Spinach

[bleeding green]

I have some over grown (baby) spinach in the garden which we were using for salads. It has now become very stalky with not much leaf and has seed heads. Does anyone know if it still has nutrional benefit? I've been pulling one out each day and giving what ever leaf is left to birds and throwing the rest out. What about the seeds, are they OK to feed to the birds? (I have RFPF, Gouldians, gold finches and canaries in the small bird variety).

[AMCA26]

Mine have finally gone the same but still feed the birds with it. Havnt had any troubles. I should keep some seeds as well.

[bleeding green]

My birds have been eating, especially the seed heads. I'm just hoping it doesn't become toxic at this late stage of development, or that it has no nutritional benefit whatsoever.

[gomer]

Can you blanch and freeze Spinach or silverbeet ?

[bleeding green]

Spinach can be blached and frozen, but the leaves need to be as frsh as possible to begin with other they taste ordinary. I'd say the birds would stay away from them.

[Darren_T]

Hi all, I tried feeding spinach to my finches , But they aren't that sure of it.
But my budgies go crazy over it they love it , I've been feeding the spinach
for over a year now and they are fine with it.

[Fincho162]

Do you mean Spinach as in the small leafed one you need an entire plant for a feed off or Silverbeet??

If the former I'd steer away from the leaves as it is very high in oxalic acid which can affect calcium uptake..........many say the same for Silverbeet but we've used it for decades without hassles - in moderation. Know of many parrot jocks that wont go near silverbeet leaves for their parrots for that reason.
With a good balanced diet there should be no probs.

Seed heads of silverbeet when they are starting to brown off (when seeds are formed) they love...........hard to keep the wild goldies and greenies away from it here!!