There are a few plants I like to always have on hand in my vege garden. I plant them regularly to ensure I'm never caught short. Lettuce is one. Rocket is another. And one other I can't do without is spinach. We add it to salads, quiches, pies, and lasagnes - just about everything.

Grab some Awapuni Nurseries spinach seedlings from your local supermarket, the Warehouse or Bunnings. Alternatively, head to our online store and get the seedlings delivered to your door.

Like to select your own seedlings for quality? We guarantee you'll be happy with the seedlings we send you. And, if for any reason you're not, we'll replace them - no questions asked.

Once you've got your seedlings you need to find a spot to plant them. Spinach likes full sun to partial shade, and soil that is moist and with a ph around 6-7 (similar to conditions you've been growing tomatoes in) - if it's too low add lime.

Before you start gardening it pays to mix into the soil some compost or a good general fertiliser like nitrophoska blue. Then simply plant your seedlings around 20cm apart from each other. If you want, you can plant the spinach seedlings in between your brassicas (cauliflower, broccoli etc). The idea is that as you harvest your spinach the brassicas, which take a little longer to grow, start to fill up the space the spinach was in.

Spinach is also pretty tasty to slugs and snails so keep an eye out for these slimy pests or try our foolproof beer bait.

Lastly, remember to stagger your planting (plant more every couple of weeks) if you want a constant supply of spinach. Once it's ready to harvest, simply pick the leaves off it. The younger, outer leaves will have a slightly gentler flavour compared to the more mature inner leaves, so try experimenting with the taste. Pick the leaves often, even if you're not eating them. This will ensure the plant doesn't become overgrown with leaves and inhibit its growth.