Companion planting, also referred to as intercropping, is a method of planting that strives to use companion plants for the mutual benefit of a crop. Take companion planting spinach, for example. In this case, gardeners should include companion plants for spinach that will benefit it, either by deterring pests, suppressing weeds or improving soil quality. Read on to learn about companion plants and flowers for spinach. 

Reasons for Companion Planting Spinach

Companion planting in general benefits the garden in a multitude of ways. It not only can deter pests but attract beneficial pollinators. Companion plants may provide support for other crops, as in the classic “Three Sisters” planting comprised of squash, beans and corn. In this case, the corn provides support for the beans; the beans affix nitrogen into the soil and the large leaves of the squash shade and protect the roots of all three from the harsh rays of the sun.

In the case of spinach companion plants, the gardener needs to think of the needs of spinach plants. Spinach is a cool season crop that should be sown early. It has a deep taproot, isn’t particularly tall, needs no support and likes moist, nitrogen rich soil. Hand pulling or cultivating weeds around spinach can damage the roots, so weed retardation is a must. 

Companion Plants for Spinach

Spinach is also a rapid grower so, when considering companion plants, combine slower maturing crops such as tomatoes and peppers. This way when the slower growing spinach is harvested the late maturing plants will have room to mature. 

Beans and peas are terrific companion plants for spinach. Not only do legumes affix nitrogen into the soil, but these taller companions help shade the spinach and keep it from bolting. 

Other spinach companion crops include cabbage, cauliflower, chard, onion, and strawberries. 

Companion Flowers for Spinach

Plants with bold scents and bright colors confuse pests and attract beneficial pollinators. Selecting flowering plants that not only add beauty but also attract beneficial insects is one of the principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM reduces or eliminates the need to use chemical controls in the garden. 

Evidence suggests that planting marigolds as companion plants throughout the vegetable garden aids in control of nematodes. Tagetes patula or French marigold is the most highly recommended for protection from several types of nematode. 

Annual flowers in general are a good choice for use as companion plants since they can be moved about the garden year after year just as you move or rotate crops. 

Another annual to use as companion flowers for spinach are nasturtiums, an edible addition with the benefit of attracting aphids from crops. 

Zinnias are also excellent companion plants that can provide shade to the spinach and may deter predatory pests. 

Lastly, cosmos attract a multitude of beneficial insects that feed on pests. Their taller height will also help to shade spinach from intense heat. 

Winter can be a tough time for fresh produce lovers. Cold temperatures mean there is little in the garden with which to make a salad. Plants like spinach, which are easy to grow in the cooler seasons, are still not frost hardy. Can spinach grow indoors though?

Growing spinach inside is easier than you might think, especially baby varieties. Get some tips on indoor spinach plants and start planning your salad now.

Can Spinach Grow Indoors?

Spinach is a versatile green that is useful in salads, stews, soups, and stir fries. It is also quite easy to grow from seed. Most seeds will sprout in a week, and they grow rapidly, with leaves ready for use in a month. Best of all, indoor potted spinach can be used consistently and will grow new leaves.

Greens of many types are among the easiest food crops to grow indoors. They sprout rapidly and take off with little special care. When you grow crops like spinach inside, you can avoid purchasing it in a supermarket, where contamination is often found. Plus, you know it's organic and safe for your family.

First start with your variety. You can grow standard or baby spinach, but the full-sized plants will need more room. Next, select a container. Shallow pots work well, as the spinach does not have a huge root depth. Then, purchase or make a good soil. It should be well draining, as spinach cannot handle soggy conditions.

Starting Indoor Potted Spinach

Lightly pre-moisten the soil and fill the container. Sow seeds one inch deep (2.5 cm.). For faster germination, place the container in a warm location and cover with plastic. Remove the plastic once per day to let excess moisture escape and prevent damping off. Keep the container lightly moist by misting.

Once you see two pairs of true leaves, thin the little seedlings to at least 3 inches (8 cm.) apart. You can use these tiny plants in salad, so don't throw them away! Indoor spinach plants need to be in fairly bright light. Purchase a plant light if you have a low light situation.

Tips on Growing Spinach Inside

If you live in a region with hot temperatures year-round, purchase a variety that is low to bolt and keep containers in the coolest room of the home. To keep the plants producing those tasty leaves, give them diluted liquid fertilizer after a month. Use an organic formula to ensure the safety of your food or wait at least a week before harvesting any leaves.

Even indoor plants can get bugs, so keep a careful eye out and treat with organic pesticides if necessary. Rotate your container every few days so all sides get good light exposure. When the greens are a few inches (8 cm.) apart, start harvesting. Just take a few leaves from each plant for continued production and enjoy.

Spinach is an easily cultivated garden vegetable which offers excellent health benefits. Unfortunately, many gardeners live in areas where the spinach growing season is limited to spring and fall. In order to extend the season, some gardeners have tried growing hydroponic spinach at home, but with little success.

Some find indoor hydroponic spinach turns bitter. This leaves home gardeners asking, “how do you grow hydroponic spinach that tastes good?”

Hydroponic Spinach Growing Tips

There's no doubt growing spinach using hydroponics is more difficult than other types of leafy crops, like lettuce or herbs. While the cultivation techniques are similar, there are many issues which can lead to crop failure or bitter-tasting spinach. To improve your success rates, try these tips from commercial indoor hydroponic spinach growers:

• Use fresh seed. Spinach can take anywhere from 7 to 21 days to sprout. It's discouraging to wait three weeks only to have poor germination rates due to old seeds.
• Sow four to five seeds per hole. Commercial growers each have their favorite germination medium, but the consensus is heavy sowing guarantees at least one strong, healthy seedling per cell or cube.
• Cold stratify seeds. Place spinach seeds in the refrigerator for one to three weeks prior to sowing. Some commercial growers believe a period of cold stratification produces healthier plants.
• Keep spinach seeds moist. Poor germination rates and unthrifty plants occur when sowed seeds are allowed to dry out during the germination process.
• Don't use seed heating mats. Spinach is a cool-weather crop which germinates best between 40 and 75 degrees F. (4-24 C.). Higher temperatures result in poor germination rates.
• Stagger plantings. To have a continuous supply of fresh spinach to harvest, sow seeds every two weeks.
• Time the transition to hydroponics. Ideally, hold off placing the spinach seedlings into the hydroponic system until the roots have extended out from the germination medium. The seedling should be 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm.) tall and have three to four true leaves. Harden off seedlings if necessary.
• Control the temperature. As a cool-weather crop, spinach grows optimally with a daytime temperature between 65 and 70 degrees F. (18-21 C.) and night temps in the 60 to 65 degree F. (16 -18 C.) range. Warmer temperatures cause spinach to bolt which increases bitterness.
• Don't overfertilize spinach. Begin feeding spinach seedlings when they're transplanted into the hydroponic system. Commercial growers recommend a weaker solution of hydroponic nutrients to start (about ¼ strength) and gradually increasing the strength. Leaf tip burn indicates nitrogen levels are too high. Indoor hydroponic spinach also benefits from additional calcium and magnesium.
• Avoid excessive light. For optimal growth, maintain 12 hours of light per day when growing spinach using hydroponics. Light in the blue color spectrum promotes leaf growth and is desirable for hydroponic spinach production.
• Reduce fertilizer strength and temperature prior to harvest. The trick to producing sweeter tasting spinach is reducing the ambient temperature by a few degrees and decreasing the strength of hydroponic nutrients as spinach plants near maturity.

While growing hydroponic spinach at home requires more attention than other crops, producing an edible crop from seed to harvest in as little as five and a half weeks makes it well worth the effort!

