Growing spinach seeds

Growing Spinach From Seed - The Complete How To Planting Guide

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Growing spinach from seed can be challenging for beginners, but it’s actually super easy! The key is knowing how and when to do it. So, in this post I will show you everything you need to know about how to grow spinach seeds, step by step.

Spinach is a fast, low maintenance vegetable that is actually very easy to grow from seed. But timing is everything!

The biggest mistake newbies make is sowing the seeds too late, only to watch the plants bolt right away. Another common mistake is using the wrong method for starting spinach seeds.

Don’t worry, I will break it all down, and make it simple for you! In this detailed guide, I’m going to cover everything from the best planting method, to when to start, and give you detailed sowing instructions.

I’ll also talk about germination time, seedling identification and care, fixing common problems, answer your FAQs, and much more! In the end, you’ll know everything about successfully growing spinach from seed.

Table of Contents

Growing Spinach From Seed

If you have ever tried starting spinach from seed, then you probably know first hand just how tricky it can be.

But don’t worry, once you learn the secrets for success, you’ll have a garden full of these yummy greens!

The best part is that these instructions work no matter what type of spinach seeds you want to grow. Woohoo!

Types Of Spinach Seeds To Grow

You may be surprised to learn that there are several varieties of spinach seeds that you could grow.

Some have slightly different flavors and textures, while others are slow bolting, or have larger leaves.

A few of my personal favorite varieties are Bloomsdale (bolt-resistant), Monstrueux Viroflay (large leaves), Lavewa (heat tolerant), Butterflay (large leaves), and Matador (slow to bolt).

Spinach seeds in my hand

Recommended Method For Sowing Spinach Seeds

Spinach doesn’t like to be transplanted, and doing so can trigger it to bolt prematurely. So, it’s best to direct sow the seeds, rather than starting them indoors or winter sowing them.

In fact, I don’t even recommend trying to start them indoors – it’s a recipe for failure.

It’s actually really nice, because that means you don’t have to worry about buying any equipment or caring for the seedlings!

Related Post: 3 Seed Starting Methods That Every Gardener Should Try

Planting Spinach Seeds

It’s very important to plant spinach seeds using the best method, and at the right time. In this section, I’ll talk about how to get it right every time.

When To Plant Spinach Seeds

Like I mentioned above, growing spinach from seed is all about timing. The key to success is planting it during the cooler months of the year.

If you plant them too late, the seeds may not germinate because it’s too warm. And even if they do end up germinating, the heat will trigger the plants to bolt right away.

Since it prefers the cold, plant spinach seeds directly into the garden 4-6 weeks before your average last frost date, or as soon as your soil is workable in early spring.

You could also plant the seeds in late summer for a fall harvest, since it’s such a fast crop. It is cold hardy, so it won’t be killed off by spring or fall frosts.

If you live in a warmer climate with mild winters, sow the seeds once the weather cools down in the fall, and enjoy it through the winter.

You can stagger your harvests by sowing the seeds intermittently throughout the spring and/or fall, so the plants mature at different times.

Preparing Spinach Seeds For Planting

There’s nothing fancy you need to do before planting spinach seeds, no soaking nicking, or cold stratification is necessary.

If you want to try it, soaking spinach seeds before planting can help to speed up germination time.

But, since you’ll be sowing them directly into your garden, pre-soaking is not necessary.

Related Post: How To Grow Seeds: The Ultimate Seed Starting Guide

Spinach Germination Time

When planted in the right soil, spinach seeds germinate very quickly. It only takes about 5-10 days for the seedlings to start emerging.

If the soil it too warm or too wet, it will inhibit germination. So, if your spinach seeds aren’t growing, then it could be too warm or soggy for them.

What Do Spinach Seedlings Look Like?

When they first pop out of the soil, baby spinach seedlings will have two long, narrow leaves. These are called the “seed leaves”. All of the ones that form after that are called “true leaves”.

The true leaves look like tiny spinach leaves, and it only takes a couple of days for those to start forming after the seed leaves unfurl.

Spinach seeds germinating

How To Care For Spinach Seedlings

Since it’s best to direct sow them, you don’t need to worry too much about caring for the seedlings. Woohoo!

But below are a few tips to get them off on the right foot, you can read my complete care guide here.

Water

One of the reasons it’s so low maintenance is that, since it’s usually cool and wet in the spring, I rarely need to worry about watering my spinach plants.

