I'm trying to decide what to order from this company. They have a tomato that I want/need. Many greens but only this one escarole. That's the type I'm familiar/happy with ...

https://www.restorationseeds.com/products/natacha-escarole

No experience with this company. I think that they are fairly new. There are likely to be other stir-fry greens since they have lots of choices.

Steve

Mmmm. Spinach is good especially as a salad green. However ...

Usually, we have a cool, cloudy spring. On average, our hottest month is July. So, we go from cool to hot and dry. Spinach bolts after a short season. I can't seem to remember to try it as an overwintered crop, now that I have learned that is possible.

Instead of remembering to sow spinach seed in the fall, I allow its cousin, orach, to self-sow and show up as volunteers.

And! It's not just because I'm forgetful and lazy. No, see how I have transplanted an orach volunteer with the lettuce starts together in the potato bed? A little companion and succession cropping there. And. I like the texture and flavor of orach better than spinach.

Steve

I always plant spinach in September. I've done various varieties and they always overwinter without any protection. Lots to harvest in April and May and then will bolt a week or two before the solstice.

I like lettuce and spinach, but I don't like the bolting. So I plant Swiss chard, as well.

Amaranth is in the family of orach, spinach, beets, and chard. That's quite a diverse group.

A red leaf amaranth this year will be the 3rd edible amaranth that I have tried. The others were delicious, especially as summer salad greens but I'd like a little larger plant ... although, maybe not as big as Prince's Plume in the ornamental beds.

Those and their relative celosia do well as flowers.

All the edible amaranths have been from Kitazawa Seed. And yes, I suspect that I can eat the Prince's Plume and celosia.

Steve