In a perfect world, all gardeners would be blessed with garden space that receives full sun. After all, many common garden veggies, like tomatoes and peppers, grow best in sunny areas. What if shadows from trees or buildings block those chlorophyll-absorbing rays though? Are there vegetable plants that have a tolerance for shade? Yes! Growing spinach in the shade is one possibility.

Is Spinach a Shade Plant?

If you flip a spinach seed packet over and examine the growth requirements, you'll find spinach does best when planted in full to partial sun. Full sun refers to six or more hours of direct sunlight per day, while partial sun generally means four to six hours.

As a cool-weather crop, spinach doesn't fit neatly into either one of these categories. In early spring and late fall when the sun resides lower in the sky and its rays are less intense, spinach shade tolerance is low. It needs full, direct sunlight to grow quickly, which is the key to producing sweet-tasting spinach.

As spring transitions into summer and summer into fall, spinach does better in partial shade. Temperatures above 75 degrees F. (24 C.) and more intense sunlight prompts spinach to switch from foliage to flower production. As spinach bolts, the leaves become tough and bitter-tasting. Using spinach for shade gardens is a way to fool this plant into delaying the onset of bolting.

Planting Spinach in the Shade

Whether you're dealing with a shady garden site or you're trying to extend the growing season for your spinach crop, try implementing these ideas for shade spinach growing:

• Plant spring spinach under a deciduous tree. Before the deciduous leaves emerge in the spring, the spinach will receive full sun and grow quickly. As warmer temperatures descend upon the area, the thickening canopy will provide shade from the afternoon sun. This creates a cooler microclimate and delays bolting.
• Plant fall spinach under a deciduous tree. This has the same effect, but in reverse. Sowing spinach seed in cooler soil improves germination rates. As autumn approaches and the leaves drop, a fall crop of spinach will benefit from the increased sunlight.
• Successively plant spinach near taller crops. Sowing spinach seeds every two weeks extends the harvest period of mature plants. Sow the first row in full sun. Then every two weeks, sow more seeds in rows reserved for consecutively taller plants. As the season progresses, maturing spinach plants will receive more and more shade.
• Plant spinach on the east side of buildings. The eastern exposure provides a few hours of direct sunlight during the coolest part of the day, while creating shade for the remainder. Grow container spinach. Planters can be given full sun on cooler days and moved to cooler locations when the temperature rises.

There is more than one way to make use of fading veggies like old spinach leaves. Although most gardeners put a high value on composting kitchen detritus, you can also use past-their-prime fruits and veggies to make homemade dye.

Spinach as dye? You better believe it, but not just spinach. You can also make dye from orange peels, lemon ends, even the outer leaves of a cabbage. These dyes are easy, eco-friendly, and really cheap to produce. Read on to learn how to make spinach dye.

Making Dye with Spinach

The first step in making natural spinach dye (or dye from any other veggies or fruits) is to gather a sufficient amount. You’ll need at least a cup (240 mL.) of spinach or another plant product. What products can you use? Beets, turmeric, and red cabbage are all good choices. So are onion skins and lemon peels. Just be sure to thoroughly clean them prior to use.

Your choices will be determined by what you have on hand and what color dye you are interested in making. If you want a deep green, you can’t do better than making dye with spinach.

There are a couple methods for making spinach dye and both are quite easy.

• One involves blending the material with hot water. To make natural spinach dye using this method, chop up the spinach (or other veggie or fruit product) and put the chopped pieces in the blender. Add two cups (480 mL.) of hot water for every cup (240 mL.) of spinach. Then strain the mixture through a cheesecloth lined strainer and add a tablespoon (15 mL.) of table salt.
• If you want to know how to make spinach dye without a blender, simply chop up the spinach or other veggie pieces and place them in a small saucepan. Add twice as much water as you have spinach, bring it to a boil, then allow it to simmer for an hour. Once the product has cooled, strain it well. Then you can start using spinach to dye fabric.

Using Spinach to Dye Fabric (or Eggs)

The best way to create long-lasting dyed clothing is to first use a fixative on the fabric. You’ll need to boil the fabric in salt water (1/4 cup (60 mL.) salt to 4 cups (960 mL.) water) for fruit-based dyes, or one cup (240 mL.) vinegar and four cups (960 mL.) water for veggie-based dye like spinach. Boil for one hour.

When done, rinse the fabric in cold water. Squeeze it out, then soak it in the natural dye until it reaches desired color.

You can also use the plant dye with kids as a natural coloring for Easter eggs. Simply soak the egg in the dye until it reaches the hue you desire.

Growing a variety of greens helps expand kitchen recipes and enhances nutrition. Easy-to-grow greens, like spinach, translate to a variety of uses. Savoy spinach is even more versatile than smooth leaf varieties. What is savoy spinach? We'll go over some savoy spinach uses and how to grow and care for this nutrient-dense green.

What is Savoy Spinach?

Spinach is great fresh, sautéed, in soups, and even freezes well. Curly leaf spinach, or savoy, has thick leaves with a ruffled effect. It has a robust, earthy flavor that tends to get bitter on older, larger leaves. You can plant in spring, or overwinter plants in many zones. Gardeners in USDA zones 6 to 9 should try growing savoy spinach.

Curly leaf spinach is apparently native to Persia and called aspanakh. This variety of spinach has deep green, crinkled leaves with impressed veins. Leaves are oval to oblong and occasionally heart-shaped. They grow 5 to 6 inches long (12.5-15 cm.). Spinach prefers cool temperatures and will bolt when it is 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 C.) or more. The soil must be well-draining and of average fertility.

Savoy Spinach Care

Growing savoy spinach is easy. Prepare a bed by tilling in plenty of organic matter and sowing seed in early spring or fall. Harvest the leaves as they come for the best flavor. Successive sowing will provide a consistent harvest.

Keep weeds out of the bed and soil moderately moist. Using compost as a side-dress can help with both conditions and will gradually release nutrients.

If high heat is expected, use a shade cloth to prevent bolting. Crop rotation is an important part of savoy spinach care that can prevent many common foliar diseases and pests.

Savoy Spinach Uses

The young, tender leaves are best fresh in salads or on a sandwich. Because the leaves are thicker than regular spinach, savoy stands up to cooking well. You can use it in place of cooked greens like swiss chard or kale. Sauté it with strong flavors like onions and garlic.

It is also nice thrown in at the end to soups and stews. Use the pretty leaves fresh but wilted a bit by pouring stir fry or sauces over them. This is a really versatile vegetable that is easy to grow and maintain.

The addition of salad greens is an excellent way to extend the vegetable garden harvest. Greens, like spinach, grow best when temperatures are cool. This means that seeds are most commonly planted so that the plant can be harvested in the spring and/or fall. In fact, warm weather can greatly impact the taste of these plants, causing them to become bitter or tough. Prolonged exposure to warm temperatures can even cause the plants to bolt or begin to flower and set seeds.

Spinach lovers who have missed the ideal planting window may be left with questions like, “Can spinach be grown in summer” or “Are there any heat tolerant spinach varieties?” Read on to learn more.

Can Spinach be Grown in Summer?

Success in growing spinach in summer will vary depending upon climate. Those with cool summer temperatures may have moderate luck. Growers attempting to grow during the hotter months of the year; however, should look for summer spinach varieties.

These cultivars may be labeled as “slow bolt” or heat tolerant spinach. Though these labels do not guarantee your spinach will grow in the summer, they will increase the chance of success. It should also be noted that seeds planted in excessively warm soil may exhibit poor germination rates, or fail to do so completely.

Popular Heat Tolerant Spinach Varieties

• Bloomsdale Longstanding – A popular open-pollinated variety of spinach to grow in summer. Performs well in the garden, as it is known for its long-standing quality-- even when temperatures begin to climb in late spring and early summer.
• Catalina – A hybrid semi-savoy cultivar of spinach known for its mild flavor. Growing quickly, this heat tolerant spinach is ideal for a quick crop under less than ideal conditions.
• Indian Summer – Another hybrid spinach to grow in summer, this variety is especially slow to bolt. This cultivar is also prized for its disease resistance.
• Oceanside – Demonstrating high resistance to bolt, this variety produces a mass of baby greens. This cultivar has shown to grow into midsummer in some regions.

