How to Grow Spinach
Spinacia oleracea
When to Start
Direct sow outdoors as soon as soil reaches 4°C — typically early to mid spring. Can also be started indoors 3 weeks earlier for a head start.
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Growth Stages
Approximate days from start
Care Essentials
- Nitrogen-rich liquid feed every 2 weeks. Needs consistent moisture.
- Sow little and often. Prefers cool conditions — provide shade in summer. Perpetual spinach (chard family) is easier to grow.
Companion Planting
3 companion planting pea, strawberry, cabbage
Growing Conditions
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- Sow indoors
- —
- Transplant out
- —
- First harvest
- —
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Spacing & Planting
| Plant spacing | 12 cm |
| Row spacing | 25 cm |
| Sow depth | 2 cm |
| Mature height | 30 cm |
| Mature spread | 20 cm |
Allows plants to develop full-sized leaves. Can be sown more densely and thinned, using the thinnings as baby greens.
Companion Planting
Grows well with
Peas fix nitrogen through Rhizobium bacteria in their root nodules, steadily releasing it into the soil where shallow-rooted spinach can absorb it directly. The pea canopy also casts dappled shade that slows spinach bolting in warm weather.
▼Spinach acts as a living mulch under strawberry plants, its dense low leaves suppressing weeds and reducing soil moisture evaporation that benefits shallow strawberry roots. Spinach's cool-season preference also means it thrives while strawberries are still establishing in spring.
▼Spinach thrives in the partial shade cast by tall cabbage leaves, which moderates soil temperature and prevents the spinach from bolting prematurely in summer. This vertical stacking also makes efficient use of bed space without significant root competition between the two crops.
▼Care Guide
- Feeding
- Nitrogen-rich liquid feed every 2 weeks. Needs consistent moisture.
- Watch for
-
- Downy mildew
- Bolting in heat
- Slugs
- Leaf miners
Pests & Diseases
Pest Slugs and Snails
Identification: Irregular holes in leaves, particularly overnight; slime trails on foliage; seedlings eaten at ground level
- Apply organic slug pellets (ferric phosphate based) around plants
- Hand-pick at dusk; use beer traps
- Encourage natural predators such as frogs, hedgehogs, and ground beetles
- Apply ferric phosphate slug pellets around vulnerable plants
Pest Beet Leaf Miner
Identification: Pale, blotchy mines within leaves; larvae visible inside mines when held to light; affected leaves become papery and inedible
- Squash larvae within mines by pressing leaves between fingers
- Remove and destroy badly affected leaves
- Cover plants with fine mesh to prevent adult flies laying eggs
- No effective chemical sprays once larvae are inside leaves; prevention with mesh is the best approach
Pest Aphids
Identification: Clusters of green or black insects on leaf undersides and growing points; sticky honeydew; curled or distorted leaves
- Blast off with a jet of water
- Spray with insecticidal soap
- Encourage ladybirds and hoverflies as natural predators
- Spray with a contact insecticide containing pyrethrins
Disease Downy Mildew Peronospora farinosa f. sp. spinaciae
Symptoms: Yellow patches on upper leaf surfaces with blue-grey fuzzy growth on undersides; leaves become papery and die; plants may collapse
Treatment: Remove affected leaves promptly; improve air circulation; avoid overhead watering
Prevention: Space plants for good airflow; water at the base; choose resistant varieties; rotate crops; avoid overcrowding
Disease Leaf Spot (Cladosporium / Cercospora)
Symptoms: Small, round, tan or brown spots on leaves, sometimes with a darker border; spots may merge in severe cases; leaves yellow and drop
Treatment: Remove affected leaves; improve air circulation; avoid overhead watering
Prevention: Rotate crops; space plants well; water at the base; clear plant debris at end of season
Growing Conditions
| Min. soil temperature | 4°C |
| Germination temperature | 8–18°C |
| Base growth temperature | 2°C |
| Min. daylength to start | 8.5h |
| Photoperiod sensitivity | day neutral |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How far apart should I plant Spinach?
- Plant Spinach 12cm apart with 25cm between rows.
- When can I harvest Spinach?
- Spinach is ready to harvest approximately 30 days after transplanting.
- What grows well with Spinach?
- Spinach grows well with pea, strawberry, cabbage.
- Is Spinach frost hardy?
- Spinach is classified as Hardy.
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