蜜桃恋人

How to Grow Spinach Plants: The Complete Guide

Photo Credit
samotrebizan/Getty Images
Botanical Name
Spinacia oleracea
Plant Type
Vegetable
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Soil pH
Neutral

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Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Spinach

Catherine Boeckmann

Spinach, a super鈥揷old-hardy leafy green, is a popular crop that thrives in fall and even winter in some areas. It can also be planted in very early spring. Learn more about planting, growing, and harvesting nutritious spinach in your home garden.

About Spinach

Spinach has similar cool-season growing conditions and requirements as lettuce, but it is more versatile in both its nutrition and its ability to be eaten raw or cooked. It is higher in iron, calcium, and vitamins than most cultivated greens and is one of the best sources of vitamins A, B, and C.

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Planting

Spinach tolerates full sun to light shade; prepare soil about a week before planting by mixing in compost. Alternatively, prepare the soil in late summer or early fall, when spinach can also be sown where winters are mild.

When to Plant Spinach

  • Spinach requires 6 weeks of cool weather from seeding to harvest; this generally spring or fall, though many gardeners have better luck in the fall.
  • Although seeds can be started indoors, it is not recommended, as seedlings are difficult to transplant.
  • In the fall, sow seeds when the soil is 70掳F or cooler. See our fall planting calendar.
  • Many gardeners can grow spinach throughout the winter if they protect the young plants with a cold frame or thick mulch, then remove the protection when soil temperature in your area reaches 40潞F in spring. Remove the mulch to harvest some spinach, then replace the mulch.
  • If planting in the early spring, sow seeds as soon as the ground warms to 40掳F. (Cover the soil with black plastic to speed its warming.)
  • To distract leaf miners, sow spinach seeds and radish seeds in alternate rows. Leaf miner damage to radish tops does not affect their root growth.
  • Common spinach cannot grow in midsummer as it’s not cool enough. (For a summer harvest, try New Zealand Spinach or Malabar Spinach, two similar leafy greens that are more heat tolerant.)

How to Plant Spinach

  • Sow seeds 1/2 of an inch deep every 2 inches and cover with 1/2 inch of soil.
  • Plant in rows 12 to 18 inches apart or sprinkle over a wide row or bed.
  • Sow every couple of weeks during early spring for a continuous harvest.

Growing

  • Water spinach to keep soil constantly moist.
  • Use row covers to maintain cool soil and deter pests.
  • When seedlings sprout to about 2 inches, thin them to 3-4 inches apart. You can eat the thinnings.
  • Beyond thinning, no cultivation is necessary. Roots are shallow and easily damaged.
  • Water regularly and mulch to retain moisture.
  • When plants reach one-third of their growth, side-dress with a high-nitrogen fertilizer, as needed. Nutrient deficiencies may appear as yellow or pale leaves, stunted or distorted growth, a purpling or bronzing of leaves, leaves dropping early, or other symptoms.
  • In early spring and late fall: Spinach can tolerate the cold; it can survive a frost and temps down to 15潞F (-9掳C). (See local frost dates) Young spinach is more tender; cover if cold temps are in the forecast.

Types

There are four main types of spinach suited for spring and fall plantings.

  • Baby-leaf style spinach is tender, with small-size leaves. The variety 鈥楤aby’s Leaf鈥 is good for containers; 鈥楥atalina鈥 is heat-tolerant and resistant to downy mildew.
  • Savoy spinach has curly, crinkled, dark-green leaves, e.g. 鈥楤loomsdale.鈥 The 鈥榃inter Bloomsdale鈥 variety is a crinkled-leaf, fall variety, tolerant to mosaic viruses.
  • Semi-Savoy has slightly crinkled leaves and can be difficult to seed. 鈥楳elody鈥 is resistant to cucumber mosaic virus and downy mildew; mildew-resistant 鈥楻emington鈥 will grow in spring, summer, or fall; 鈥楾yee鈥 can be planted in spring or fall, and is resistant to downy mildew.
  • Smooth- or flat-leaf (also called plain leaf) varieties have spade-shape leaves. 鈥楪iant Nobel鈥 is a plain leaf variety and an heirloom that is slow to bolt; 鈥楴ordic IV鈥 is bolt-resistant.
  • Malabar Spinach (Basella alba), a vine, and New Zealand Spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides), a perennial, are two heat-tolerant leafy greens that resemble common spinach; both are heat-tolerant. Grow them in the summer, when common spinach can’t take the heat.