Alternative Summer Spinach Varieties

While there are several heat tolerant spinach varieties available, many gardeners choose instead to explore the growth of spinach alternatives during the hottest parts of summer. These options include plants like malabar spinach, New Zealand spinach, and orach. All are similar in taste and prepared much like traditional spinach but don’t mind warmer conditions in the garden.

Careful research can help growers to determine whether or not this option would be viable in their own garden.

National Spinach Day (March 26) is a time to reflect and celebrate one of the most popular tender leafy greens in the U.S., and what better place to explore the history of spinach than Crystal City, Texas - the spinach capital of the world. When most cities were falling on hard times during the Depression, Crystal City had a booming spinach industry thanks to a popular cartoon character.

In 1929, Popeye the sailor man was introduced to the world by creator Elzie Crisler Segar. This spinach-eating muscle man quickly rose in popularity, as did the sales of his favorite energy-bolstering leafy greens. To honor the prosperity Popeye brought to Crystal City, the Texas town erected a statue of him in 1937.

Spinach History

Spinach sales have continued to rise in the U.S. following the 1930's Depression, reaching an all-time high in 2007. That's not surprising considering spinach has been a part of the human culinary experience for over 2,000 years. Little is known about the origin of spinach plants, so let's take a look at what we do know:

• Botanists place spinach plant origin in and around ancient Persia (modern day Iran), where it was likely cultivated from Spinacia tetranda, an edible wild green. It is believed spinach was then introduced into India and Nepal.
• Written records indicate spinach reached China from Nepal in the year 647 CE. Here this much beloved vegetable earned the name "Persian Green."
• It's believed Muslims introduced spinach to Sicily in 827 CE. Written documentation places spinach in the Mediterranean area by the 10th century.
• The Moors from North Africa are credited with bringing spinach to Spain in the 11th century, and this leafy green reached Germany by the late 1200's.
• During the European Middle Ages, spinach was widely cultivated and distributed throughout the continent. The use of spinach as a staple in Mediterranean cooking was widespread during the 1400's. In England, spinach was called the "Spanish vegetable" and was valued as an early spring crop.
• In the 1500's, Catherine de Medici is credited with the culinary term "a la Florentine," after bringing her Italian cooks with her when she married into the French royal family. The term refers to French spinach dishes created in honor of this Florence native.
• Spinach reached the Americas with the first New World settlers.
• In the early part of the 20th century, disease-resistant and slow-bolting spinach varieties were developed. The well-known and much beloved Bloomsdale Long Standing spinach variety came from that era.

Today, spinach is grown worldwide. China, the U.S., and Japan are the leading spinach producing countries with over 20 million tons of this leafy green cultivated each year. No doubt, there's plenty of spinach to go around. So grab a handful to add to your favorite salad or entree and celebrate National Spinach Day with this tasty, tender green.

Spinach is an easy-to-grow, healthy green. If you have trouble getting your family to eat the spinach you grow, you may disguise it into a form they won’t recognize. There are a number of uses for spinach other than traditional leafy greens.

How to Use Spinach

Spinach is great in salads, especially the young, tender leaves. Online recipes suggest a warm bacon or pomegranate vinaigrette dressing. Get creative with your family’s favorites. Add spinach to other greens or make the salad exclusively with spinach. Older leaves make a tasty stir-fry. Fresh spinach dip is another simple way of disguising the spinach.

Quiche Lorraine is an easy main dish for lunch and supper. Most likely, the spinach will be disguised by the other ingredients.

Chop spinach into small pieces and add it to a fruit smoothie. Use yogurt, cream, or whole milk along with lots of fruit for a healthy start to the day. When using spinach in this manner, you get the most health benefits, as they have not been cooked away. Chopping leaves releases more of the healthy lutein that is good for your eyes. Fat from the dairy products increases the solubility of the healthy carotenoid (vitamin).

Cooked spinach provides this as well. Sources say some vitamins, including A and D, increase when spinach is cooked, as do some carotenoids. Remember, spinach is good for you however you consume it.

What to Do with Spinach After Harvesting

Pick your spinach leaves at the desired size for your recipe. Wash the leaves and store them in a plastic Ziploc (with a paper towel added to suck out moisture) in the refrigerator until it’s time to use it.

As spinach plants keep producing after each harvest, you might end up with more spinach than you’ve anticipated. Cook and freeze when possible; quiches and stir-fry spinach, for example, hold up well in the freezer. Surprise your family with a winter spinach side. And consider other possible spinach plant uses.

If you have skeins of raw yarn, you can use spinach as a dye. While it sounds like a lengthy process, it is effective and a great option for times you have too much extra spinach. It takes quite a bit to make dye.

Spinach is both delicious and nutritious, and it’s easy to grow in the vegetable garden. Instead of buying plastic boxes of spinach from the store that go bad before you can use it all, try growing your own greens. There are a lot of different kinds of spinach too, so you can choose your favorite, or succession plant to get several spinach varieties throughout an extended growing season.

Growing Different Types of Spinach

Why not just grow one variety? Because there are so many great options out there to discover. And, if you plant multiple spinach plant types, you can get an extended and ongoing harvest. Different varieties have different maturation times and best conditions in which to plant, so you can grow them in succession and potentially get fresh spinach from spring through fall. Of course, another reason to grow multiple varieties is simply to get different flavors and textures.

There are two main types of spinach: fast- and slow-growing. The fast-growing varieties do best when maturing in cooler weather, so these can be started in late winter/early spring and in the fall. Slow-growing varieties prefer warmer conditions and can be started in late spring and summer.

Popular Spinach Varieties

Here are some different spinach varieties to try in your garden as you plan for the next growing season:

• ‘Bloomsdale Longstanding’ – This is a popular medium-growth rate savoy spinach. It has the classic dark green, crinkly leaves and produces prolifically. Time to maturity is 48 days.
• ‘Regiment’ – Another savoy, this is a great variety for harvesting baby spinach. Be ready to pick in about 37 days.
• ‘Space’ – This hybrid variety has smooth leaves and grows fast. It bolts less readily than other smooth-leaved spinach types. It is a good spinach for freezing.
• ‘Red Kitten’ – A fast-growing spinach, this type has red veining and stems. It matures in just 28 days.
• ‘Indian Summer’ – Indian Summer is a smooth-leaved spinach. It matures in 40 to 45 days and is a good option for season-long production. With succession planting, you can get leaves spring, summer, and fall.
• ‘Double Take’ – This variety is slow to bolt and produces a very tasty leaf. It can be grown for baby leaves or mature leaves.
• ‘Crocodile’ – Crocodile is a good slow-growing variety for the warmer part of the year. It is also a compact plant if you have limited space.

If your climate is just too warm for spinach, try so-called New Zealand and Malabar spinach plants. These are not actually related to spinach, but they are similar in texture and taste and will grow in hotter climates.

Spinach is a very popular cool season leafy green. Perfect for salads and sautés, plenty of gardeners can’t do without it. Since it grows so well in cool weather, it’s often one of the first things many gardeners plant. This is why it can be especially disheartening when those first spring seedlings fall ill and even die. Keep reading to learn more about common problems with spinach seedlings and ways to recognize and manage diseases of spinach seedlings.

