How to grow Spinach

Where to plant

Grow spinach in rich, moist, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter; it tolerates partial shade. It prefers a near-neutral pH and grows poorly in acid soil, so lime the bed if a soil test calls for it. Poor, dry soil pushes it to go to seed.

Seed germinates best in cool soil, about 50°F to 70°F, and poorly in hot soil. Spinach bolts quickly when temperatures rise above about 75°F and days grow long, so time it for spring and fall.

• Florida and the Gulf South: true spinach struggles, so sow only in the coolest months, from about October to February. In warm weather grow Malabar or New Zealand spinach instead.
• Texas: sow in September and October, and again in February. Desert Southwest: sow from fall through winter.
• California: sow in fall and late winter; Northern California through much of the cool season.
• Mid-South, Mid-Atlantic and Southern Plains: sow in late winter to early spring, and again from mid-August; July heat stops germination and makes young plants bolt.
• Northeast, Midwest, Mountain West, Northern Plains and the Pacific Northwest: sow in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked, and again from about mid-August for fall. Fall-sown spinach often overwinters under mulch or in a cold frame for an early spring harvest.
• Hawaii: sow in the cooler months, at higher elevations if possible. Alaska: sow from May to July.

Choosing a variety

• Savoy types, such as Bloomsdale Long Standing and Tyee, have crinkled leaves and generally handle cold better. Bloomsdale has excellent flavor and often overwinters with mulch, but has no disease resistance.
• Smooth-leaved types, such as Olympia and Space, are easier to wash and good for salads and baby leaves.
• For late spring sowings, choose slow-bolting varieties. Tyee is very slow to bolt and resists some races of downy mildew.

How to plant

1. Work compost into the bed before sowing.
2. Sow seed directly about 1/2 inch deep, 1 to 2 inches apart, in rows or bands.
3. Keep the surface moist; seedlings appear in about 5 to 14 days in cool soil.
4. Thin to 3 to 6 inches apart for full-size plants, eating the thinnings.
5. Sow again every two weeks or so for a steady supply while the weather stays cool.

Watering and feeding

Keep the soil uniformly moist; drought stress speeds bolting and toughens the leaves. Water at the base and mulch, which also keeps soil from splashing onto the leaves.

Spinach is a hungry leaf crop. If growth is pale or slow, especially in spring when cold soil holds back nitrogen, side-dress with a nitrogen fertilizer or liquid feed.

Harvesting

Pick outer leaves once they are large enough, leaving the center to keep growing, or cut whole plants at the base. Baby leaves can be cut about 30 days after sowing.

Harvest the whole planting at the first sign of a central flower stalk, as leaves turn bitter quickly once spinach bolts. Store leaves in a bag in the fridge for a few days.

Growing in pots

Spinach grows well in a pot or trough at least 8 inches deep with a good potting mix. Keep it watered, give it full sun in cool weather and some shade as it warms.

Using it

Eat young leaves raw in salads, or wilt larger leaves into pasta, curries, omelets and soups. Spinach cooks down a great deal, so pick generously.