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When planning how to grow prickly-seeded spinach in your garden , keep in mind that this leafy , nutrient - racy veggie matures chop-chop in 1 to 2 months . However , it prefers cool days and often will bolt ( flower and go to cum ) short once the hours of daytime increase and temperature go up in early summer .

For the upright spinach mature stipulation , then , inseminate this leafy green in early springiness orplant it in Augustfor an fall harvest . Since spinach will tolerate temperatures down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit , you might even be able to raise a wintertime crop if you supply a basketball hoop house or similar top to protect it .

Top-down view of mature smooth spinach plant growing in garden soil

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Growing Spinach at a Glance

Common Name : SpinachScientific Name : Spinacia oleraceaHardiness Zone : AnnualSoil : Fertile , well drainingLight : Full sunlight to Inner Light shadeWater : PlentifulFood : High - nitrogen fertilizerPropagation : SeedSafety : Edible but contains oxalic dot

Spinach Characteristics

The prickly-seeded spinach plant only grows 6 to 12 inches improbable , germinate a rose window of green leaves that are generally round or oblong , but they can be arrow - shaped inAsian varieties . A shuck of tiny light-green - yellow flowers will finally fool up , with some spinach plants producing male flowers and others distaff . Once that happen , the leaves usually cease grow and turn bitter and inedible .

Smooth spinaches , also called straight - leave spinaches , have ( true to their name ) unwrinkled leave . Meanwhile , savoy cabbage spinach cultivars boast thicker , crinkly leafage . Although more vigorous than smooth spinaches , they are also heavy to scavenge due to their texture and low - growing nature . Combining the characteristics of the other two types are semi - savoy spinach , which have only slightly crinkly leave alone that reach higher above the ground than savoy spinach foliage .

Although they’reeasy - to - grow vegetable , many spinach plant cultivar bolt once days become 14 hours long and temperature rise above 75 degree Fahrenheit .

woman’s hand planting baby spinach in a gardening crate

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Planting Spinach

Schedule spinach planting for either early spring or previous summertime . Grow it in container or garden seam , ensuring it has fertile , well - draining filth .

When is the best time to plant spinach?

The spinach plant is an annual veggie . When growing spinach , inseminate the seeds as soon as the stain in the garden can be function in spring , up to 6 weeks before the last frost , when the soil temperature is at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit . instead , inseminate them in late summer 6 to 8 weeks before the first autumn frost .

Where can spinach grow?

Spinach grows most rapidly in full Sunday and fertile , well - draining soil with a pH between 6 and 7 , specially in spring in a raised seam that dries out cursorily . However , spinach is avegetable that can also grow in clear shade . Peas , noggin , and radish make good spinach companion plant life .

How do you plant spinach?

Although it ’s best to plant spinach plant early , await until the soil dry out out enough to be crumbly rather than pasty .

Can you grow spinach in containers?

harmonise toNorth Carolina Extension , spinach can grow in little 1 - gallon containers as shallow as 4 to 6 inches deep . However , deep skunk will provide more legroom for the plant ’s sometimes recollective taproot . When develop spinach in batch , give it a cool , east - facing location where it pick up 3 to 5 hr of sunup sunlight per day .

Watering Spinach

Make trusted that spinach plant plant have at least 1 in of H2O per week from either rain or irrigation . Just be aware that dried - out soil is one factor that can cause spinach plant to bolt . Therefore , keep the ground equally moist , but not soggy , at all time . Mulching 3 to 4 inches of eatage clippings or straw can aid maintain an optimal level of moistness while also suppressing weed .

Fertilizing Spinach

Because it is grown solely for its Green , Spinacia oleracea can fly high on a nitrogen - only works food such asblood meal(12 - 0 - 0 ) . Use 1 to 2 tablespoonful for each square foot of land and dig it into the upper 3 inches of your soil to gear up a prominent garden bed . For prickly-seeded spinach plants in container , blend 1 to 2 teaspoons into each gallon of potting soil . Reapply the blood repast as a side - dressing of 1 to 2 teaspoonful once per month for as long as the industrial plant are produce — and putting out greens rather than flower staunch .

Propagating Spinach

When grow spinach from ejaculate , sow it directly into the garden territory early enough that it will mature before summertime heats up . For the high sprouting charge per unit , purchase fresh seeds , since they do n’t retain viability for long . Plant them ¼ to ½ inch deep , spreading 12 to 15 of them along each understructure of row .

Although you’re able to sow Spinacia oleracea seed at lower temperatures , they sprout best in conditions between 55 and 65 level Fahrenheit — within 7 to 10 days . If you wish to lay aside seeds from open - pollinated types , keep in nous that only distaff plants produce seeds .

Safety Considerations

Raw Spinacia oleracea contains oxalic acid , which can potentially be harmful to citizenry who ache from kidney stones and digestive trouble . Fortunately , cook spinach rid of most of the oxalate . Something to note is that savoy cabbage spinaches contain less of those than bland - leafage types do .

Because E. coli can taint leafy green that come into contact with manure , ward off using compost manure in your garden unless you are sure that it is entirely composted . And be sure toclean your leafy greensthoroughly under running weewee before you eat them .

Potential Pests and Diseases

foliage miners tunnel through Spinacia oleracea leaves , leaving transparent lead on the foliage . Since they feed inside the leaves , they can be difficult to control . Try planting radish between row of spinach plant so that the pests will be attracted to their farewell instead . Alternatively , keep your spinach plants topped with dustup cover to preclude flies from laying their eggs on the leafage .

declamatory holes in spinach farewell are probably have by slugs , which can be eliminated with slug decoy disperse around youthful plant .

Harvesting Spinach

Spinach matures preferably than most other vegetables , often within 6 calendar week . The leafy greens are relatively light to harvest and store for quick function in the kitchen .

When is the best time to harvest spinach?

When considering how to harvest Spinacia oleracea , it ’s okay to hit individual leaves periodically . Just wait until the plants have at least six true leaves ; you also can reap the entire plant once it matures . The first choice provides a proceed harvest , while the second provides a larger harvest all at once .

How do you harvest spinach?

Cut Spinacia oleracea during the cool part of the solar day , usually other dayspring .

How do you store spinach?

wash away the green soundly under cold running body of water and store them in a zippered deep-freeze cup of tea in the eminent - humidness crisper drawer of your refrigerator . They may keep for up to a calendar week . If you reap too much prickly-seeded spinach to apply right aside , you may safely freeze the excess in an airtight freezer bag .

look for more tight - growing vegetable ? Check out our guides on growinggreen beans , wampum , andmicrogreens .

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Top-down view of dewy spinach plant leaves after being watered

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Whether you ’re selling or staying , everyone can get something out of a kitchen update . Learn why we consider this renovation the Most Valuable Project of 2025 and how to stay on budget .

woman’s hands examining spinach leaves in garden bed

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