Common Diseases of Spinach Seedlings

Several pathogens are known to affect spinach seedlings. Although the sources are different, the result is usually the same-- a condition known as either damping off or seedling blight. The symptoms of this condition include the seedling wilting and toppling over, the stem near the soil line becoming watery and girdled, and the roots becoming stunted and blackened. This is if the seedlings even manage to emerge from the ground. Damping off can also affect seeds, keeping them from germinating. If this is the case, the seeds will have a layer of soil stuck to them by small threads of fungus. Damping off of spinach seedlings is often caused by Pythium, a family of fungus made up of several species that all have more or less the same effect. Other pathogens, including Rhizoctonia, Fusarium, and Phytophthora, can also cause spinach damping off and seedling blight.

How to Prevent Young Spinach Disease

The pathogens that cause young spinach issues tend to thrive in cool, moist conditions. Unfortunately, spinach plants also prefer cool soil, but a lot of good can be done by planting seeds or seedlings in well-draining soil. You can also combat harmful fungi by rotating your spinach crop with corn, and by applying fungicide at the time of seed sowing.

Many plants can exhibit signs of stress. These may be from cultural or environmental conditions, pest or disease issues. Spinach is not exempt. For one thing, timing is everything with spinach because it bolts and produces less leaves that are bitter in hot temperatures. Do you know how to protect spinach from stress? If not, continue reading for a guide on the best cultural and environmental situations and how to prevent insect and disease stresses.

What Causes Spinach Stress?

Spinach has a host of uses and is packed with powerful antioxidants and vitamins. It even has a ton of fiber and protein, making it a perfect ingredient in many cuisines. As an added bonus, it grows quickly from seed to harvest. But what do you do about stressed spinach plants? These cool season greens can suffer from several cultural problems. Managing spinach stress when plants are young is crucial to harvesting a healthy, nutritious crop. Spinach enjoys the cooler days of spring or in warmer climates, the crispness of fall. Better growth and flavor result in cooler temperatures. Many spinach physiological problems are the result of plants that are in excess heat or sun. The plants also need well-draining soil to prevent rot and plenty of nitrogen to form the delicious leaves. Pests are particularly taken with spinach. The following insects find spinach a buffet favorite:

• Leaf miners
• Aphids
• Flea beetles
• Armyworms
• Slugs and snails

Stressed spinach plants that have pest problems are probably the easiest to diagnose due to the damage the insects leave behind. Nutrient deficiencies, cultural disparities and environmental variables can be more difficult to diagnose. It is important to remove cultural problems when managing spinach stress from other sources. Healthy plants can generally withstand other stresses if in proper growing conditions.

How to Protect Spinach from Stress

To prevent cultural spinach stress, plant 8 weeks before the last frost or 8 weeks before the first expected frost in well-draining soil full of organic amendment and in full sun. Use seed that is low to bolt and resistant to common diseases. Keep weeds away from plants and water so that soil is evenly moist but not soggy. Thin plants to allow air circulation and use insect barrier fabric to repel flying insect pests. If the season is especially hot, mulch around the plants to keep soil cool or use shade cloth over the planting bed during the hottest part of the day. Use gentle compost tea or diluted fish fertilizer to feed the plants without burning the roots. Most spinach physiological problems will be avoided with these practices but sometimes disease will produce problems in plants.

Disease and Spinach Stress

The most common diseases for spinach and other leaf crops are fungal. Several molds and leaf spot diseases as well as anthracnose and fusarium wilt attack foliage. Generally, they form when excess moisture and certain air temperatures combine for a perfect growing state. Controlling moisture on leaves is as simple as watering from beneath the plants. Copper fungicides may also be used early in plant development to prevent fungal diseases. Viruses, like tobacco ringspot, beet curly top and blight are transmitted through insects like leafhoppers and aphids. Removing insect pests is a key component to managing spinach stress. Nematodes are not a disease but tiny soil borne organisms that can cause plants to appear that they are in heat stress or having cultural issues. They usually attack the roots, leaving galls that impede the root's ability to intake moisture and nutrients. Eventually plants stunt, wilt and die. Practice annual crop rotation as a preventative measure.

Spinach can be afflicted with any number of diseases, primarily fungal. Fungal diseases usually result in leaf spots on spinach. What diseases cause spinach leaf spots? Read on to learn about spinach with leaf spots and other spinach leaf spot info.

What Causes Spinach Leaf Spots?

Leaf spots on spinach are likely the result of a fungal disease or a pest, such as a leaf miner or a flea beetle. The spinach leaf miner (Pegomya hyoscyami) larvae tunnel into leaves creating mines, hence the name. These mines are at first long and narrow but eventually become an irregular blotched area. The larvae look like a whitish maggot and are shaped like a carrot. There are a few species of flea beetle that may result in spinach with leaf spots. In the case of flea beetles, adults feed on the leaves creating small, irregular holes called shot holes. The small beetles may be colored black, bronze, blue, brown, or metallic gray and may even be striped. Both pests can be found throughout the growing season. To control them, keep the area weed free, remove and destroy any infected leaves, and use a floating row cover or the like. Leaf miner infestations may need to be treated with an organic insecticide, Spinosad, in the spring. Traps can be set for flea beetles in the spring.

Fungal Leaf Spots on Spinach

White rust is a fungal disease that first appears on the underside of spinach leaves and then on the top side. The disease appears as small, white blisters that, as the disease progresses, grow until they consume the entire leaf. White rust is fostered by cool, moist conditions. Cercospora also causes spots on spinach leaves and may also affect other leafy plants such as Swiss chard. The first signs of infections are small, white spots on the surface of the leaf. These tiny, white spots have a dark halo around them and turn gray as the disease progresses and the fungus matures. This disease is most common when the weather has been rainy with high humidity. Downy mildew is yet another fungal disease that causes leaf spots on spinach. In this case, the spots are gray/brown fuzzy areas on the underside of the leaf with yellow blotching on the upper side. Anthracnose, another common spinach disease, is characterized by small, tan lesions on leaves. These tan lesions are necrotic or dead areas of the leaf. All of these fungal diseases may be treated with a fungicide according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Read the labels carefully, as some fungicides may be phytotoxic when applied at high temps. Remove and destroy any diseased leaves. Keep the area around the plants free from weeds that may harbor pathogens and insects.

How To Grow Spinach In Pots For Fresh Greens Anywhere

Growing a veggie garden is more popular than ever, but what if you don’t have a foot of garden space to call your own?

Even those without access to an outside garden plot can grow a variety of vegetables via container gardening. Some of the easiest and best to grow are greens, particularly spinach in containers. I’ve been in this very situation myself and can attest that growing spinach in pots is so easy the kids can do it. Keep reading while I tell you how to grow spinach in pots.

Can You Grow Spinach in a Pot?

Yes, you can grow spinach as well as many other types of greens in containers. The beauty of spinach is its versatility. It can be eaten fresh or cooked and canned or frozen. Plus, if you time it right, you can plant successive plantings or even multiple crops.

How to Grow Spinach in Pots

Like all crops, spinach requires specific light, water, soil, and temperature to grow. Spinach is a cool weather crop best to plant in the spring or fall but you can also grow it in containers indoors, effectively extending your harvest season. Easy to grow and fast to mature, spinach is the perfect crop for a container garden.

