Spinach is one of the most satisfying cool-weather crops to grow, producing large yields of vitamin-rich, dark green leaves that are excellent for salads and for cooking. Since both hot weather and long days trigger spinach to bolt (send up a seed stalk) quickly, the secret to success with this crop is to start sowing seeds as soon as possible in spring; to make small, frequent plantings during late spring and summer; and to concentrate on autumn as the season for the main crop.
Spinach
€4.20
WHEN TO PLANT SPINACH
- Spring plantings can be made as soon as the soil can be properly worked. In order to give spinach the required six weeks of cool weather from seeding to harvest, it’s important to seed as soon as you can.
- For proper germination, soil should not be warmer than 70ºF (21°C).
- Successive plantings should be made every two weeks during early spring.
- Gardeners in northern climates can harvest early-spring spinach if it’s planted just before the cold weather arrives in fall. Protect the young plants with a cold frame or thick mulch through the winter, then remove the protection when soil temperature in your area reaches 40ºF (5°F).
- Common spinach cannot grow in midsummer. (For a summer harvest, try New Zealand Spinach or Malabar Spinach, two similar leafy greens that are more heat tolerant.)
- If you live in a place with mild winters, you can also plant in the autumn. Wait to plant until soil temps are cool enough.
Spinach is one of the most satisfying cool-weather crops to grow, producing large yields of vitamin-rich, dark green leaves that are excellent for salads and for cooking. Since both hot weather and long days trigger spinach to bolt (send up a seed stalk) quickly, the secret to success with this crop is to start sowing seeds as soon as possible in spring; to make small, frequent plantings during late spring and summer; and to concentrate on autumn as the season for the main crop.
