Takes a hard frost. Sow outdoors 2 to 4 weeks before your last frost; sow in fall 5 to 9 weeks before your first fall frost. First harvest 35 to 50 days from sowing.
Photo: “Spinach field in Italy 2” by Peter Forster, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped). The cropped version is shared under the same licence.
Full sun6–8 hours or more
2–4 in apartRows 12–36 in
35–50 daysFrom sowing
Soil 40 °F +pH 6.0–7.2
1–2 in a weekEven watering
HardyTakes a hard frost
Your dates
Put in your ZIP code to see when to start, plant and harvest spinach where you live, from your own frost dates.
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From seed to harvest
SowSeed goes inWeek 0
SproutFirst shoots showWeek 1–2
True leavesFirst real leavesWeek 2–3
Thin or plant outGive each plant roomWeek 3–4
Leaf growthLeaves fill outWeek 4–5
HarvestReady to pickWeek 5–7
How to plant and grow
Sow very early
Sow seed 1/2 inch deep 2 to 4 weeks before your last spring frost, as soon as the soil reaches about 40 °F.
Thin seedlings
Thin plants to about 2 to 4 inches apart in rows 12 or more inches apart. Seedlings take 1 to 2 weeks to come up.
Water evenly
Give 1 to 2 inches of water a week. Mulch helps keep moisture steady so leaves stay tender.
Beat the heat
Long, hot days make spinach bolt and turn bitter. Harvest spring plantings before summer and skip midsummer sowings.
Sow for fall
Sow again about 4 to 9 weeks before first fall frost. Soil above 85 °F hurts germination, so shade the row if needed.
Pick leaves
Cut outer leaves 3 to 6 inches long, or cut the whole plant above the crown. Harvest before a flower stalk forms.
What you'll see: Yellow patches on top of leaves, often boxed in by the veins, with gray to purple fuzz underneath; on shallots, whitish-gray growth on older leaves. Leaves brown and die, worst in cool, wet weather.
Prevent
Grow resistant varieties; basil sold as downy mildew resistant holds up far better.
Space plants, trellis vines and water at the base so leaves dry fast.
Remove and destroy infected plants promptly.
Organic options
Copper protects cucumber and melon leaves best when used before the disease arrives. Look for OMRI Listed products.
Conventional options
Chlorothalonil or mancozeb on vine crops, if labeled. On basil, home-garden sprays work poorly; grow resistant varieties.
Bee caution: Don't spray open flowers. Spray in the late evening, when bees aren't flying.
Photo: “Aphids on Kale leaf” by Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped). The cropped version is shared under the same licence.
AphidsPest
What you'll see: Clusters of small, soft-bodied green, black or gray insects on new shoots and under leaves. Leaves curl, and a sticky film may coat them.
Prevent
Check leaf undersides each week; a few aphids do little harm.
Pull nearby weeds, such as wild mustards, that feed aphids.
Grow flowers for lady beetles, lacewings and hover flies, and avoid broad sprays that kill them.
Organic options
Knock aphids off with a strong spray of water.
Insecticidal soap or horticultural oil on leaf undersides, repeated as the label allows.
Neem oil, or OMRI Listed pyrethrins (without piperonyl butoxide).
Conventional options
Malathion or permethrin, if the crop is on the label. These also kill the insects that eat aphids.
Bee caution: Don't spray open flowers. Spray in the late evening, when bees aren't flying.
BoltingGrowing problemNo spray helps
What you'll see: The plant sends up a flower stalk early, and the leaves turn small and bitter. Long days and heat set it off, and in bok choy and other cabbage-family greens so can a late frost or a week of nights below 50 °F.
Prevent
Sow in the cool, shorter days of spring and fall.
Sow small amounts every few weeks rather than all at once.
Choose varieties sold as slow to bolt.
Give afternoon shade in hot spells.
Organic options
Harvest as soon as a stalk starts. Let a few cilantro or dill plants flower for seed and for helpful insects.
Conventional options
None. No spray stops bolting.
Damping-offDiseaseSprays are rarely needed
What you'll see: Seedlings fail to come up, or fall over and die with a thin, water-soaked stem at the soil line.
Prevent
Use fresh seed-starting mix and clean trays, never garden soil.
Do not overwater; let the surface dry a little between waterings.
Keep the mix warm and give seedlings good light and air flow.
Sow outdoors only once the soil has warmed.
Organic options
Remove dead seedlings and the mix around them, and start again with fresh mix.
Conventional options
Fungicides are a last resort, and young seedlings are easily hurt by them. Clean mix and careful watering are the fix.
What you'll see: Pale green caterpillars that arch their backs as they crawl chew ragged holes in leaves.
Prevent
Cover young plants with row cover.
Check leaf undersides each week and pick off caterpillars.
Organic options
Hand-pick caterpillars.
Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki) or spinosad on young caterpillars. Look for OMRI Listed products.
Conventional options
Same as organic: Bt and spinosad are the usual choices.
Bee caution: Don't spray open flowers. Spray in the late evening, when bees aren't flying.
Photo: “Deroceras reticulatum” by Bruce Marlin, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped). The cropped version is shared under the same licence.
SlugsPest
What you'll see: Ragged holes in leaves and fruit, and shiny slime trails, mostly after damp nights.
Prevent
Clear mulch and leaf litter close to plants so the ground can dry.
Start early; do not wait for a heavy infestation.
Organic options
Sink shallow containers of beer to the rim; empty and refill them often.
Iron phosphate bait scattered on the soil around plants. Look for OMRI Listed products.
Conventional options
Same as organic: iron phosphate bait is the pick for food gardens, being far less harmful to pets and wildlife.
Read and follow the product label: it is the law. It sets the rate, the crops it is for, and the days between spraying and picking. Products registered vary by state; for organic growing, look for products allowed under the USDA National Organic Program (OMRI Listed). We name active ingredients, not brands or rates.
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Sow
Sprout
True leaves
Thin or plant out
Leaf growth
Harvest