• Light Spinach should be grown in an area of full sun; at least 6-8 hours per day. That said, since spinach is a cool weather plant, the heat of high summer will cause it to struggle and bolt so when planting outdoors, plant April through May and August to September. Another benefit of growing spinach in pots is that you can move them around, ensuring plenty of light but not the burning rays of the sun.
• Water Spinach likes to be consistently moist but not sodden. Push your fingers into the soil to test for dryness. If the soil is dry, water well, allowing the excess to flow from the drainage holes of the pot. Water at the base of the plant to prevent fungal diseases. Mulching around the plants can also help to retain moisture, especially in pots which dry faster than plants in the ground.
• Temperature & Humidity Spinach is very sensitive to temperature. Too hot and the plant will bolt or the leaves burn, too cold and seeds will not germinate. Seeds germinate best in soil temps of 45-65 F (7-18 C). If your containers are outside, spinach can withstand frost but will need protection from temps over 80 F. Humidity is largely not an issue for spinach.
• Soil Use a nutrient-rich soilless potting mix or make your own well-draining mix with organic compost.
• Fertilizer If your soil has plenty of compost, your spinach may not need fertilization. Otherwise, use a liquid or time-release fertilizer that is rich in nitrogen. Be careful when applying time-release foods since spinach has delicate surface roots.
• Problems, Pests & Diseases Spinach grown indoors in pots rarely has an issue with pests. Outside, various soft-bodied insects may nibble on the tender leaves. They can be combated with insecticidal soap or BT dust or spray. Properly timed fungicides can reduce the incidence of fungal diseases as can proper watering. Water at the base of the plant, not at the leaves, and don’t leave the soil sodden, just moist.

How to Plant Spinach in Pots

Select your container. It should have adequate drainage holes and be of a size sufficient to contain the number of plants you wish to grow. For reference, spinach needs at least 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) of space per plant.

If planting outside, spinach should be planted 4-6 weeks before the average last frost date for your area in the spring and 6-8 weeks prior to the first frost date in the fall.

Sow seeds about ½ inch below the soil’s surface. Gently water the seeds in and keep the soil moist. Seeds should germinate in about 5-14 days. When the seedlings have their first set of true leaves, thin the crop.

Spinach leaves can be picked when small or wait until they are more mature; about 37-50 days from germination.

Pruning

Spinach does not need pruning per se but it can be harvested so it keeps growing which is somewhat similar. To harvest your spinach so it keeps on growing, simply use scissors or pruning snips to remove exterior leaves close to the base of the plant.

Leave ½ inch of stem above the soil’s surface after removing the stem to regrow. Never harvest more than 25-30% of the leaves off the plant. You want to leave it enough leaves to photosynthesize and continue to produce.

Propagation

Spinach is most commonly propagated through seeds. Always read the labels on seed packages, and follow the simple basic steps for germinating seeds.

Repotting

There is likely no need to repot your spinach plants as long as you give them containers that were large enough to accommodate their growth. Also, spinach does have shallow roots that dislike being dislodged and thus does not do well with transplantation.

Overwintering

Spinach likes moist, not sodden soil. If you feel you have overwatered your plants, now is the only time to repot them. Remove them from the drenched soil and repot them in new soil.

Best Spinach Varieties for Pots

Because spinach isn’t a large plant, most varieties will work well for container growing. Some options, however, are America, Bloomsdale, Double Choice, or Viroflay.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Does Spinach Grow Well in Containers? Spinach does very well as a container-grown crop. It is low maintenance with a fairly quick harvest date. It can be harvested all at once or “cut and come again” to extend your harvest. It can also be planted more than once in a season and takes little space.
• Can You Grow Spinach in a 5-gallon Bucket? You can grow spinach in a 5-gallon bucket but there really isn’t a need to. Spinach has shallow roots that won’t go to the bottom of the bucket. A shallow container might be better; 6-8 inches ( 15-20 cm). That said, you can incorporate spinach into a mini 5-gallon garden along with a tomato or pepper plant, some carrots, and onion for example.

Spinach is one of the fastest growing leafy vegetables. It is excellent when young in salads and the larger, mature leaves provide a fabulous addition to stir-fry or simply steamed. Later in the season, when I go out to harvest more of the delicious leaves, I usually see that my spinach is bolting. What does spinach bolting mean? Let’s learn more.

What Does Spinach Bolting Mean?

Spinach is filled with anti-oxidant properties. It is also high in Vitamins A and C, fiber, protein, and a host of other beneficial nutrients. As an overall vegetable, this plant gets high marks as a versatile addition to recipes. Enjoying fresh spinach from the garden is an early season joy, but over time, bolting of spinach will occur. In fact, spinach prefers the cooler season and will respond to heat by forming flowers and seeds. This tends to make the leaves quite bitter. The bitter flavor resulting from spinach bolting early is enough to keep you out of that vegetable patch. Spinach will begin to flower as soon as spring days begin to lengthen. The response comes when days are longer than 14 hours and temperatures creep above 75 degrees F. (23 C.). Spinach will grow in most soils as long as they are properly drained, but it prefers temperatures between 35 and 75 degrees F.(1-23 C.). Cool season varieties or broadleaf species will elongate, get taller, produce fewer leaves, and develop a flower head in warmer weather. Fortunately, I no longer worry that my spinach is bolting. Using one of the varieties developed to withstand warm weather prevents spinach bolting early.

Prevent Bolting of Spinach

Can you stop spinach from bolting? You can’t stop spinach from bolting in warm conditions, but you can try a variety that is bolt resistant to extend your spinach harvest. Oregon State University conducted trials with some of the new cultivars during the heat of summer. The most resistant to bolting were Correnta and Spinner, which didn’t bolt even during the longest days of heat. Tyee is another variety that is low to bolt, but it produces more slowly than the early season varieties. Expect harvestable leaves in 42 days as opposed to the spring types that can be used in 37 days. Other types to try are:

• Indian Summer
• Steadfast
• Bloomsdale

All of these may be sown from late spring to midsummer. Bolting of spinach is minimized but even the heat tolerant varieties will still send out seed at some point. A good idea is to practice crop rotation by planting the cool season varieties in early spring and late summer and using the low bolt types during the hotter season. To further prevent bolting of spinach, know when to plant each variety of seed.

• Plant cool season types four to six weeks before the date of the last frost in your region. You can also use these seeds six to eight weeks before the first frost in fall.
• In cooler climates, you can plant seed in a cold frame in fall or cover late season plants with hay. Remove the hay in spring and you will have one of the earliest crops of spinach around.
• The bolt resistant, heat tolerant types should be sown any time during the hotter months.

By following this plan, you can have fresh spinach from your garden all year long.

You are in for a real surprise when you grow Red Malabar spinach plant (Basella alba 'Rubra'). The vibrant reddish-purple stems are the real standouts, popping out of a sea of green leaves. An interesting tidbit of red-stem spinach info is that it is an heirloom that is not a true spinach. Unlike traditional spinach (Spinacia oleracea), this plant grows as a twining vine, adding even more beauty and interest to the garden as well as culinary possibilities.

Red-Stem Spinach Info

Malabar spinach is native to Africa and Southeast Asia and a relative of many tropical vines, such as Madeira vine. Although the name is confusing, since the plant is not related to spinach, you can use the leaves and stems in the same way. The plant has thick, but tender, stems with leaves that range from round to oval and even heart shaped. Red Malabar spinach plant cannot tolerate frost and its growth is very slow if temperatures are below 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 C.). Red Malabar climbing spinach really prefers heat and bright sun, much like me!

How to Grow Red Malabar Climbing Spinach

In USDA zone 7 or warmer, you can plant by this heirloom seed 2 to 3 weeks after your last frost. Those of us in northern and temperate climes will be forced to start seeds indoors 6 weeks before our last frost. Scarify the seed with some sandpaper to speed up germination. Provide a stake or trellis for the vine to shimmy up and use plant ties loosely to help it adhere. If you are lucky enough to know someone with the plant, you can also start it from cuttings. Red Malabar spinach plants need consistent moisture to prevent bolting and bitter leaves. Prune the leaves and stems as you need to use them. Eat them fresh, sautéed or steamed in any recipe. A wide variety of leafy textures and colors provide as much bang in the garden as a sea of flowers. Mix Red spinach plants with kale, beet greens, coleus, rainbow Swiss chard, purple stemmed sugar cane, and other lively foliage colors. The resulting garden will knock your socks off with the swaying foliage and interlocking colors. It is also perfectly at home in a container surrounded by annual summer flowers or fragrant trailing herbs. This plant is a pleasant addition to either the traditional veggie garden or simply used for its ornamental beauty. Enjoy the taste and showgirl dazzle of this unique edible heirloom plant.

