Slowing down spinach bolting

[Ruderunner]

It's only been in the ground for 3 weeks and I'm starting to see the beginning of flowers. Can I treat it like basil and cut the flowers off?

Seems especially early this year and odd since we haven't had much hot weather yet. Often we make it till end of June or early July.

I'll be doing a second planting for fall to see if we get better results.

 

[Meadowlark]

Long days and temps > 75 deg F it will bolt. I can't grow regular spinach here until fall...except for Malabar spinach which doesn't bolt in long days and heat. Not a true spinach but good substitute.

 

[Ruderunner]

We did New Zealand spinach years ago, had decent results with that.