Spinach likes a lot of water, but it doesn’t like wet or saturated soil. Make sure to sow the seeds in a spot in your garden that has fast draining soil, and never allow it to dry out completely.

Fertilizer

I like to top-dress my soil with a granular fertilizer before I plant the seeds to give them the extra nutrients they need.

As soon as spinach seedlings begin growing their first true leaves, you can start using liquid fertilizer on them. You can buy compost tea concentrate, or get tea bags and brew your own from scratch.

Spinach seedlings also love being fed with fish emulsion or liquid kelp, which are two of my favorites to use in my garden.

Baby spinach seedling

Thinning Spinach Seedlings

If you planted more than one seed per hole, or sowed them too close together, then you’ll need to thin the seedlings.

Once they get to be about 2″ tall with a few true leaves, thin them out so they are about 4-6″ apart. Simply choose the healthiest one to keep, and then remove the rest.

Don’t pull them out though, or you could damage the shallow roots of the one you want to keep. Instead, cut them off at the base using a sharp pair of micro-tip snips or bonsai shears.

First true leaves on spinach plant seedling

How Long From Seed To Harvest

As I’ve already mentioned a few times, spinach if very fast. So it will be one of the first things you harvest from your garden in the spring.

It takes about 45 days to grow spinach from seed to harvest. Some of the leaves may be large enough to pick before then, which is great.

But make sure you don’t remove all of the leaves when you harvest. They need to have some of them in order to stay alive and keep producing.

Related Post: Freezing Spinach With Or Without Blanching

Mature spinach plants in the garden

Troubleshooting Common Problems

There’s nothing worse than taking the time to plant all those seeds, only to have problems that you don’t know how to fix.

So, below I will list a couple of the most common problems you may have when growing spinach seeds, and how to fix them…

Spinach Seeds Not Germinating

If your seeds never germinated, then it was either too wet, too warm, or the seeds were old, and no longer viable.

Always plant fresh spinach seeds in well draining, cool soil for best results.

Seedlings Aren’t Growing

If your seedlings aren’t growing any larger, it could be because it’s too shady, the soil is either too wet or dry, or the weather is too hot for them.

Keep the soil evenly moist, and try feeding them to see if that helps to trigger new growth. Otherwise, next time adjust your placement and/or planting schedule.

Spinach Seedlings Bolting

There are two things that trigger spinach seedlings to bolt right away. They were either transplanted, or the temperature is too hot.

To avoid this next time, never transplant the seedlings, and always either plant the seeds in very early spring, or in the fall for a winter crop.

FAQS About Growing Spinach Seeds

In this section, I will answer some of the most frequently asked questions about growing spinach from seed. If you have a question that you can’t find the answer to, ask it in the comments below.

How many spinach seeds per hole?

How many spinach seeds you plant per hole depends on their age. If they’re brand new, then you only need to plant one per hole. Otherwise, if they are old or have a low viability rate, then sow 2-3 seeds per hole.

How deep do you plant spinach seeds?

The general rule of thumb is to plant a seed twice as deep as it is wide. So, spinach seeds should be planted about 1/2″ deep.

What is the best temperature to grow spinach seeds?

The best temperature to grow spinach seeds is between 50-70°F. They germinate more successfully when the soil is cool.

How long does it take to grow spinach from seeds?

On average, it takes about 45 days to grow spinach seeds from planting to harvest time. Some varieties are faster than others, so check the packet for exact timing.

Do spinach seeds need light to germinate?

No, spinach seeds do not need light to germinate.

Should spinach seeds be soaked before planting?

Soaking spinach seeds before planting is optional. It can help to speed up germination, but it’s not necessary.

Why are my spinach seedlings dying?

The most common reasons why spinach seedlings die is improper watering (either too much or not enough), too much sun and heat, transplanting, or fertilizer burn.

They do best in cold weather and will start to die as soon as it gets hot, so plant them as early as possible.

They prefer the shade rather than full sun, and like evenly moist soil – never soggy or completely dried out.

Also, sow the seeds directly into the ground, because the seedlings do not transplant well.

How do you grow spinach seeds indoors?

I do not recommend growing spinach seeds indoors. Transplanting the seedlings will trigger them to bolt. Instead, you should direct sow them right into your garden.

Growing spinach from seed can be tricky if you’ve never tried it before. Just remember, timing is everything. The secret to success is planting spinach seeds as soon as you possibly can, before the weather starts to warm up in the spring.

