Spinach

Sun

Full sun in cool weather; light afternoon shade can extend harvesting as conditions warm.

Water

Keep soil evenly moist, providing about 1 in (2.5 cm) of water weekly when rain is insufficient. Containers may need more frequent watering.

Soil

Fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil, ideally pH 6.5-7.5.

Height

6-12 in (0.15-0.3 m) in leaf; flowering stems can reach 2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m).

Spread

6-12 in (0.15-0.3 m)

Foliage

Green, rounded to arrow-shaped leaves forming a low rosette; leaves may be smooth, lightly puckered or deeply crinkled, depending on the variety.

Growth

Fast; baby leaves are often ready in 4-6 weeks, with larger leaves in 6-8 weeks.

Care needed

Low

• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

2. After 1 year

   0.7 ft (0.22 m)

   full size

Full size in one season.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Fast

• Sow directly into workable soil in cool weather; thin seedlings to 4-6 in (10-15 cm) apart for full-sized plants.
• Water at soil level before the root zone dries out; drought encourages premature flowering.
• Mix mature compost into the bed before sowing; use a modest nitrogen feed only if growth is pale or weak.
• Apply a thin mulch once seedlings are established, keeping it clear of their crowns.
• Make small sowings every two to three weeks while conditions remain cool.

Pruning. No ornamental pruning is needed. Pick outer leaves while leaving the growing centre intact, or cut the whole rosette at soil level; remove plants once they send up flowering stems.

Pick baby spinach when leaves are 5–8 cm (2–3 in) long, usually 3–5 weeks after sowing, or let them reach 10–15 cm (4–6 in) for full-size leaves. Snip the outer leaves at the base, leaving the central growing point intact for more pickings. Harvest while leaves are tender and before a flower stalk forms, as bolting makes them tougher and bitter.

Late winter

Prepare beds with compost; in mild climates, sow under fleece or in an unheated greenhouse.

Early spring

Direct-sow as soon as soil is workable, then thin seedlings and protect them from slugs.

Mid-spring

Make another small sowing and begin harvesting outer leaves from established plants.

Late spring

Keep beds watered and harvest promptly; remove plants that begin to bolt.

Late summer

Resume sowing as temperatures fall; keep the seedbed moist and lightly shaded during hot spells.

Autumn

Harvest regularly and protect late crops with fleece or a cold frame where winters are mild.

Winter

In mild districts, pick protected crops sparingly; elsewhere, clear finished plants and plan spring sowings.

• Plant short rows or blocks in a potager for a low, leafy contrast to upright vegetables.
• Use as a temporary spring edging around raised vegetable beds, harvesting before neighbouring crops expand.
• Grow in broad containers near the kitchen for convenient baby-leaf picking.
• Fill gaps between slower-growing brassicas with an early crop that is removed before they need the space.

Garden styles it suits: Potager (kitchen garden), Edible landscape, Homestead, Cottage garden, Small-space and Family-friendly.

Plant it with: Radish, Lettuce, Peas, Spring onions, Cabbage and Strawberries.

Wildlife: Leaves may be eaten by slugs, snails and caterpillars. Flowers are mainly wind-pollinated, so spinach provides little nectar value for pollinating insects.

• Bolting: heat, long days and dry soil trigger flowering. Sow in cool seasons, maintain moisture and choose bolt-resistant varieties for later spring crops.
• Slugs and snails: protect young plants with barriers or wildlife-conscious slug controls, and remove nearby damp hiding places.
• Leaf miners: remove leaves containing pale winding tunnels or blotches; use insect mesh over new sowings before adults lay eggs.
• Downy mildew: yellow patches and grey-purple growth beneath leaves are favoured by damp conditions. Remove infected plants, improve spacing and choose resistant varieties.

The leaves and stems are edible for people and are not generally poisonous to cats or dogs in small food amounts. They contain soluble oxalates, which can be harmful in large quantities, particularly to animals with kidney problems; do not feed substantial quantities to pets or horses. People advised to limit dietary oxalates should follow their clinician's guidance.

• Perpetual spinach (Beta vulgaris)

  A leaf beet rather than true spinach, with larger leaves, stronger midribs and more substantial stalks; it tolerates summer warmth better and crops for longer.

• New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides)

  Has fleshy, roughly triangular leaves on spreading, branching stems rather than a compact rosette; it thrives in warm weather.

• Malabar spinach (Basella alba)

  A warm-season climbing vine with thick, glossy, heart-shaped leaves and fleshy green or reddish stems, unlike the low rosette of true spinach.

The species name oleracea is Latin for a vegetable or kitchen-garden plant.

Propagation. Propagate by seed, preferably sown directly about 0.5-1 in (1-2.5 cm) deep. Germination becomes unreliable in hot soil, so wait for cooler conditions or provide shade for late-summer sowings.

Accepted botanical name

Spinacia oleracea

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Alaska, Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Tadzhikistan, Afghanistan and Iran.

Measured

Soil pH 7 to 7.5. Average height 38 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.