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Growing spinach in containers


Growing Spinach In Containers - Learn About The Care Of Spinach In Pots

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Spinach

By: Amy Grant

Image by CarolinaSmith

If you’re short on garden space but committed to eating a healthy, balanced diet and would like to take part in growing your own produce, container gardening is the answer. Almost anything that grows in a garden can be grown in a container. Growing spinach in containers is an easy, nutrient-rich, fast-growing crop to start with. Read on to find out how to grow spinach in containers and the care of spinach in pots.

How to Grow Spinach in Containers

Spinach, for good reason, is Popeye’s favorite food, boosting his strength and energy. Dark leafy greens, such as spinach, contain not only iron, but vitamins A and C, thiamin, potassium, folic acid, as well as the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin.

These carotenoids keep eyes healthy, reducing the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts as you age. The antioxidants, vitamins A and C, help maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke while folic acid shows promise in reducing the risk of certain cancers. Plus, spinach tastes good and is so versatile it can be used in a multitude of dishes either fresh or cooked.

Growing spinach in a pot or other container is ideal. It allows you to harvest all of the delicious leaves for yourself before some other four-legged critter dines on your greens before you get to them. Growing spinach in a pot will also thwart nematodes and other soil borne pests and diseases. Container grown spinach is easily accessible too. It can be grown on the window sill, right outside the kitchen door or on a balcony. It’s easier to harvest and eat fresh greens when they are practically right in front of you.

Spinach only takes between 40-45 days to reach harvesting potential. This often allows for successive plantings depending upon your climactic region. Spinach is a cool-season crop and tends to bolt in warmer temps and is most suited to USDA zones 5-10. Provide the plants shade if temperatures exceed 80 F. (26 C.). A huge bonus of container grown spinach is that it can be easily moved around. Also, look for varieties that can take the heat if you live in a warmer region.

Spinach can be grown from seed or starts. Some of the smaller varieties of spinach, such as ‘Baby’s Leaf Hybrid’ and ‘Melody,’ are particularly suited to container growing. Plant your container grown spinach in pots that are 6-12 inches (15-30 cm.) across in soil amended with compost to aid in water retention and place in full sun. The soil pH should be around 6.0 to 7.0.

Sow seeds one inch (3 cm.) apart indoors and about three weeks before transplanting them outside. When they are 2 inches (5 cm.), thin them to 2-3 inches (5-8 cm.) apart. For transplants, set plants 6-8 inches (15-20 cm.) apart and water in well.

Care of Spinach in Pots

You can plant spinach alone or in conjunction with other plants with like requirements. Annuals, like petunias or marigolds, can be tucked in among spinach. Be sure to leave enough space for growth between the plants. The annuals will brighten up the container and as the weather warms and the spinach harvest comes to an end, continue to fill out the container. Parsley also likes to be kept cool, so it is a perfect companion to spinach as well. You could also teepee pole beans in the center of a large container and plant the spinach around it. As the spinach season wanes, the weather is warming and the pole beans begin to take off.

Anything grown in a pot tends to dry out more quickly than in the garden. Spinach needs consistent moisture, so be sure to water frequently.

Spinach is also a heavy feeder. Fertilize with a commercial food that contains plenty of nitrogen or use an organic fish emulsion or cottonseed meal. Initially, incorporate fertilizer into the soil prior to planting. Then feed the spinach after it has been thinned and again by side-dressing. Spread the fertilizer around the base of the plants and gently work it into the soil. Be careful, spinach has shallow roots that can be easily damaged.

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Tips for Growing Spinach in Containers

I love those funny jokes about spinach. You know, the ones where people poke fun at the way you can put an entire bag of spinach in a pan to saute, but you’ll only have a teaspoon of the green once it’s done cooking?

Okay, that’s a slight exaggeration – but we all know spinach loves to shrink, which means you need a lot of it if you want to serve it to more than a few people, or if you want to eat it regularly.

And why wouldn’t you? Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a good source of manganese, folate, and Vitamin C, and it’s an excellent source of Vitamin K and Vitamin A.

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Here’s my favorite solution to the age-old problem of shrinking spinach: grow it at home! You’ll have it on hand throughout the growing season, and if you grow several plants you won’t run out quickly, shrinking or not.

In our guide to growing spinach, we cover how to cultivate this leafy green in your garden.

But what if you don’t have space to grow it in your garden? Can you grow it in containers instead?

Absolutely! By growing it in pots, you can enjoy homegrown spinach fresh or sauteed, even if you live in an apartment or a city home with a small yard.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about growing spinach in pots.