If you want to learn more about growing your garden from seeds using any method you want, check out my online Seed Starting Course! It’s a comprehensive online course that you can take at your own pace (and from anywhere in the world!), with lifetime access, and step-by-step guidance! Sign up and get started today!

Or do you just need a refresher or quick-start guide to get going? Then my Starting Seeds Indoors eBook is just what you need!

Steps For Planting Spinach Seeds

It’s easy to plant spinach seeds indoors or outside. Simply follow these step-by-step instructions.

Materials

Spinach seeds
Water

Tools

Hand trowel
Soil thermometer (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the soil - Loosen up the soil, and remove any weeds, or large rocks and sticks. Amend poor soil with compost or worm castings, and then mix an organic granular fertilizer into it before sowing the seeds.
Figure out the spacing - You can either space the seeds 2" apart, and then thin them later. Or space them 4-6" apart if you don't want to thin the seedlings.
Plant the seeds - Spinach seeds should be planted 1/2" deep. If you're using fresh seeds, then you only need to plant one per hole. Otherwise, if they are old, then plant 2-3 per hole. You can either lay the seeds on top of the soil, and gently push them down, or make holes first and drop them in.
Cover the seeds - Once you're done sowing the seeds, cover them with soil, and gently press it down. Don't pack it tight, but just enough so that the soil will come in contact with the seeds.
Water - Use a low setting on your garden hose so you don't displace the seeds, then water the bed until the soil is evenly moist. Don't overdo it though, the soil should not be completely saturated or soggy.

How Do I Grow Spinach? | Planting & Harvesting Guide

Spinach is a cool-season plant that’s one of the first crops of spring and a great fall crop as well. You’ll enjoy growing this undemanding plant and will enjoy eating it even more. Harvest spinach any time to enjoy raw in salads or cook it up in seconds for a delicious side dish that’s loaded with vitamins and minerals. If you want to grow spinach in your garden, here’s everything you need to know.

You can also download my How Do I Grow Spinach? one-sheet and keep the free resource handy for your reference.

Spinach is an undemanding plant that’s a joy to grow and even more of a joy to eat.

When, Where and How to Plant Spinach

Spinach can be either sown directly into the garden or started from seeds indoors. For the least work and the most convenience, seedlings can also be purchased from a nursery in spring.

To give spinach a head start, plant seeds in sterile seed-starting mix indoors about six weeks before the last expected frost date. The seeds will germinate one to two weeks later in soil that is between 60 and 68 degrees. If growing in a room that stays cool, consider using a seed-starting mat that will raise the temperature of the soil.

Spinach is frost tolerant, so it can go in the ground long before many other crops. When spinach seedlings have two true leaves and when there are four or fewer weeks remaining until your last frost date, the seedlings may be transplanted outdoors.

Seeds can be planted outdoors as soon as the soil is workable in spring — about six weeks before the last expected frost — and they will germinate as the days warm.

To germinate seeds faster and more reliably, there is a process called “priming.” A week before sowing spinach seeds indoors or out, soak seeds in room temperature water overnight or up to 24 hours. Next, place the seeds on a paper towel to air dry for one or two days. Once the seeds appear dry, place them in an airtight container and store the container in a cool place. The seeds will have soaked up and retained enough water to stimulate the first stages of germination. Wait at least five days, but no more than seven, and sow the seeds.

Primed spinach seeds will germinate both faster and more uniformly: In about five days, the grass-like seedlings will emerge.

Spinach seeds last up to three years in storage. If in doubt about the age or viability of spinach seeds, prime and sow a few seeds early to test the batch. If the test seeds don’t germinate, it’s time for a new packet.

For a steady harvest over several weeks, a good strategy is to plant a new crop every 10 days. Each crop can be sown directly, or you can stagger plantings of both seeds and seedlings. Continue these succession plantings until it’s time for summer crops to go in. When late summer comes, start up again for fall crops.

Spinach grows well in a wide variety of soils, but like most crops, it does best when the soil is well amended with lots of organic matter, especially compost. The ideal pH range for spinach, like many common vegetable crops, is 6.5 to 7.0. A soil test can tell you if you are near the target and, if not, what amendments can be added to the soil.

Spinach will grow best in full sun — six to eight hours of direct sunlight — or partial shade.

