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When to plant spinach
Plant spinach 3–6 weeks before the last spring frost in spring, or 5–8 weeks before the first fall frost for a fall crop. Wait until the soil is at least 40°F. That works out to zone 5b (late March to mid April), zone 7a (early March to late March) and zone 9a (mid January to early February).
Spinach planting dates by zone
| Zone | Spring | Fall | spinach ready from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4a | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Aug 1 – Aug 22 | May 24 |
| 4b | Apr 1 – Apr 22 | Aug 4 – Aug 25 | May 22 |
| 5a | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Aug 6 – Aug 27 | May 20 |
| 5b | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | Aug 13 – Sep 3 | May 14 |
| 6a | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 20 – Sep 10 | May 8 |
| 6b | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | Aug 24 – Sep 14 | May 2 |
| 7a | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | Aug 30 – Sep 20 | Apr 24 |
| 7b | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | Sep 6 – Sep 27 | Apr 14 |
| 8a | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | Sep 12 – Oct 3 | Apr 4 |
| 8b | Feb 2 – Feb 23 | Sep 20 – Oct 11 | Mar 25 |
| 9a | Jan 19 – Feb 9 | Oct 1 – Oct 22 | Mar 11 |
| 9b | Dec 24 – Jan 14 | Oct 15 – Nov 5 | Feb 13 |
How to plant spinach
| Plant as | seeds outdoors |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | 40°F or warmer |
| Depth | 1/2 in |
| Spacing | 3–6 in |
| Light | Full sun to part shade |
| Time to harvest | 40–50 days |
Spinach germinates in cold soil (down to 40°F) but poorly above 75°F.
Lengthening days trigger bolting, so spring sowings must be early.
Fall-sown spinach can overwinter under mulch in zones 5–7 for a very early spring crop.
When to harvest spinach
Pick outer leaves once plants have 5–6 leaves, or cut the whole plant before it bolts.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.
More vegetables to plant
Tomatoes · Bell peppers · Potatoes · Pumpkins · Cucumbers · Okra · Zucchini · Watermelon