Trombone F1 is one of our hidden gems, partly because it has the misfortune to start with the letter ‘T’! By the time you've browsed through all the spinach varieties above it, you might never get this far. This is a gorgeous, smooth-leaved, succulent choice, best sown in spring or autumn, or spring and autumn! Lovely picked young as a baby leaf, a little larger as a ‘teen’, or allowed to mature. The leaves retain that lovely smooth texture as they grow but develop a stronger flavour, making the mature leaves perfect for cooking. Remember to pick plenty because spinach does a remarkable shrinking trick in the pan!
Sow: from March to May and again in September and October. Sow 10–25mm deep in pots or modules for transplanting, or sow in situ. The earliest and latest sowings may need protection.
Grow: space plants around 15–30cm apart, depending on how large you want them to grow. Pick once the leaves reach the size you prefer; we normally start around 6 weeks after planting out. Pick individual leaves carefully as the stems and roots are easily damaged, or pull up the whole plant and replace it with a later transplant.
Eat & Enjoy: small leaves are lovely raw in salads, while ‘teen’ and mature leaves can be lightly cooked or steamed. For something different, try wilted Trombone with pancetta and a splash of balsamic vinegar, add it to a warm fennel dish, or combine with walnuts and a little mustard for a spinach salad with plenty of flavour.
And remember that shrinking trick. What looks like far too much spinach going into the pan very rarely is!
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