Follow the spacing instructions that come on the seed packets for the variety you have, or plant just a little denser with a plan to later eat the baby spinach that you will remove while thinning the crop.

Spinach can be planted outdoors before most crops can because it is frost-tolerant.

Types & Varieties of Spinach

There are two main types of spinach: Savoy and smooth-leafed.

Savoy spinach and semi-savoyed spinach have dark green leaves characterized by their wavy or puckered leaves, and they include some of the best varieties for growing in cold weather. And yet, some savoy spinach varieties are adapted to withstand heat, offering the best of both worlds.

Smooth-leafed spinach, also called flat-leaf spinach, is the kind you often see in salads. It can be harvested as baby greens for sweeter, more tender leaves, or allowed to grow.

Auroch is a fast-growing smooth-leafed spinach that performs best in fall, winter and early spring, with a high resistance to downy mildew. It’s ready for harvest in 24 days.

Bloomsdale is a classic variety of savoy spinach that withstands heat better than others, so it offers the best of both worlds, and it’s renowned for its garden-fresh flavor. In 50 days, it produces thick, succulent, dark-green leaves that are very sweet in salads. When planted in autumn, Bloomsdale will overwinter and mature in the early spring, though it’s best sown in early spring for late spring and early summer harvests.

Gazelle is a smooth-leafed spinach with uniform leaves and bunches that make it perfect for baby leaf harvest. It’s also highly downy mildew resistant and ready for harvest in just 26 days.

Palco matures in 38 days and is adaptable as both a cool-season or warm-season crop. It is a flat-leaf spinach that may be harvested as baby greens or enjoyed after attaining its full size. It is both bolt and mildew resistant.

Red Tabby is a red-veined smooth-leafed spinach with angular leaves in an upright growing habit. It matures in a month and is downy mildew resistant.

Renegade has fleshy, round, smooth, dark green leaves and sweet, tender stems. It’s a flat-leaf spinach that matures in 42 days.

Space is a slightly savoyed spinach with medium green leaves that are highly resistant to downy mildew and mature in just 25 days. It is versatile — grow it in all seasons.

Spinach comes in a wide variety of shapes, textures growing habits and even colors.

Watering Spinach

Spinach is a thirsty crop that enjoys up to 1.5 inches of water a week. If it hasn’t rained that much in a week, make up the difference with supplemental irrigation. Water under the foliage, right at ground level, to avoid wetting the leaves, which invites plant diseases. When growing spinach, it’s really nice to have a drip irrigation system for a slow and consistent application of water — but it’s not necessary as long as you keep on top of watering the garden when Mother Nature fails to.

A 2-inch layer of organic mulch such as shredded leaves, pine bark or straw will help keep the soil cool and moist between waterings.

Organic mulch around spinach plants will keep the soil moist between waterings.

Fertilizing Spinach

As long as you have good rich soil, spinach isn’t a demanding plant. But it can help to add some organic nitrogen-based fertilizer — like alfalfa, soybean meal or blood meal — at planting time. Adding compost before planting will also help the plants along, and balancing the pH will ensure the nutrients in the soil are readily available to the plants.

Spinach Pests & Diseases

When it comes to pests and diseases, spinach is a gardener’s dream since it rarely succumbs to any serious problems.

Provide adequate spacing to allow for good air circulation to avoid mildew. If downy mildew does become a problem, practice crop rotation or choose resistant varieties.

Proactively check for slugs, which are easily controlled with a number of environmentally-friendly options, including handpicking, placing bowls of beer near the plants at soil level, or using a pet-safe iron phosphate bait like Sluggo.

Spacing spinach adequately at planting time can reduce instances of mildew later.

Harvesting Spinach

And of course, the best part of spinach is eating it. You can harvest spinach whenever you want. This is one of those cut-and-come-again plants that I love so much since new leaves will resprout to replace the ones you cut. Simply snip away individual leaves as soon as they’re big enough to use. Or you can cut the entire plant about an inch above the soil level. Cutting encourages new growth and another crop of leaves and that makes me a very happy and healthy gardener!

When spinach bolts — that means it has sent up a flower stalk and “gone to seed” — it becomes bitter. This happens when the weather heats up in summer. At this point, the plant is done. Pull it out and add it to the compost pile, and plant your next crop in its place.

To harvest spinach, snip away individual leaves as soon as they’re big enough to use, or cut the entire plant about an inch above the soil level. Cutting encourages new growth and another crop of leaves.

