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How to Grow Spinach: Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Guide

spinach plant with leafy greens growing in the garden
Image Credit:
samotrebizan/Getty Images
Sponsored Article:
Cummins
Botanical Name
Spinacia oleracea
Grown as
Annual
Toxicity
Toxic to Dogs and Cats
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Water Needs
High
Height
Under 1 foot
Spread
Under 1 foot
Soil pH
Neutral
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Low Maintenance
Resilience
Cold Hardy
Salt Tolerant
Plant Type
Vegetables
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Ready to grow your own Popeye-approved greens? Spinach is one of the most rewarding cool-season crops you can grow—nutrient-packed, fast-growing, and surprisingly cold-hardy. 

In this complete guide, we’ll walk you through everything from planting to harvesting, plus we’ll share some tips to keep your leafy bounty coming all season long. Let’s get growing!

Spinach has cool-season growing conditions and requirements similar to those of 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.

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 is 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°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 the soil temperature in your area reaches 40ºF 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°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 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 15ºF (-9°C). (See local frost dates.) Young spinach is more tender; cover if cold temps are in the forecast.

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’t 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 plants growing in dirt
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 their demise, so store fresh spinach unwashed and don’t 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.

Pests and Problems

Spinach Pests and Diseases
Pest/DiseaseTypeSymptomsControl/Prevention
AphidsInsectMisshapen/yellow leaves; sticky “honeydew” (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

Types

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

  • Baby-leaf-style spinach is tender, with small leaves. The variety ‘Baby’s Leaf’ is good for containers; ‘Catalina’ is heat-tolerant and resistant to downy mildew.
  • Malabar spinach (Basella alba), a vine, and New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides), a perennial, are two leafy greens that resemble common spinach; both are heat-tolerant. Grow them in the summer when common spinach can’t take the heat.
  • Savoy spinach has curly, crinkled, dark-green leaves—an example is the variety ‘Bloomsdale’. The ‘Winter Bloomsdale’ variety is a crinkled-leaf, fall variety, tolerant to mosaic viruses.
  • Semi-Savoy has slightly crinkled leaves and can be difficult to seed. ‘Melody’ is resistant to cucumber mosaic virus and downy mildew; mildew-resistant ‘Remington’ will grow in spring, summer, or fall; ‘Tyee’ can be planted in spring or fall and is resistant to downy mildew.
  • Smooth- or flat-leaf (also called plain leaf) varieties have spade-shaped leaves. ‘Giant Nobel’ is a plain leaf variety and an heirloom that is slow to bolt; ‘Nordic IV’ is bolt-resistant.

Wit and Wisdom

  • Phenology, the study of natural 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.

Vegetables

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening, so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Jonathan Elizabeth</span> Tue, 05/31/2016 - 12:05
pls how do I freeze excess spinach
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 06/02/2016 - 14:58

Please enjoy our blog on this subject: http://www.almanac.com/blog/celestes-garden/freezing-greens

 

 <span>Christen</span> Sun, 04/03/2016 - 09:32
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.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 04/05/2016 - 08:59

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—there 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—there is lots of information there, including, maybe, the variety you are growing: http://www.almanac.com/plant/kale

 <span>Gary Shepard</span> Thu, 03/17/2016 - 23:25
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
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Fri, 03/18/2016 - 12:58

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 "New Zealand spinach" and it should turn up a few options for companies.

 <span>Winnerhed</span> Tue, 06/23/2015 - 19:15
Tips for freezing my spinach? I harvested quite a bunch that i'd like to freeze for future--thanks!
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 06/25/2015 - 10:47

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.

 <span>Clantoncs</span> Sat, 01/17/2015 - 20:00
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 Almanac Staff for such thorough responses on all these comments! I'm really impressed and have learned so much already from this comment thread!)
<span>Sarahnaed</span> Tue, 04/07/2015 - 15:13
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!