viroflay (Monstrueux de Viroflay) Spinach

Viroflay (Monstrueux de Viroflay) Spinach

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Viroflay
Spinacia oleracea

50 days — The leaves of 'Viroflay' are large, dark-green, smooth, crisp, and can reach about ten inches in length. The plants can reach up to two feet in diameter so it is important not to neglect thinning your seedlings.

An old French variety whose parentage and date of introduction are unknown, we do know that 'Viroflay' dates back to at least the mid-nineteenth century. It is thought to have been introduced into the American seed trade in about 1866.[1] According to the USDA, 'Viroflay' spinach has also been marketed over the years by various seed suppliers using the following synonyms:

'Monstrueux de Viroflay,' 'Early Thick Leaved', 'Flanders Broad Leaved', 'Improved Monstrous Viroflay', 'Improved Thick Leaved', 'Improved Thick Leaved Viroflay', 'Large Leaved Viroflay', 'Thick Leaf', 'Large Round Thick Leaf Viroflay', 'Large Round Leaved Viroflay', 'Monstrous', 'Monstrous Viroflay', 'Round Viroflay', and 'Tempo'.

Each packet contains four grams, which is approximately 300 seeds.
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Planting Instructions: Spinach and other greens thrive in cool spring and fall weather (50° F to 60° F). A few greens can handle summer heat, but most of them prefer the cooler temperatures of spring and fall. Most lettuce and greens can withstand occasional exposure to light frost but if very cold weather is coming, protect your plants with a frost cover.

Sowing: Prepare the seedbed outdoors using a hard tined rake, smoothening out the soil. Lightly sow and just barely cover the seeds with soil. Keep soil moist until germination is achieved. You can also start seeds indoors by sowing into seed starting trays using fresh new seed starting potting mix into clean seed starting trays. Just barely cover the seeds and keep well watered until they sprout. Harden off and transplant into the garden after about 3 weeks. Informational References:
  1. "Descriptions of Types of Principal American Varieties of Spinach," USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 316, October, 1938.
  2. "The Vegetable Garden," by M. M. Vilmorin-Andrieux, 1885.
  3. "Catalogue General de Graines," Vilmorin-Andrieux & Cie., 1886.