What are your secrets to growing spinach successfully? Let us know in the comments below.

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Links & Resources

Some product links in this guide are affiliate links. See full disclosure below.

Episode 045: Succession Planting: Practical Tips for Growing More Food

Episode 094: How to Start and Care for Seedlings Indoors: My Steps for Success

Episode 122: Fall Vegetable Garden Success: Best Plants and Tips for Cool-Season Growing

Episode 179: Plant Partners: The Science-based Benefits of Companion Planting, with Jessica Walliser

joegardener blog: How Do I Grow Herbs?

joegardener blog: How Do I Grow Strawberries?

joegardener blog: How Do I Grow Cabbage?

joegardener blog: How Do I Grow Onions?

joegardener blog: How Do I Grow Artichokes?

Joegardener blog: How Do I Grow Brussels Sprouts?

Joegardener blog: How Do I Grow Peppers?

Joegardener blog: How Do I Grow Peas?

How Do I Grow Spinach? one-sheet

joegardenerTV YouTube: Best Mulch for a Vegetable Garden

joegardenerTV YouTube: Seed Germination – Easy Tricks for More Success

joegardener blog: Powdery Mildew Prevention & Control

joegardener Online Gardening Academy™: Three popular courses on gardening fundamentals; managing pests, diseases & weeds; and seed starting.

joegardener Online Gardening Academy Beginning Gardener Fundamentals: Essential principles to know to create a thriving garden.

joegardener Online Gardening Academy Growing Epic Tomatoes: Tomato expert Craig LeHoullier joins me in leading this course on how to grow healthier, productive tomato plants and how to overcome tomato-growing challenges. You can sign up to be notified when enrollment opens.

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joegardener Facebook Group

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Growing a Greener World®

GGWTV YouTube

Sluggo

Disclosure: Some product links in this guide are affiliate links, which means we would get a commission if you purchase. However, none of the prices of these resources have been increased to compensate us. None of the items included in this list have any bearing on any compensation being an influencing factor on their inclusion here. The selection of all items featured in this post and podcast were based solely on merit and in no way influenced by any affiliate or financial incentive, or contractual relationship. At the time of this writing, Joe Lamp’l has professional relationships with the following companies who may have products included in this post and podcast: Rain Bird, Corona Tools, Milorganite, Soil3, Exmark, Greenhouse Megastore, High Mowing Organic Seeds, Territorial Seed Company, Wild Alaskan Seafood Box and TerraThrive. These companies are either Brand Partners of joegardener.com and/or advertise on our website. However, we receive no additional compensation from the sales or promotion of their product through this guide. The inclusion of any products mentioned within this post is entirely independent and exclusive of any relationship.

terms of sowing and rules for growing in the garden

Spinach is a vegetable crop that contains in its leaves a lot of useful vitamins that are indispensable for the functioning of the human body. Therefore, gardeners who decide to switch to a healthy diet sooner or later ask themselves how to plant a plant. In order for the planting of spinach to be successful, and the bed soon covered with juicy rosettes, you need to know everything about the specifics of growing vegetables in the garden.

Well, here's how and when to plant spinach outdoors in spring and autumn.

Content

How to choose a planting site
2.2 What soil is needed and how to prepare it
2.3 How to prepare seeds
2.4 Direct planting

3 How to care for spinach after planting

3.1 Watering
3.2 Feeding
3.3 Weeding and loosening
3.4 Shelter in the heat
3.5 Spinach Diseases

4 When to collect

in the regions and according to the lunar calendar

Since spinach is a cold-resistant plant, spring planting in open ground is carried out immediately after the ground thaws .

As regards temperature , the spinach sowing starts when it gets warmer outside to +5 degrees and further increase is predicted.

In the Middle lane (Moscow region) this time falls on the second half of April .

And in autumn, spinach is planted before winter , similarly to winter garlic or onions , i.e. from end of September to November (depending on the region).

Lunar calendar 2022

Many gardeners often refer to Lunar calendar for specific dates for greater discipline.

According to the lunar calendar in 2022 favorable days for planting spinach in open ground are:

in April - 3-9, 12-15, 26-27;

in May - 1-6, 10-15, 19, 24, 31.