What You’ll Learn

A Bit About Spinach

This nutritious green is a member of the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae, along with quinoa, globe amaranth, and love lies bleeding – I think it’s pretty amazing that humble-looking spinach is related to this stunning ornamental plant!

Other garden favorites like beets and Swiss chard are also part of the same botanical family.

S. oleracea is an annual that grows in a rosette pattern and sends up a central flower stalk if exposed to temperatures above 75°F.

The plant is suited to USDA Hardiness Zones 2 through 9, and the ideal temperature range for growing this cool-weather crop is between 50 and 70°F.

Some varieties have been bred to withstand higher temperatures, though, and we’ll share one of them with you below.

The leaves are flat and smooth for some varieties, and on others, they are heavily crinkled, a characteristic that’s referred to as “savoyed.” If the leaf is only partially crinkled, it’s called semi-savoy spinach.

Most cultivars grow six to 12 inches tall, with a similar width, and take around 40 to 50 days to mature. Spinach does well in full or partial sun and prefers rich, well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5.

Young, tender leaves can be harvested as baby spinach for salads and sandwiches, and mature greens can be sauteed, steamed, or added to soups and stews.

Choosing the Right Container

Spinach has a deep taproot, so you’ll need a container that’s at least eight to 10 inches wide and deep, with drainage holes in the bottom, for each plant.

This cream-colored ceramic container from the Home Depot is 10 inches deep and wide, making it an ideal pot for your greens, which will contrast nicely against the ivory color.

Ivory Rivage Ceramic Planter

I love that this planter is ideal for indoor or outdoor growing, and that it comes with a drainage dish attached.

You can also choose to use a plastic, vinyl, or wood container – whatever material suits your style.

Consider how often you’ll want to move the planter, too. WIll it stay in one place all the time, or will you want to bring it indoors or move it to other areas of your yard? A vinyl container is a lot easier to move than a ceramic one, for example.

Just make sure that the pot you choose has drainage holes in the bottom.

Another factor to think about is whether or not you have kids or pets running amok. If you do, you may want to choose a heavy planter that won’t tip over easily.

Preparing the Pot

Spinach is easy to propagate from seed, but you can also choose to purchase nursery starts instead if desired.

The ideal daytime temperature for growing spinach is 50 to 70°F, so it’s well suited to growing in the spring or fall.

Temperatures over 75°F will cause the plant to bolt, and the leaves to become bitter and tough. Plants can survive a light frost, but a hard freeze will kill them.

Check your seed packet for the expected number of days to maturity for your chosen variety, and calculate backwards – you want to be sure that the plant has time to mature before the heat of summer sets in for spring plantings, or before first frost for fall plantings.

In warmer climates, such as Zones 6 through 9, make sure you plant early enough that the temperatures aren’t at risk of creeping over 75°F during this time.

Gardeners in Zones 2 to 5 can start seeds indoors (more on that below) two to four weeks before the average last frost date, or sow outdoors in your containers two weeks after last frost.

Before you begin, you’ll need to select a potting mix. You can use a blend of one part topsoil purchased from a gardening store, one part well-rotted manure or compost, and one part peat moss.

Alternatively, use a potting mix such as Nature’s Care Organic Potting Mix, available at Home Depot.

Nature’s Care Organic Potting Mix

Whatever you use, the soil should be loose, rich, and well-draining.

When your planter is filled to about two inches from the rim with your desired growing medium, it’s time to add the plant or seeds.

Each eight to 10-inch container can hold one plant, so make one half-inch divot in the center of the planter and drop two seeds inside. I always sow two seeds in each hole in case one fails to germinate.

If you are using a larger container, space the plants four inches apart if you wish to harvest baby greens, or six inches apart for mature leaves.

Keep the soil moist until germination occurs, which should take about seven to 10 days. I like to use a spray bottle so that I don’t dislodge the seeds.

Thin your seedlings when they are four to six inches tall.

Alternatively, you can start seeds indoors in flats filled with seed-starting mix about two to four weeks before your area’s average last frost date.

Make a half-inch divot in each cell and drop two seeds inside. Keep the soil moist until germination, and then move the trays to a windowsill that receives at least six to eight hours of sunlight.

Or, you may want to put them under grow lights for 10 to 12 hours a day.

When the plants have two to three sets of true leaves and are about four to six inches tall, thin the weaker one out of each seed cell.

Next, harden off your young spinach plants by setting them outside for increasing amounts of time every day over the course of a week.

After that, they’ll be ready to transplant into the waiting containers outdoors.

