Move over, Popeye. The word is out about spinach.

The true “muscle” of spinach is in the nourishment it provides, so much so that it is being touted by some as one of the top 10 foods. This green leafy vegetable is packed with plenty of nutrition to keep the body healthy.

Spinach is full of vitamins and other nutrients that help the cardiovascular system, the production of red blood cells and eyesight. Some experts believe it also can reduce the risk of some cancers.

Besides iron, spinach contains vitamins A and C, antioxidants that keep your cardiovascular system healthy, reducing your risk for strokes and heart attacks. It contains lutein and zeaxanthin. These two carotenoids help your eyes stay healthy as you age by preventing macular degeneration and the formation of cataracts.

Thiamin, potassium and folic acid are present in spinach, too. Folic acid is essential for the production of red blood cells and normal growth. It may reduce the risk of certain cancers, and it is particularly important for pregnant women.

All of that can be found in a decorative vegetable that tastes great whether eaten raw in salads or cooked in dishes. It is particularly tasty and has the highest nutrient value when you harvest it straight from your own garden.

Spinach is a cool weather crop. Heat and long days cause plants to bolt, that is, to produce flowering stems and seeds and a loss of flavor. The cooler, shorter days of spring and fall are the best times to grow spinach.

The National Garden Bureau recommends starting seeds for a fall harvest in early August. Plan to sow spinach seeds so you can harvest your crop in 30 -45 days. Start seeds indoors about three weeks before transplanting outdoors. Use flats or individual peat pots.

Fill the containers with germinating mix. Water the mixture and let it drain. Create one or two rows in the flats by making slight depressions with a ruler or your finger. Sow the seeds evenly about an inch apart and cover them with 1/2-inch of the mix. When planting in pots, place two or three seeds in a shallow center hole and cover with the mix.

Spinach seeds should be planted in early August. The crop will be ready to harvest in 30-45 days.

Settle the seeds by watering with a mister. Keep the mix moist while the seeds germinate by enclosing the containers in a plastic bag, sealed with a twist tie. Seedlings should emerge in seven to 10 days. Then, remove the plastic bag and move the containers to a windowsill in direct sun or in a fluorescent light garden. Thin the seedlings when they reach 2 inches, leaving one plant per pot.

When the seedlings are ready to transplant outdoors, select a day that is calm and overcast. Set them in the ground 6-8 inches apart at the same depth they were growing in the flat. Don’t remove seedlings grown in peat pots. Peat pots are biodegradable and can be planted right into the soil. Just make sure the top rim of the peat pot is covered to avoid drying out the container.

Spinach is a heavy feeder and needs lots of nitrogen while it grows. Fish emulsion and cottonseed meal provide organic, readily usable sources of nitrogen for plants. Spinach grows on shallow roots, so don’t dig vigorously around it. Cultivate gently to remove weeds that compete for water and nutrients. Water frequently to keep up with the fast growth of the plants.

The National Garden Bureau suggests Avon, Indian Summer, Melody, Razzle Dazzle and Tyee as good varieties for fall crops.

Spinach has been a diet stable for centuries. It originated in Asia so long ago that its exact location is not known. Spinach was introduced into Europe in the 15th century. Americans, such as Thomas Jefferson, grew it as far back as the 19th century. And although he didn’t know the half of it, Popeye was definitely on to something by eating all that spinach.

When the seedlings are ready to transplant outdoors, set them in the ground six to eight inches apart.