Unfavorable days according to the lunar calendar for 2022 for sowing spinach are the following dates (Full Moon days and New Moon , as well as the period when the Moon is in Aquarius, because it is a barren and dry sign - is italicized ) :

in March - 1 (Aquarius ), 2 , 18, 27-28 (Aquarius) ;
in April - 1 , 16, 23-24 (Aquarius) , 30 ;
in May - 16, 20-22 (Aquarius) , 30 .

How to plant spinach outdoors: preparation and planting

The desire to get spinach in the garden can simply disappear after a few unsuccessful plantings. To prevent this from happening, you need to know all the requirements for growing this vegetable crop.

How to choose a planting site

It is better to plant spinach in well-lit areas where water does not stagnate. To harvest as early as possible, the plant is placed on the southern slopes, which are protected from cold winds.

If there is nowhere to plant bushes except for a lowland, the crop is sown on ridges, which are fenced with hard rock boards. Due to the fact that the root system of the plant is short, the mound may be small.

Since spinach is compatible with most horticultural crops, there is practically no need to consider predecessors and neighbors when choosing. The only thing worth paying attention to is how the previous crop was fertilized - the more top dressing was made last year, the better for spinach. These rules apply to all cultivated plants, except beets, since plants are subject to the same diseases and pests.

What kind of soil is needed and how to prepare it

Spinach likes to grow on nutritious and loose soils (sandy or loamy), neutral acidity (pH 6-7).

If the soil in the area is excessively acidic, dolomite flour is added to the soil in advance (in autumn).

In autumn phosphorus - potash fertilizers are applied to the soil ( superphosphate and potassium sulfate or wood ash and bone meal ), as well as organic matter (compost, humus). And in the spring they add nitrogen ( urea or ammonium nitrate ).

To improve the structure of heavy clay soils, additional peat and sand can be added.

How to prepare the seeds

Soak the seedlings in warm water to speed up germination. If the seeds of many crops need several hours of soaking, then spinach seeds are kept in water for 24-48 hours. This feature is due to the fact that the planting material is covered with a hard shell through which moisture is difficult to absorb. Place the container for germination in a warm place and periodically change the water. At the end of the period, spinach seeds taken out of the water are slightly dried and sown in open ground.

Direct planting

The first thing to do before planting spinach seeds outdoors is to loosen the soil with a rake and then level it. If the landing will be made on the ridges, an embankment is created at the chosen place and fenced with improvised materials. On a prepared bed, rows are made with a wooden plank 2 cm deep. The optimal distance between rows is 15-20 cm, and between plants - 7-10 cm. Seed consumption for sowing 1 sq.m. area - 4-5 g.

If the bushes are planted too densely, the plants will develop more slowly. In order to be sure that enough plants will grow in the garden and the place will not be empty, you can reduce the step between the bushes in the rows. However, if the seed germination is 100%, the plantings will have to be thinned out. The soil in the recess is watered with warm water, the seeds are laid out. Then the crops are carefully covered with a rake, while slightly crushing the soil.

To reduce the evaporation of moisture and slow down the growth of weeds, the bed is mulched with hay, dry leaves, chopped straw. If the landing is done correctly, and the weather turned out to be favorable, the first shoots will appear after 2 weeks.

Video: how to sow spinach - timing

How to care for spinach after planting

In order for plants to give a good harvest, they need to provide comfortable conditions for growth. What is the care of spinach after planting?

Watering

The soil on which the greenery grows must be constantly moist, but in no case swampy. Due to the constant overflow, the plants do not grow well and after a while they are affected by root rot.

It is especially important to water the spinach during hot weather, as stemming begins due to insufficient moisture. Water the bushes 2-3 times a week. Water consumption per 1 sq. m beds - 3 l.

Top dressing

During the growing season, it is not recommended to feed greens with fertilizers that contain a large amount of phosphorus and potassium.

Leaves of plants that are deficient in chemical elements gradually turn into a different color or die.

The fertilizers selected for feeding spinach must be applied strictly at the dose recommended by the manufacturer, otherwise excess nutrients will provoke premature bolting.

Important! It is impossible to feed greens during growth with fresh organic matter, as it distorts the taste of the leaves.

Weeding and loosening

To grow even the most unpretentious crop, you need to pull out weeds as needed. As you know, these plants suck out a lot of nutrients from the soil and compact the soil, which adversely affects the state of the crop, and, accordingly, the yield. In the case when the distance between shoots is much less than 7-10 cm, the extra bushes are removed. To reduce stress on surrounding bushes, water the bed sparingly after thinning.