To transplant your seedlings or nursery starts, make a hole that’s as deep and wide as the root ball.

Carefully remove the plant from its nursery container and set it in the waiting hole. Backfill with soil and irrigate deeply until water runs out of the drainage holes.

How to Grow

Spinach enjoys a full sun location in cooler areas, but in warmer climates it will benefit from part shade – such as on a covered porch or deck.

You can place the pot next to the other veggies in your container garden, but be sure to leave space between the containers so that each plant has adequate airflow.

Spinach needs at least one deep watering every week in the absence of rain but probably more, especially since the soil in containers tends to dry out more quickly than the earth does. Irrigate your plants until water comes out the bottom of the container.

Every three or four days, check the soil with your finger. If it feels dry two inches down, it’s time for another deep watering.

But avoid overwatering! Make sure to allow the potting mix to dry out a bit between waterings – this will help to keep fungal pathogens at bay. Also, do your best to water at the base of the plant to help keep the leaves dry.

Add a three-inch layer of organic mulch to the container to aid moisture retention, and to help the soil temperature remain even. This will also subdue any weeds that may pop up.

Spinach needs a steady diet of nitrogen in order to produce those vivid leaves. It also benefits from the phosphorus and potassium found in a balanced 10-10-10 (NPK) fertilizer.

Apply granular fertilizer every two to three weeks by working the recommended amount as outlined on the package into the top inch of soil surrounding the plant.

If you live in a warm growing zone, keep an eye on the heat outdoors. Once temperatures in your area creep up toward 75°F or higher, your spinach is at risk of bolting.

You can bring your plant inside, or move the container into a cooler, shadier area of your yard: under a shady tree, for example, or against your house but in an area that doesn’t get as much sun. Alternatively, use some shade cloth to shelter the plants from the sun during the warmest parts of the day.

Cold-weather growers can extend the growing season a little bit by bringing pots indoors once the local temperatures drop to 35°F. Place the container in a sunny windowsill, or in a cold frame or greenhouse.

Growing Tips

Cultivars to Select

Here are a few of our favorite cultivars for you to enjoy growing in containers:

America

If you’re searching for a heat-tolerant variety that will grow happily in containers even when temperatures rise above 75°F, try growing ‘America. ’

Suited to Zones 3 through 11, this heirloom grows up to eight inches tall and four inches wide, making it the perfect size for container growing.

‘America’

Also called ‘American’ and ‘American Long Standing,’ this bolt-resistant green is a 1952 cross between ‘Bloomsdale Dark Green’ and ‘Viking.’

Packets of these seeds, which mature in just 43 to 55 days, are available from True Leaf Market.

Double Choice

Some people like tender baby spinach. Others like it full grown. Whichever camp you fall into – maybe a bit of both? – ‘Double Choice’ gives you options, as the name suggests.

The plant grows 10 to 12 inches high, but you can harvest baby leaves when they’re just four to six inches tall. Or, wait the full 35 to 40 days for full-grown leaves.

If you’re growing spinach in containers in a cold growing zone, you’ll appreciate how quickly ‘Double Choice’ grows!

‘Double Choice’

‘Double Choice’ spreads four to six inches, and the semi-savoy leaves are perfect for salads. This hybrid thrives in Zones 3 through 9. Find packets of 350 seeds available from Burpee.

Viroflay

Do you dream of enormous leaves that make perfect pizza toppings and look amazing growing in a container? Then you’ll love ‘Viroflay,’ a French heirloom dating back to the mid-1800s.

The giant, arrowhead-shaped, semi-savoy leaves can grow up to 10 inches long!

You can see why this variety bears the nickname “Monster of Viroflay.” It’s monstrous spinach, indeed.

‘Viroflay’

‘Viroflay’ matures in 30 to 60 days and grows 18 to 24 inches tall.

Suited to Zones 3 through 10, you can find packets of seeds available from Eden Brothers.

Need More Options?

Then take a look at our guide, “37 of the Best Spinach Cultivars to Grow in Your Garden.”

Managing Pests and Disease

There’s a lot to love about spinach, including its general resistance to pests and disease.

Even better, if you’re growing your greens in a container, it’s not going to be brushing its leaves with those of other plants, so there’s even less of a chance that it’ll be plagued by any ailments.

That said, there are a few potential issues to watch out for.

If the plant is left in standing water, or the top two inches of soil aren’t allowed to dry out completely between waterings, it can develop fungal infections.

If you see yellow spots on the leaves that grow into larger, tan spots that are dry to the touch, you may be dealing with downy mildew.