Easy to grow and quick to harvest, spinach is one of the mainstays of the vegetable garden. It grows best in the cool part of the year, but with bolt-resistant varieties and a little shade, you can grow spinach in summer too. This nutritious vegetable is tasty when served raw or cooked, but unfortunately, pesky insects love it just as much.

Common Spinach Pests

There are a number of insects that feast on spinach plants. However, the most common spinach pests that affect these plants include the following:

• Cutworms and wireworms - Cutworms cut young seedlings off at ground level and wireworms feed on the foliage and roots. Older transplants are less appealing to these insects than tender seedlings. To trap wireworms, plant full grown carrots in the garden every 2 ½ to 3 feet (76-91 cm.). Pull up the carrots every two or three days and remove the trapped wireworms, then replace the carrot in the garden. Cutworms respond to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and spinosad spray.
• Flea beetles - Flea beetles feed on young foliage. The damage consists of a number of small holes, leaving the leaf looking as though it's been hit by a blast from a shotgun. The leaves sometimes have bleached and pitted areas as well. The insects are so tiny that you may never see them. Use reflective mulch or lay sheets of aluminum foil under the plants. Carbaryl and pyrethrum insecticides sometimes help reduce serious infestations.
• Slugs and snails - Slugs and snails also leave holes in spinach leaves. You can tell the difference by the size of the hole—slug and snail holes are much larger—and by the slime trail slugs and snails leave behind. Baits and traps are the best way to control these insects.
• Aphids - Aphids are probably the most common of spinach pests. Natural enemies generally keep them in check. If you need more help, use insecticidal soaps or neem oil.
• Leaf miners - Leaf miners leave meandering tan trails on the leaves. Since they are feeding inside the leaves, contact insecticides aren't effective. Clip off infested leaves and destroy them before the larvae have a chance to mature.

Spinach Diseases

Just as with pests, other issues with spinach can pop up in the garden. Of those most often seen are spinach diseases, which include:

• Damping off - Damping off disease causes seedlings to fall over and die soon after they emerge. Plant quality seeds and avoid overwatering to help prevent the disease. Process compost thoroughly in a hot pile before adding it to the garden soil.
• Downy mildew - Downy mildew causes yellow or light green spots on the upper surface of leaves with white fungus on the lower surface. There is no cure, and the best course of action is to remove infected plants. Preventative measures include spacing plants at the recommended distance to allow good air circulation and applying water directly to the soil to keep the foliage dry. Avoid planting spinach next year if you have problems with downy mildew this year. This gives the disease spores a chance to die out.
• Viruses - Viruses that infect spinach are often spread by insects, so control insect infestations as much as possible. There is no cure for infected plants. Pull up and destroy the plants to prevent the spread of the virus.

Tackling Common Spinach Problems

Common spinach problems and issues with spinach are sometimes caused by the way we grow the plant and environmental conditions. Spinach grows and tastes best in cool weather. In hot weather, seeds are slow to germinate and may not germinate at all. Heat also causes the plants to bolt (go to seed) quickly, ruining the flavor of the crop. Plant the seeds in late winter or early spring for an early crop or in late summer or early fall for a fall or winter crop. If you want to try growing spinach in summer, plant it where it will receive a half day of shade.

Spinach is a green, leafy vegetable rich in iron and vitamin C that can be enjoyed fresh or cooked. It is a fast-growing plant and in most areas, you can get multiple crops in the growing season. Spinach tends to bolt and get bitter when temperatures soar, so harvest time is important to get the best leaves. Choosing when to pick spinach depends on whether you want baby leaves or full-grown. Picking spinach as needed is called “cut and come again” and is a good way to harvest this highly perishable vegetable.

When to Pick Spinach

When to pick spinach is an important consideration in order to get the best-tasting leaves and prevent bolting. Spinach is a cool-season crop that will flower or bolt when the sun is high and temperatures are warm. Most varieties mature in 37 to 45 days and can be harvested as soon as it is a rosette with five or six leaves. Baby spinach leaves have a sweeter flavor and a more tender texture. Spinach leaves should be removed before they get yellow and within a week of full leaf formation. There are a few methods on how to harvest spinach as a complete harvest or continuous harvest.

How to Harvest Spinach

Small spinach leaves can be harvested with scissors by simply cutting the leaves at the stem. One way to do this is to start harvesting the outer, older leaves first and then gradually working your way into the center of the plant as those leaves mature. You can also just cut the whole plant off at the base. Harvesting spinach by this method will often allow it to re-sprout and give you another partial harvest. When considering how to pick spinach, decide if you will use the entire plant immediately or just need a few leaves. Picking spinach will accelerate its decay since the leaves don't keep well. There are ways to preserve the vegetable but it needs a proper cleaning first. Spinach should be soaked or rinsed several times to remove the dirt and any discolored or damaged leaves taken out of the harvest. Fresh spinach can be kept in the refrigerator for ten to fourteen days. The best temperature to keep spinach is 41 to 50 F. (5-10 C.). Bundle the stems together lightly and place them in a paper towel in a plastic bag. Handle spinach leaves gently as they are prone to bruising.

Preserving Spinach

After harvesting spinach, use what leaves you can as a fresh vegetable. In a bumper crop, you can steam or sauté the extra leaves and chop them. Freeze the resulting product in sealed containers or bags. Plant a fall crop in early August for harvest all the way into October or until freezing temperatures arrive.

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is one of the easiest, most rewarding and exceptionally nutritious leafy greens a gardener can grow. This cool-season vegetable thrives in the mild temperatures of spring and fall. Whether harvested as baby greens for salads or allowed to mature for cooking, spinach produces a crop quickly and can provide weeks of fresh harvests from a relatively small planting area. Because it matures quickly—often in as little as 30 to 50 days—it is an excellent choice for succession planting and small-space vegetable gardens.

Native to central and southwestern Asia, spinach has been cultivated for centuries and continues to be a staple in vegetable gardens around the world. The plants form low-growing rosettes of dark green leaves that are rich in vitamins A, C, and K, along with iron, folate, and other essential nutrients. Because spinach grows quickly and tolerates chilly weather, it is often among the first crops planted in spring and one of the last harvested in fall.

Overall, spinach is considered one of the most beginner-friendly vegetables available. With cool temperatures, fertile soil, and regular watering, even novice gardeners starting a vegetable garden can enjoy an abundant harvest of fresh, nutritious leaves.

Quick Spinach Facts

What Is Spinach?

Spinach is a fast-growing leafy vegetable grown for its nutritious and delicious green leaves. A member of the amaranth family, spinach is related to beets and Swiss chard rather than lettuce, despite often being grouped with salad greens in the garden.

The plant forms a compact rosette of smooth, crinkled, or slightly savoyed leaves depending on the variety. Leaves may be harvested when small and tender for fresh salads or allowed to mature for use in soups, sautés, casseroles, smoothies, and countless other dishes. The versatility of spinach is one reason it remains a favorite among home gardeners.

Spinach is especially prized for its nutritional value. The leaves contain significant amounts of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate, iron, calcium, magnesium, and antioxidants. Fresh spinach can be eaten raw, while cooking reduces volume and concentrates flavor, making it an excellent addition to many recipes. There are numerous culinary and household uses for spinach beyond salads and side dishes.

Spinach is grown as an annual crop. Once plants bolt and produce flowers and seed stalks, leaf quality rapidly declines. Most gardeners grow spinach during cooler weather and replace plantings throughout the season to maintain a steady harvest.