The first time the soil is loosened when the seedlings are 2-3 days old. To do this, gently destroy the formed crust with a rake, thereby improving soil aeration. In the future, loosening is carried out after each watering or rain.

Shelter in the heat

Since spinach does not tolerate summer heat, in July, when the air temperature often exceeds +26 C, plantings need to be shaded. To cool the soil and bushes from overheating, a small tent is installed over the spinach plantation or the bed is covered with a special shading net.

Important! It is impossible to grow succulent leaves without abundant watering and building a shelter. Under the influence of high temperature and lack of water, the leaves become hard and tasteless.

Pests and diseases of spinach

The tender leaves are enjoyed by aphids, leafminers and naked slugs. Do not mind eating greens and snails. Spinach growing in a thickened state suffers from downy mildew. Bushes become infected with spotting and root rot.

Since it is impossible to treat greens with chemicals, it is better to try to prevent the appearance of pathogenic microorganisms. To protect plantings from damage, you need to properly care for them: water, loosen, weed. In order to prevent powdery mildew, bushes are planted at a sufficient distance. Also, for planting, it is recommended to choose spinach varieties with high immunity to all kinds of diseases.

When to harvest and how to store

In order for spinach leaves to be tender and tasty, they need to be harvested in time. If you delay the recommended time, the leaves will become stiff and lose their taste. Spinach harvest begins 8-10 weeks after germination.

You can determine whether spinach is ready for harvesting by the type of bush - you can harvest greens immediately after the formation of 5-6 leaves on the plant.

Spinach is harvested by cutting individual leaves or a whole rosette. The plant is also uprooted. Before putting the uprooted plants into containers, the rhizome is washed, trying not to splatter the leaves. Then the washed part is blotted with a paper towel and placed root down in the box.

Important! Spinach should not be harvested immediately after watering or rain: wet leaves rot shortly after cutting.

Store the spinach in the top section of the refrigerator. Since fresh leaves are stored on average for 1-2 weeks, they are dried, frozen or canned for the winter.

Thus, if you carefully understand the agrotechnical requirements, planting spinach will not cause difficulties even for an amateur gardener. All that an unpretentious culture needs for normal growth is a sufficient amount of moisture and fertile soil.

Growing spinach in the open ground - Matador, Strawberry, Zhirnolistny

Author Anastasia Khakhaleva Reading 7 min. Views 3.1k. Posted by 19.06.2020

Spinach is a useful and not very difficult plant in technology, which is increasingly conquering the Ukrainian market. The main thing when growing it in open ground is to provide a sunny site for germination, sufficient soil moisture of about 75-80% and top dressing.

Spinach can be harvested almost all year round, it all depends on the timing of sowing and the choice of varieties. Some of its varieties may even please you with berries. More details about growing technology and nuances for different types of spinach later in the article.

Maintenance

Spinach varieties
Spinach: growing conditions
Temperature control
Lighting
Moisture
Growing spinach in the open field
Sowing
Care
Harvesting
5 Reasons to Plant Spinach

Spinach Varieties

The first step in growing spinach is seed selection. With every year the range of hybrids and varieties increases, and now it already has more than fifty varieties. They occupy their niche as Dutch hybrids (Boa F1, Spiros F1, Korver F1), and various varieties - Monores, Lagos, Long Standing, Vip and others.

Some of the most popular varieties are Matador, Strawberry and Fatleaf. Their features:

- Matador . They like to grow it due to its bright green color.

The height of spinach is about 40 cm, the weight of one leaf is about 30 grams. It tastes great and is great for freezing.

Can be harvested already 40 days after sowing;

Spinach MatadorStrawberry spinach

— Strawberry spinach or zhminda is an unconventional plant that, in addition to leaves, also produces fruits.

The leaves themselves are traditionally used, as in other varieties: for fresh consumption, as ingredients in soups, salads, frozen.

But the fruits make excellent jam, jam, compote. They taste like blackberries and mulberries.

Ripening period - about 60 days from the date of sowing. The only disadvantage of this spinach is its high self-seeding ability. If the berries are picked carelessly, next year the plant may appear on the site in a chaotic manner.

- Fat leaf . Growing this variety will please you with an earlier (after 30-35 days from the date of sowing) and a plentiful harvest. The name itself speaks about the leaves of this spinach: they are large and massive, of a dark green hue. They have a mild taste and a beautiful shape.