Harvesting

  • Harvest a few outer leaves from each plant (so that inner leaves can develop) when leaves reach the desired size, or harvest the entire plant, cutting the stem at the base.
  • Don鈥檛 wait too long to harvest or wait for larger leaves. Bitterness will set in quickly after maturity. Be aware of day length and heat: Increasing daylight (about 14 hours or longer) and warmer seasonal temperatures can cause spinach to bolt (develop a large stalk with narrower leaves and buds/flowers/seeds), which makes the leaf taste bitter. 
  • If spinach starts to bolt, pull the plant and use the leaves. Or try to slow the bolting: Pinch off the flower/seed heads, keep the soil moist, and provide shade.
Spinach. Photo by Deyan Georgiev/Shutterstock
Harvesting spinach. 
Photo by Deyan Georgiev/Shutterstock.

How to Store Spinach

Fresh spinach leaves are good for up to a week. Too much moisture hastens its demise. So store fresh spinach unwashed and don鈥檛 wash until ready to use. Pat dry with a paper towel and put in a freezer bag with the towel to absorb moisture.

Given its short shelf life, spinach is perfect for freezing. Wash, trim off ends and yellowing leaves, blanch, and pack into freezer bags. See how to freeze spinach.

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Wit and Wisdom

  • Phenology, the study of signs, suggests planting spinach when crocuses are blooming.
  • Similarly, in areas where lilacs grow, old-time farmers say to plant spinach when lilacs are in first leaf.
  • Scatter spinach or lettuce seeds around emerging bulb foliage to make wise use of your garden space, and have a leafy green crop at the ready to cover the bare spots left by deadheaded spring flowers.

Pests/Diseases

Spinach Pests and Diseases
Pest/DiseaseTypeSymptomsControl/Prevention
AphidsInsectMisshapen/yellow leaves; sticky 鈥渉oneydew鈥 (excrement); sooty, black moldGrow companion plants; knock off with water spray; apply insecticidal soap; put banana or orange peels around plants; wipe leaves with a 1 to 2 percent solution of dish soap (no additives) and water every 2 to 3 days for 2 weeks; add native plants to invite beneficial insects
Downy mildewFungusYellow, angular spots on upper leaf surfaces that turn brown; white/purple/gray cottony growth on leaf undersides only; distorted leaves; defoliationRemove plant debris; choose resistant varieties; ensure good air circulation; avoid overhead watering
Leaf minersInsectMeandering blisters in leaves caused by tunneling larvaeRemove infested leaves, weed diligently; use row covers; till soil early in season; rotate crops
Leaf spot (Cercospora)FungusMany small brown spots with red-purple halos on leaves that enlarge and turn gray; centers of spots eventually fall out, leaving the halosDestroy infected plants; weed; avoid overhead watering; ensure good air circulation; rotate crops
Spinach blight (mosaic virus)VirusVaries with plant, but may include stunting, mottled green/yellow/white pattern or ringed spots on leaves; distorted leaf growthDestroy infected plants; choose resistant varieties and certified virus-free seed; use row covers; disinfect tools; weed; control aphids; use mulch
White rustFungusChalk-white blisters mainly on leaf undersides; small, yellow-green spots or blisters, sometimes in circular arrangement, on upper leaf surfaces; possible distortion or galls; stems may also be infectedDestroy infected plants; choose resistant varieties; weed; destroy crop residue; rotate crops

Recipes

Pasta Salad With Spinach and Artichokes
Spinach-Stuffed Tomatoes
Chicken Spinach Salad with Oranges, Dates, and Goat Cheese
Spinach Lasagna
Spinach and Cheese鈥揝tuffed Chicken Breasts

Cooking Notes

  • A pinch of baking soda in the cooking water keeps the spinach greener.
  • Refresh wilted spinach by placing it in a bowl of ice water for a few minutes before using it.
  • Spinach boosts your brainpower, but it can hinder iron absorption. For better absorption of iron, eat spinach with orange slices.
  • Raw, young spinach is best in salads and smoothies; more mature spinach is excellent saut茅ed in heated olive oil.
  • Embrace your leafy greens! Learn more about the health benefits of going green!
Vegetables
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it鈥檚 not surprising that she and The Old Farmer鈥檚 蜜桃恋人 found each other. She leads digital content for the 蜜桃恋人 website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
 

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Comments

Christen (not verified)

8 years 7 months ago

I'm trying to get the most use out of my garden space. I live in zone 7-8. I planted the spinach and kale on March 12. Once it matures, how long will I be harvesting the plants? I want to grow okra there. Thank you. I'm still learning.

