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Spinach

Spinacia oleracea

Vegetable

Spinach is a fast-growing cool-season green that can be harvested as baby leaves or left to full size. It bolts quickly in summer heat, so it is best grown in the cool shoulder seasons or under the shade of taller plants.

Growing Conditions

Sunlight

Partial Shade

Water Needs

Moderate

Soil

Rich, moist, well-draining loam; pH 6.5–7.0

Spacing

6 inches after thinning

Days to Maturity

40–50 days from sowing

Growing Zones

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Thrives in USDA Zones 2–10

Companion Planting

Good Companions

Keep Away From

When to Plant

  • Direct Sow

    4–6 weeks before last frost; again in late summer for autumn harvest

  • Harvest

    40–50 days; cut outer leaves for cut-and-come-again

Organic Growing Tips

  • Grow under floating row cover to exclude leaf miners while still allowing light and water through.

  • Interplant with strawberries, which enjoy similar cool, moist conditions and shade each other beneficially.

  • Succession sow every 2 weeks through autumn for fresh harvests until hard frost.

  • Use compost-rich soil to support rapid leaf growth and harvest before summer heat triggers bolting.

Common Pests

  • Aphids
  • Leaf Miners
  • Slugs
  • Downy Mildew

All pest management in Garden uses safe, organic, non-toxic methods only. No synthetic pesticides, ever.