Types of Spinach

Home gardeners have a choice of three primary types of spinach to grow. While all are grown similarly, each offers their own unique characteristics that may appeal to different gardeners and cooks.

• Savoy spinach. Savoy spinach produces heavily crinkled, dark green leaves with excellent cold tolerance. The textured foliage has an attractive appearance in the garden, and it also tends to be highly productive. Savoy types are commonly grown for fresh eating and cooking.
• Semi-savoy spinach. Semi-savoy varieties have the attractive texture of savoy spinach but with smoother leaves that are easier to wash and prepare. Home gardeners prefer these varieties because they offer good disease resistance and adaptability.
• Flat-leaf spinach. Flat-leaf spinach produces smooth, broad leaves that are easy to harvest and clean. This is the type most commonly sold in grocery stores and packaged salad mixes. For many gardeners, flat-leaf varieties are the only type of spinach they know!  
• Baby spinach. Baby spinach is not a separate type but rather a harvesting stage. Leaves are picked when young and tender, usually about 3 to 4 inches (7.5-10 cm) long. Baby spinach is a favorite in fresh salads for its mild flavor.

Gardeners can choose from dozens of different varieties of spinach within these categories, including varieties bred for cold tolerance, disease resistance, slower bolting, and improved heat tolerance.

Planting Spinach

Spinach is a relatively easy crop to grow, but properly timing the planting of it is critical. Unlike tomatoes and peppers, spinach prefers cool weather and can struggle once temperatures become consistently warm. Successful gardeners focus on planting early, keeping the soil evenly moist, and providing conditions that minimize heat stress.

Because spinach grows quickly and has a shallow root system, it performs best when planted directly into prepared garden soil. It is also an excellent crop for raised beds, containers, cold frames, and used in succession planting programs.

When to Plant Spinach

Spinach can be grown in USDA Zones 2-11, but planting times vary based on local climate.

In Zones 2-6, spinach is typically planted as soon as the soil can be worked in spring, often four to six weeks before the final frost date. A second crop can be planted in late summer for fall harvest.

In Zones 7-8, spinach is often grown both spring and fall crops. Fall-planted spinach may survive winter if it’s given some protection and could resume growth when temperatures warm.

In Zones 9-11, spinach is generally grown as a cool-season crop from fall through early spring. Gardeners sow seeds from September through February, depending on local conditions.

Because spinach seeds germinate best in cool soil, so aim for sowing seeds when soil temperatures are between 45 F and 70°F (7°C -21°C). Germination becomes increasingly difficult when soil temperatures exceed 85°F (29°C).

To extend the harvest season, sow small amounts of seed every two to three weeks during prime spinach-growing weather. This succession planting strategy gives you a continuous supply of fresh leaves rather than one large harvest all at once.

Best Soil for Spinach

Provide your spinach crop fertile, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Because the crop develops quickly and produces lots of foliage, nutrient-rich soil is essential for strong growth.

Before planting, work 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm) of finished compost or aged manure into the top 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm) of soil. Organic matter improves soil drainage, boosts fertility, and helps maintain consistent moisture levels.

Spinach prefers slightly alkaline to neutral soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. Although plants can tolerate slightly more acidic conditions, growth may faulter if soil becomes excessively acidic. The Jonathan Green Soil pH Kit available at Lowe’s is an easy way to monitor your soil’s alkalinity levels.

Spinach planted in poorly drained locations can lead to root problems, which exacerbates disease.

Light Requirements

Spinach grows best in full sun, especially during spring and fall when temperatures are cool. Try to provide at least six hours of direct sunlight daily for the most leaves.

That said, spinach is more tolerant of partial shade than many other vegetables. In regions with warm springs or mild winters, afternoon shade can actually improve performance by helping plants remain cooler, thereby reducing heat stress. This can delay the onset of bolting and flowering, and extend harvests.

Spinach’s tolerance of shade makes it a great crop to squeeze into somewhat shady spots where other crops might struggle. Even though plants grown in heavier shade may produce fewer leaves, they are at least producing something where other crops might not.

In warmer climates, position spinach where it receives morning sun and afternoon shade in order to prolong its growing season.

How to Plant Spinach—Step by Step

Planting spinach requires little more than cool weather, prepared soil, and consistent moisture.

1. Choose an appropriate site. Select a location with full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil rich in organic matter.
2. Prepare the planting bed. Incorporate compost or aged manure and remove weeds, rocks, and debris.
3. Sow seeds directly. Plant seeds ½ inch (1.3 cm) deep in rows or broadcast them over prepared soil.
4. Space properly. Space seeds about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Rows should be spaced 12 to 18 inches (30-45 cm) apart.
5. Water gently. Keep the soil consistently moist during germination. Spinach seeds can take 5 to 14 days to sprout depending on temperature.
6. Thin seedlings. Once seedlings develop their first true leaves, thin plants to 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm) apart. Don’t compost those thinned seedlings! Use them atop salads for extra nutrition.
7. Mulch lightly. Apply a thin layer of straw, shredded leaves, or compost around plants to help conserve moisture and suppress weeds.
8. Continue succession sowing. Plant additional rows every few weeks during cool weather to extend the harvest period.

With proper timing and favorable temperatures, spinach establishes quickly and begins producing harvestable leaves within just a few weeks.

Spinach Care

Once your spinach seedlings are established, you’ll have very little maintenance. The key to a productive crop is keeping plants growing steadily without stress. Consistent moisture, fertile soil, and cool temperatures encourage rapid leaf production and help delay bolting. Because spinach matures quickly, even small interruptions and stressors can affect leaf quality and harvest yields.

How Often to Water Spinach

Spinach has shallow roots and so depends on consistent soil moisture to produce tender, flavorful leaves. Dry soil can slow growth, cause leaves to become tough or bitter, and accelerate bolting.

Provide about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water per week, either through rainfall, watering or a combination of both.  During warm or windy weather, spinach plants may need additional watering. Keep the soil evenly moist but never waterlogged.

Deep watering is generally preferable to frequent light watering because it encourages stronger root development. Put water at the base of the plants whenever possible to keep foliage dry and reduce the risk of fungal diseases. A soaker hose such as the Ace Soaker Hose Pro available at Ace Hardware does a great job at irrigation long and deeply without wetting the spinach leaves.  

Fertilizing Spinach

Because spinach is grown primarily for its foliage, plenty of nitrogen is essential for healthy growth. Plants growing in fertile soil amended with compost often require little additional nutrition, but spinach benefits from supplemental nutrients if growth looks slow or leaves become pale.

The compost or aged manure you mixed into the soil before planting provides a strong nutritional foundation. If the growth appears pale, apply a balanced vegetable fertilizer such as Espoma Garden-Tone Herb & Vegetable Food (3-4-4) available at Home Depot or one slightly higher in nitrogen.

Side-dressing with compost when plants are several inches tall can provide a gentle nutrient boost without encouraging excessive growth. Fish emulsion and other organic liquid fertilizers are also good sources of nutrition.

At the same time, avoid overfertilizing. Adding more nutrients may produce overly lush growth that can be more susceptible to disease and may reduce overall leaf quality.

Mulching Spinach

Mulching is one of the simplest ways to improve spinach production. A layer of organic mulch helps retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and moderate soil temperatures.

Apply 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm) of straw, shredded leaves, compost, or other organic material around established plants. Keep mulch from touching the plants prevent excess moisture from accumulating around the stems.

Mulch becomes especially valuable as temperatures to rise in late spring. By keeping the root zone cooler, mulch can help reduce plant stress, which will delay bolting.

Protecting Spinach from Heat Stress and Bolting

Heat is the biggest challenge facing spinach growers. When temperatures and daylight hours increase, spinach naturally shifts from leaf production to reproduction. This process is known as bolting and causes plants to send up tall flower stalks and directs energy away from producing tender leaves.