White rust, a disease that prefers cool, humid conditions, can present as yellow spots on the upper leaves and white pustules on the undersides.

You can remove the affected leaves and dispose of them in the garbage can. If the infection is severe, you may need to toss the plants and soil, then start again with fresh potting soil.

Before you bring starts home from the nursery, check for aphids. These small, soft-bodied insects love to munch on spinach!

In small numbers, they aren’t much of a problem, although you’ll want to prune away infested leaves and spray neem oil on the plant to keep the population from increasing in size.

Bonide Neem Oil

I like to make a spray with this neem oil concentrate from Bonide, which you can purchase from Arbico Organics.

Too many aphids can suck so much juice out of your spinach that the leaves curl up and die. You don’t want that!

Learn more about how to deal with aphids in our guide.

The spinach crown mite (Tyrophagus similis) can also negatively affect your plant by chewing tiny holes in the leaves and causing deformities.

The mites are difficult – if not impossible – to see, but the tiny holes are a giveaway that you’re dealing with an infestation.

Neem oil is your friend here, too, and can help eliminate mite populations in your spinach. You can use neem oil up to the day before harvest, but be sure to wash the leaves thoroughly before you eat them.

Harvesting and Preserving

Even if you’re not growing ‘Double Choice,’ you can harvest your spinach at its “baby” stage, or when it’s between three and five inches tall.

Or, wait until it reaches its full, mature size – usually when the plant is between eight and 12 inches tall, depending on the cultivar.

It’s simple to harvest: just pinch the leaf off where the stem meets the base of the leaf, or a little bit further down the stem.

You can take up to half the leaves at a time on a single plant using this method, coming back in a week or two to harvest more of the older, bigger leaves.

If you’d rather harvest the entire mature plant at once, get your sharp kitchen scissors ready. Gather several leaves in one hand to help you see where you’re cutting and use the other to cut just above the soil line.

You’ll want to store your fresh spinach unwashed in a zip-top bag until you’re ready to eat it – which you should do in approximately five to seven days after the harvest date.

To freeze the leaves for use in smoothies and soups later on, just wash them and pop them into a gallon-sized freezer bag with a locking or zipping top. Enjoy within six months for the best flavor!

For more tips on harvesting spinach and how to store it, read our guide.

Recipes and Cooking Ideas

One of my favorite ways to use homegrown spinach is to sneak about one or two cups of fresh leaves, or a cup of frozen leaves, into a berry smoothie.

Photo by Meghan Yager.

Try this recipe from our sister site, Foodal. My five-year-old loves these smoothies, and while he’s not big on spinach, he doesn’t even taste it when I slide it into a blended beverage!

I love this savory spinach cake recipe, also from Foodal. Soft and moist, it’s also made with raisins, feta, and walnuts for a satisfying texture and phenomenal flavor.

Photo by Fanny Slater.

You can always toss spinach into a salad, mix it into your favorite lasagna recipe, use it for pesto, and more.

It’s Popeye’s Favorite, and It Can Be Yours, Too

Spinach is easy to grow in containers, so there’s no reason for you to miss out on tasty, nutritious homegrown greens, even if you live in a home with a small or nonexistent yard.

Have you ever grown spinach in a container? Share your stories and questions in the comments section below.

And in the meantime, check out these guides to growing and harvesting leafy greens vegetables next:

Growing Spinach in a Pot on a Windowsill: Grow and Care

If you're after a healthy, balanced diet and would like to grow your own food, but you don't have much or no space, container gardening is for you. Almost anything that grows in a garden can be grown in a container. Growing spinach in a pot is an easy way to get a nutrient-dense leafy vegetable. Spinach is a source of vitamins A, B, C and has the highest concentration of iron and calcium of all green vegetables. Dark green spinach leaves contain not only iron, but also thiamine, potassium, folic acid, as well as the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. nine0003

Content of Article

What are the benefits of growing spinach in containers

All of the above benefits also apply to other garden plants such as lettuce, onions, radishes and other vegetable crops.

How to grow spinach in a pot

Remember! The most important factor for good spinach growth in containers is well-drained soil.

Rules for Growing Spinach Outdoors

Where to Place the Containers

Spinach needs 6-7 hours of sunlight per day to grow. In spring and summer, store plants in places where there is some shade, especially in the afternoon. In the fall, when the daylight hours are getting shorter and the intensity of the sun's rays is decreasing, keep the plants in a well-lit area. nine0003

Features of watering plants

When growing vegetables in pots, avoid stagnant water - this leads to rotting of plants and the development of various fungal diseases. Also avoid spraying the foliage. Keep the soil moist, but don't overdo it with moisture. Spinach needs good drainage in a pot.

