Spinach: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
How and when do you sow spinach outdoors?
Sow spinach directly where it will grow, in fertile, well-drained soil that holds moisture. Choose sun in cool weather and light shade when conditions are warmer. In a temperate climate, favour spring and late summer or early autumn, adjusting the timing to your local weather and the variety. Avoid very hot or very cold conditions, and choose a hardy variety for overwintering.
Sow thinly in rows about 20–30 cm apart, following the seed packet's recommended depth. Water gently and keep the soil moist without waterlogging it. Thin young plants gradually to around 10–15 cm apart for mature leaves; closer sowing is possible for baby leaves. Thinning means removing excess seedlings, not transplanting all the plants. Sow small batches every few weeks when conditions are suitable and check young plants for slug and snail damage.
How to care for this plant
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Thin seedlings
If your spinach seedlings are crowded, thin initially to about 7–8 cm apart. For full-sized leaves, make more room later by harvesting alternate plants. Thinning is usually unnecessary for baby-leaf crops.
How do you harvest spinach?
Harvest your spinach once the leaves are large enough for the use you have in mind. Baby leaves may be ready after around a month in good conditions, while larger leaves take longer; the timing depends on the variety, season and weather. Pick a few outer leaves from each plant without damaging the growing centre so that new leaves can develop. An established plant can also be cut above its base, keeping the growing centre intact; regrowth depends on the plant's condition.
Harvest regularly before the plants bolt and use the leaves soon after picking. Keep them in the fridge for a few days, checking their condition rather than assuming they will keep for a full week. For longer storage, you can freeze prepared portions after blanching, cooling and draining them, following a suitable freezing method. Simply adding the leaves to a cooked dish does not by itself extend their storage life.
Spinach
- Type : Vegetables
- Subtype : Leafy vegetables
- Botanical Family : Chenopodiaceae
Characteristics
- Lifecycle : Annual
- Exposure : Partial Shade
- Frost Hardiness : Frost Resistant
- Cultivation Difficulty : Medium
- Mature height : 30 cm
Sowing & Planting
- Greenhouse crops : Unheated greenhouse
- Greenhouse Growing : Not Required
- Sowing Depth : 1 cm
- Plant Spacing : 10 cm
- Row Spacing : 25 cm
Maintenance
- Maintenance : Low
- Water Requirements : Moderate
Other characteristics
- Soil Type : Humus-rich
- Soil pH Preference : Acidic
- Pest Sensitivity : Moderate
- Disease Sensitivity : Moderate
- Weed Sensitivity : Moderate
- Pollination : Wind-pollinated
- Propagation : Sowing