While bolting is a natural part of the plant's life cycle, you can take some measures to delay it and extend your harvests.

• Plant spinach during the coolest times of the growing season. In many areas this means early spring and again in late summer for fall harvests. For gardeners in warm climates, this means growing spinach during fall, winter, and early spring.
• Consistent watering is critical. Drought stress can trigger premature bolting, even when temperatures remain relatively moderate. Mulching helps maintain uniform soil moisture and keeps roots cooler.
• Providing afternoon shade. This can reduce stress during warm weather. Even though spinach grows best in full sun during cool seasons, some protection from intense afternoon heat may prolong production as temperatures increase. Provide shade with a material such as the Coolaroo Garden Shade Cloth available from Amazon, which blocks up to 50% of UV rays.
• Select slow-bolting varieties. Many modern cultivars have been bred to tolerate warmer conditions and resist premature flowering.
• Once flower stalks begin forming, leaf quality declines rapidly. Harvest remaining usable leaves promptly and replace plants with a new succession planting if temperatures permit.

Gardeners who struggle to grow traditional spinach during hot weather may wish to explore heat-tolerant alternatives and spinach-like greens.

Harvesting Spinach

Spinach is one of the quickest vegetables to be ready for harvest. Depending on the variety and growing conditions, leaves are often ready to pick within 30 to 50 days of planting.

You can harvest spinach at several stages. If you want “baby” spinach leaves, pick them when they reach 3 to 4 inches (7.5-10 cm) long. These young leaves are especially tender and well suited for fresh salads. The Fiskars Micro-Tip Garden Pruning Shears available at Walmart make harvesting baby spinach a breeze.

For mature spinach, wait until leaves reach full size before harvesting. The outer leaves can be picked individually while allowing the center of the plant to continue producing new growth. This is called the cut-and-come-again method, and it can extend a harvest from a single planting by several weeks.

Alternatively, entire plants can be harvested by cutting them at the soil line. This method is common when harvesting larger quantities for cooking or preserving.

Harvest during the cool morning hours whenever possible. This is when leaves are typically crispest and most flavorful at this time of day.

Harvest frequently to prevent leaves from becoming overly large or tough. Once plants begin to bolt, pick any remaining usable leaves.

Storing Spinach

From experience with store-bought spinach, you likely know that fresh spinach is highly perishable and should be used soon after harvest for the best flavor and texture. But by properly storing it, you can help extend its freshness and reduce waste.

After harvesting, remove damaged leaves and excess soil. Unless the spinach is especially dirty, delay washing until just before use. That excess moisture from washing can shorten storage life.

Store spinach in the refrigerator at temperatures between 32°F and 40°F (0°C-4°C). Place leaves in a perforated plastic bag or loosely wrapped container lined with paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Under ideal conditions, spinach generally remains fresh for five to ten days.

If you’ve harvested a large amount, you can preserve it for later use. Freezing is one of the most common methods. Briefly blanch leaves in boiling water, cool them in ice water, drain thoroughly, and freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags.

You can also dehydrate it for soups, seasonings, and long-term storage, although you’ll find it loses some texture and flavor.

Propagating Spinach

Spinach is propagated only by seed. Direct sowing into garden beds is generally the best method because spinach develops a delicate root system that can be disturbed during transplanting. Seeds germinate readily in cool soil and establish quickly when planted directly in the garden.

If you are looking to save seed, allow a few healthy plants to bolt and flower. Because spinach is wind pollinated and can cross with nearby spinach varieties, seed-saving is easiest when you grow only one variety or when it is isolated from other types.

Once seed stalks dry and turn brown, collect the seeds and store them in a cool, dry location until the next planting season. When properly stored, spinach seed can remain viable for several years.

Spinach Problems

Pests

Several insects may feed on spinach foliage. Aphids, leaf miners, flea beetles, and slugs are among the most common offenders. Damage may appear as chewed leaves, tunnels within the leaf surface, or distorted growth.

Diseases

Spinach is a cool-season crop, but cool and damp conditions can also encourage diseases such as downy mildew, leaf spot, anthracnose, fusarium wilt, and damping off in seedlings. Symptoms may include yellowing leaves, spotting, wilting, or poor growth.

Preventing these just takes a commitment to ensuring there’s good air movement through the crop and you are watering properly. Disease-resistant varieties can help reduce disease problems, as well.

For more detailed troubleshooting, visit:

• Common spinach problems
• Downy mildew
• Leaf spot
• Anthracnose
• Fusarium wilt
• Diseases of spinach seedlings

Another common issue is bolting, which occurs when plants begin flowering and stop producing quality leaves.

Growing Spinach in Containers

No garden space for spinach? No problem! Growing spinach in containers will remedy that. Spinach is well suited to container gardening because of its compact size, shallow root system, and quick growth.

Select a container that is at least 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm) deep and has drainage holes. Wider containers are generally better for spinach because its roots remain relatively shallow. Fill the container with a high-quality potting mix rich in organic matter.

Because containers dry out more quickly than garden beds, you’ll need to keep an eye on moisture levels carefully. Water the container whenever the top inch (2.5 cm) of soil begins to dry.

Container-grown spinach benefits from the same cool temperatures favored by garden-grown plants. During warm weather, move containers to locations that receive afternoon shade whenever possible. Succession sowing works especially well in containers and helps maintain a continuous supply of fresh leaves.

Growing Spinach Indoors

Growing spinach indoors allows gardeners to enjoy fresh greens year-round. The biggest challenge is providing enough light. A sunny south-facing window may work during portions of the year, but supplemental grow lights generally produce better results.

Use a container at least 6 inches (15 cm) deep filled with a good quality potting mix. Sow seeds directly and keep soil consistently moist during germination.

Indoor spinach grows best when temperatures remain between 55°F and 70°F (13°C-21°C). Yes, indoor-grown spinach can bolt, too, especially when it is excessively warm indoors. Keep it in a location that stays relatively cool.

Growing Spinach Using Hydroponics

Spinach adapts remarkably well to hydroponic growing systems and is one of the most popular leafy greens for soilless cultivation. The crop benefits from a consistent supply of water, nutrients, and oxygen, resulting in rapid growth and clean, tender leaves. And because there is no soil involved, many common soil-borne diseases are reduced.

Cool temperatures remain important even in hydroponic systems. Water temperatures that are too warm can reduce growth and increase disease risks. Hydroponic spinach is often harvested as baby greens but can also be grown to maturity for larger leaves.

Companion Planting Spinach

Companion planting spinach with other crops can help maximize garden space while improving overall plant health. Because spinach grows quickly and occupies relatively little room, it pairs well with many vegetables and herbs.

Good spinach companions include:

• Radishes, which mature quickly and help maximize garden space
• Peas, which enjoy similar cool-season conditions
• Lettuce, another shallow-rooted leafy crop
• Brassicas such as broccoli, kale, and cabbage
• Strawberries, which can provide light shade
• Onions and garlic, which may help deter certain pests

Plants to avoid near spinach include:

• Potatoes, which compete for nutrients and growing space
• Fennel, which is known to inhibit the growth of many garden vegetables

Spinach Growing Essentials

• The Jonathan Green Soil pH Kit available at Lowe’s is an easy way to monitor your soil’s alkalinity levels.
• If the growth appears pale, apply a balanced vegetable fertilizer such as Espoma Garden-Tone Herb & Vegetable Food (3-4-4) available at Home Depot.
• A soaker hose such as the Ace Soaker Hose Pro available at Ace Hardware does a great job at irrigation long and deeply without wetting the spinach leaves.  
• Protect your spinach from the intense afternoon sun with the Coolaroo Garden Shade Cloth available from Amazon.
• The Fiskars Micro-Tip Garden Pruning Shears available at Walmart make harvesting baby spinach a breeze.