Temperature

Spinach seeds begin to germinate at +4 °C. The optimum soil temperature for spinach germination is 10-27°C. Many varieties of vegetable crops can easily tolerate temperatures from -6 ° C to 32 ° C. If temperatures rise higher, you will need to provide shade for your plants. nine0003

Growing spinach in a pot on a windowsill

Growing spinach indoors on a windowsill is a great idea (as it doesn't need a lot of sunlight) if you don't have enough space in the garden. To do this, buy small pots 15 cm deep and plant plants in them. You can also use these pots to grow herbs and annual flowers.

Features of garden crop care

Spinach is not demanding for special care. Properly selected soil, fertilization, timely top dressing and regular watering - and there will always be fresh vegetables on your table. nine0003

Pests and Problems

There are a few potential spinach problems to watch out for:

Harvesting

The plant can be cut in an average of 37-50 days from germination (depending on growing conditions and vegetable variety).

Harvesting can be done when the plant has at least 5-6 healthy leaves and they are 8 to 10 cm long. The outer leaves are harvested first, leaving the new inner leaves to continue growing. You can also cut off the entire plant at the base with a knife or scissors, the plant will start to sprout again. nine0003

Growing spinach in containers - find out how to care for spinach in pots * Edible gardens

If you have little space in your garden but eat a healthy and balanced diet and want to get involved in growing your own produce, container gardening is the way to go. . Almost anything that grows in a garden can be grown in a container. Growing spinach in containers is an easy, nutrient-rich, fast growing crop to start with. Read on to learn how to grow spinach in containers and how to care for it in pots. nine0003

How to Grow Spinach in Containers

Spinach is Popeye's favorite food for a good reason, increasing his strength and energy. Dark leafy greens such as spinach contain not only iron, but also vitamins A and C, thiamine, potassium, folic acid, and the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin.

These carotenoids keep the eyes healthy by reducing the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts with age. Antioxidants, vitamins A and C, help support cardiovascular health by reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke, while folic acid has been shown to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. In addition, spinach tastes great and is so versatile that it can be used in a variety of dishes, both fresh and cooked. nine0003

It is ideal to grow spinach in a pot or other container. This allows you to collect all the delicious leaves for yourself before some other four-legged critter dine on your greens before you get to them. Growing spinach in a pot will also prevent nematodes and other soil pests and diseases. Container-grown spinach is also readily available. It can be grown on the windowsill or right outside the kitchen door on the balcony. There is no excuse not to harvest and eat fresh greens when they are practically right in front of you. nine0003

Spinach reaches harvest potential in just 40-45 days. This often allows for successive plantings depending on your climate region. Spinach is a cool season crop that tends to grow at warmer temperatures and is best suited to USDA zones 5-10. Provide plants with shade if temperatures exceed 80 F (26 C). A huge advantage of container-grown spinach is that it can be easily moved around. Also, look for varieties that can tolerate heat if you live in a warmer region. nine0003

Spinach can be grown from seeds or pods. Some of the smaller spinach varieties, such as 'Baby's Leaf Hybrid' and 'Melody', are especially suitable for growing in containers. Plant spinach in 15-30 cm pots in soil with compost added to retain water and place in full sun. Soil pH should be between 6.0 and 7.0.

Sow the seeds 3 cm apart indoors and about three weeks before transplanting them outdoors. When they are 2 inches (5 cm), cut them 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) apart. When transplanting, place the plants at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other and water them well. nine0003

Spinach care in pots

You can plant spinach alone or together with other plants with similar requirements. Annuals such as petunias or marigolds can be dressed among spinach. Be sure to leave enough room for growth between plants. Annuals will brighten up the container, and when the weather is warm and the spinach harvest is over, continue filling the container. Parsley also loves chilling, so it's also the perfect companion for spinach. You can also place the wigwam beans in the center of a large container and plant spinach around it. As the spinach season draws to a close, the weather gets warmer and the beans begin to grow. nine0003

Anything grown in a pot dries out faster than in a garden. Spinach needs constant moisture, so be sure to water it often.

Spinach is also heavy feed. Fertilize with a commercial feed that is high in nitrogen, or use organic fish emulsion or cottonseed meal. Apply fertilizer to the soil first before planting. Then feed the spinach after it has cut through and season it again. Spread the fertilizer around the base of the plants and gently work it into the soil.

Learn more