Fatleaf spinach

Spinach: growing conditions

Like other greens, spinach is not very picky about growing conditions. However, there are a number of requirements that are important to follow in order to get a quality and timely harvest. Among the most important are: temperature, lighting and moisture.

Temperature

Spinach tolerates cold well. The seeds of this culture germinate at a temperature of 3-4°C, and young sprouts are able to withstand temperatures down to -10°C. The most optimal temperature for the development of spinach is + 15 ... 17 ° С. It is grown in spring and summer, and when using protected ground, it is possible to organize year-round cultivation at all.

In areas where lilac grows, gardeners advise to sow spinach in the spring when lilacs begin to bloom.

Greenery does not like high temperatures. At over +20°C and poor watering, the spinach becomes smaller and shoots faster.

Lighting

Spinach forms a good rosette when the daylight is short. The leaves grow large and fleshy, with long stems. If you grow it with a longer day (which is especially true for the May-July period), the leaves will turn out to be smaller.

It is better to choose a well-lit area for planting, but with the condition of its timely moistening during high temperatures (especially when growing in summer).

Moisture

Spinach loves watering. The average soil moisture during the cultivation of this crop should be 75-80% HB.

If you plan to grow spinach in the open field in the southern regions of Ukraine, it is best to use drip irrigation or carry out autumn, winter crops.

Signs of lack of moisture: shredded leaves, rough structure, yellowish color.

Cultivation spinach in the open field

An area where potatoes, cabbages, vegetables or legumes on organic fertilizers - an excellent choice for planting spinach. The best neighbors for this crop can be radishes, cucumbers, cabbage, carrots.

As for the soil - it is better to choose loamy or sandy loam. They hold moisture well and it does not form a crust.

Sowing

Growing from seed is the most popular way to sow spinach due to its cold hardiness. In order to get a crop in the spring, sowing can be done in September, winter and early spring (depending on the timing of the selected variety or hybrid and the required dates for obtaining finished plants). For a fall harvest, sow spinach in August.

Seeding pattern 35*7-10 cm or 50*20 when using drip irrigation. Seed consumption is about 300-500 grams per hundred square meters. It is important to note that when growing spinach in the summer, it is better to increase the number of seeds for safety.

Seeds are placed in the ground at a depth of about 1.5-2 cm in moist soil. Before and after that, the soil is compacted.

Care

Outdoor spinach care consists of several steps. simple actions.

The first shoots (when grown in spring and summer) appear already after 9-12 days from the moment of sowing the seeds. At this point, it is important to hilling and remove excess weeds. If the crops are too thick, remove the extra plants, leaving up to 10 cm between the bushes.

Please note that when growing and caring for spinach Fatleaf in the open field, it is very important to wait for a good average daily temperature (17-18°C) and always monitor the moisture. Otherwise, the leaves will not grow more than 6-7 cm and the variety will go to the arrow.

Spinach does not need to be watered often. The hotter in the region growth - the more often spinach needs moisture. Generally enough one or two irrigations.

What spinach looks like outdoors

The richer the soil, the better the harvest. Can to fertilize the crop and introduce organic matter into the soil before sowing. Especially spinach responds well to nitrogen. But phosphorus and potassium are used on the contrary, not costs. They speed up shooting.

Special care and cultivation required Strawberry Spinach . It is sown according to the scheme 40x40 with seeding to a depth of 1 cm, with obligatory mulching. This variety of spinach is best grown through seedlings.

When the plant reaches 50-70 cm in height, it needs a mandatory garter. If it is berries that are important to you, and not leaves, it is better to choose sunny areas, so the taste of the fruit will be richer.

Harvesting

When to cut the spinach is entirely up to you. Usually, the period of formation of 7-12 leaves is considered optimal for harvesting. Also it is important that the leaves are dry (especially if it rained earlier or was morning dew). The collection can be multiple and last until the beginning shooting plants.

It is not recommended to delay cleaning. Overgrown or dried leaves quickly become rough and are no longer suitable for consumption. The yield of spinach can reach from one and a half to two kilograms per square meters and even more (depending on the characteristics of the variety or hybrid).

Strawberry spinach can be harvested twice per season, both leaves and berries. It is better to pick berries in the first stages of "ignition", until they are overripe and have not lost their taste.

5 reasons to sow spinach

1. Spinach is one of the leaders among vegetables and herbs in terms of vitamin C content.