Spinach likes cook conditions; too hot for too long and it will bolt. But even in the best conditions, it won’t produce leaves endlessly. The harvest season, and the best conditions, also depend on the variety. Ballpark estimate of harvest season in ideal conditions: six to eight weeks. You might find more help below鈥攖here is lots of information there, including, maybe, the variety you are growing.

Kale starts best in cooler conditions, and it might appear to slow down in heat. Here, too, the harvest season, and the best conditions, also depend on the variety. You might find more help here; be sure to read the questions and answers at the bottom of the page, too鈥攖here is lots of information there, including, maybe, the variety you are growing: http://www.almanac.com/plant/kale

Gary Shepard (not verified)

8 years 8 months ago

used to get a spinach from Gurneys, I believe it was "australian or new zealand ....like a bush spinach , grew almost 3' tall and could pick all summer... can't find it anywhere ...any ideas? THANKS

You can find New Zealand spinach (not a true spinach) offered by various mail-order companies, such as Burpee, Victory Seeds, etc. Search the Web for 鈥淣ew Zealand spinach鈥 and it should turn up a few options for companies.

winnerhed (not verified)

9 years 5 months ago

Tips for freezing my spinach? I harvested quite a bunch that i'd like to freeze for future--thanks!

There are many methods for prepping spinach for the freezer, but we prefer to steam it. Thoroughly wash the spinach and then dry completely. Trim the stems, chop leaves if desired, then steam in batches for 2 minutes each bunch. Place the leaves in ice water for about 1 minute after steaming. Thoroughly dry (a salad spinner is good for this part) and then measure and put into freezer bags, labeling each bag with the amount of spinach.

clantoncs (not verified)

9 years 10 months ago

I live in NW Arkansas, and it's the middle of January. I'm looking to plant some spinach and other salad greens soon for early spring harvest.

1) In my area, is it feasible to start planting spinach and other salad greens this early?

2) If so, what other salad greens might be a good choice for such early planting?

(Thank you 蜜桃恋人 Staff for such thorough responses on all these comments! I'm really impressed and have learned so much already from this comment thread!)

Hi! I live in Arkansas around the Clinton area. You can also plant spinach in hanging baskets or window planters if you want to save space in your garden for other veggies :). This is our first year to plant a garden (fingers crossed!) . The guy we bought plants from (who sells to every successful gardener I know) suggested to soak 1/8 teaspoon seeds in 1teaspoon sugar for 1 minute. Then sprinkle the sugar mix in the baskets and gently brush hands over dirt. Once seeds sprout good, thin to 10-12 plants in your 10-12" basket. Also for our area in NWA, when the hickory tree buds swell, plant your cabbage, squash (plant 1 dill next to squash), broccoli, oh I'm forgetting a few others. Once a squirrel can hide in the
hickory tree foliage, plant your climbing veggies: cucumber, tomato, pole beans, etc & seeds to other veggies (that's all we can fit in 1 of our first small garden beds). If it's worked for decades for this guys family I'm going to try it! Thought I'd share :). I'm excited to see what our harvest will be like!

Glad to hear that the info here is helpful.
Hope this is too: Your geography is not as important as your soil temperature. So, January or February, early-spring harvest spinach seeds shouldn't get planted until the ground is thawed and will be 40掳F or warmer (but not over 70掳; see above).
As for other options, most leaf greens seed packages suggest that planting is possible "when the soil can be worked" but even then you need minimum temps. Browse the seed packet displays, choose a few that appeal, and follow the instructions. (Not sure if we have guidance on every single one but you can check.) It's important that the ground not refreeze one the seeds are sown. All of this also presumes that you have ideal soil conditions and sun, of course.
Nothing stirs interest in salad greens quite like the longer days of midwinter. Good luck!

Amanda In SoFLa (not verified)

10 years 4 months ago

Spinach and lettuce in shade?
I'm looking to utilize my empty wall by my front door. 6'x9'. I wanted to go vertical and plant rows of lettuce and spinach in this area. I live in south florida. It's hot and humid most of the year. Can I achieve success with these two plants? It is there another veggie fruit or spice to plant in this area. It's west facing with minimal direct sun. I am just getting into gardening and really love it. Thank you for your help.