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Spinach plant spacing


Spinach Plant Spacing | 4 Fundamental Tips for Beginners

Last updated: 1/23/19

Are you uncertain on on the best way to get your spinach plant spacing correct?  You love eating fresh spinach and you went out and maybe bought some seeds.  You might be curious if it is easy to plant Spinach.

You will learn these 4 fundamental tips about spinach plant spacing.

What is the optimal spinach plant spacing?  You might look at the back of your seed packet and see the following spinach plant spacing requirements:

These recommendations might not be ideal for your own spinach planting situation.  You might have a container garden or a very small space garden and having wide rows is just not necessary.  You will learn a few tips about ideal spacing for your spinach plants:

You will not only learn the requirements for each, but you will also know the reason why these requirements are ideal.  This added knowledge may also help you with other plants.  Read on and we will help you decide the best spinach plant spacing tips so you can plant spinach like a boss.

1 – Spinach Plant Spacing for Your Garden

Let us define a garden so you know if this is for you.  A garden can range from a small section in your yard to a sizeable plot of land.  The requirements are the same for each.

However, your row sizes may vary depending on your needs for equipment to plant, maintain and harvest.  Let’s start with smaller garden space.

The spinach plant seed packets were written for medium gardens to big farms.  The requirements that are typically listed there will be ideal for your space.

You want to plant each seed approximately 3 to 6 inches apart.  The reason why this has a range is that the size of the spinach plant may vary.

Most spinach plants have a diameter of about 4- 5 inches when they are ready to harvest.

You can harvest the spinach plants earlier for baby spinach, so that may be a smaller diameter.

A classic farm or good size garden plot will need to have ideal sized rows in between the spinach plants.  A row is needed so you can safely plant, weed, water, and harvest your spinach plants.

The soil where the spinach plants must remain pretty much undisturbed.  The soil should be almost loose and frilly to allow for the spinach plants roots to grow efficiently.

Having wide enough rows gives you this needed access to the spinach plants.  The typical row spacing for spinach plants is between 12 and 18 inches.  Do you need to use a vehicle to harvest or plant?  Are you able to safely harvest and maintain your spinach plants by foot?

Keep these questions above in mind when you plan your garden spacing for spinach.  You may find you only need 10 inches in between rows because you are just awesome on foot when you care for your spinach plants.

Check out this guide here for more information on planting spinach in a home garden.

2 – Spinach Plant Spacing for Square Foot Garden

Square foot gardening is all the rage these days.   A square foot garden is a method of utilizing a square foot spacing for each plant.  Let’s say you have a garden area of 4 foot by 4 foot.  You would have 16 square feet or 16 mini square areas to plant your vegetables in.

Each square foot garden area is 12 inches by 12 inches.  Sticking with the spinach plant spacing guidelines you could plant a total of 9 spinach plants in each square foot area.

You are leaving approximately 4 inches diameter spacing between each plant.

A quick and easy way to help you get your spinach plant spacing right in the square foot is to draw 2 horizontal and 2 vertical lines that are equally spaced.  This will give you nine mini squares to plant your spinach seeds in.  You will place each spinach seed in the middle of these mini squares.

This method by far is one of the easiest and simplest methods since you can draw these grid lines.  Keep in mind that you need to be able to reach in to plant, maintain, and harvest your spinach plants so you really can only have a maximum of 4 square feet if can access them from opposite sides.

This can vary if you can only reach so far, so keep this in mind when you plan your square foot garden area.

3 – Spinach Plant Spacing for a Container

Planting spinach in a container is an excellent way to enjoy this wonderful vegetable.  You can easily figure out the spacing for your container with a few simple rules.  Keep in mind that these are recommendations based on our experience.  Container gardening can vary a bit depending on your needs, so use these tips as a guide.

The size of your container will ultimately determine how many spinach plants you can place in it.  You will need to plant each spinach plant to give them spacing of about a 3-5 inch diameter.

The bottom range of 3 inches is ideal if you are planning on baby spinach greens and harvesting them much sooner.  5 inches is ideal spacing for the fully matured spinach plants. 

Let’s say you have a container of approximately 14 inches round in diameter.  You would account for approximately 4 inches for each spinach plant, so you can plant maybe 9-11 plants.   This is a rough estimate because you may have an oval, round, square or rectangular container.

We absolutely love these fabric containers and use them for all of our container growing needs.  Check out the latest prices on Amazon here.

Use your best judgment of spacing them about 4-5 inches apart as it depends on the size and shape of your container.

Another possibility is you may also have other plants in your container to make it more artful and eye-pleasing.  This may play a factor when determining the spacing of your spinach plants.

Experiment with this to see how well your spinach plants grow with your varied plantings.  Container gardening is such a wonderful way to help you learn ideal spacing requirements for vegetables.

4 – Intensive Garden Spacing for Spinach Plants

Intensive gardening is really a way fo gardening where you maximize the spacing in your garden to give you the best yields.  This is very similar to what square foot gardening is, but you may not be so rigid.

By far, this type of gardening does take some more knowledge but don’t let that discourage you from trying it.

Spinach plant spacing in an intensive garden will vary greatly than the other methods.  The reason is that you may mix in different crops in between your plants.  The general idea to get the most bang for your buck in spacing.

This way is probably the closest to how nature works.

You may want to stick with 4 inches of diameter to be safe, but push the bound and go to 3 if you are daring.  Try to plant lettuce and spinach together and harvest the greens when they are young so you spread your seeds pretty thick.

Keep in mind you want to place a few spinach plants between other different vegetables to cover the gaps.  Truly this way of gardening is very freeing and takes more creativity.

Experiment with your spinach plants to help you gauge the right spacing for them.  Try different spacing of your plants and see how much you can harvest.

Take notes of what worked and didn’t work so you can vary it accordingly the next time you plant spinach.  Please post in the comments below thoughts on this type of gardening.

More Info about Spinach Plant Spacing

Keep in mind that determining the ideal spacing for spinach plants is not a hard-fast rule.  Nature does not work that way.  In fact, nature is much wilder than the back of a seed packet.  The natural selection may help your plants grow stronger.

Say you plant much closer than 3 inches apart. The spinach plants may fight for the water and nutrients as they are crowded.

This survival of the fittest may result in healthier plants as the weaker ones may not grow as large as they are crowded out.  This spinach plant may be better adapted to the environment.  Your spinach might be tastier because of this or you may get more yield in a denser planting. Nature has a funny way of adapting to different environments.

Don’t be afraid to try out different ways of spinach plant spacing after you get more accustomed to growing.   Your results may surprise you.

Check out this monumental guide here if you want more information on planting spinach.

Related Questions

  1. What are the watering requirements for spinach? – Spinach needs to be watered about 1 to 1.5 inches per week.
  2. Do spinach leaves grow back? – Spinach leaves will regrow as long as you leave about 2 inches of stem from the ground.  It should take about 3 to 4 weeks to regrow.
  3. Is spinach still good after it goes to seed? – Spinach typically is not harvested once the plant goes to seed.  This is called bolting when the flowering stalk emerges from the center of the spinach plant.  The spinach greens are usually bitter at this point.

Check out this post here for more info about harvesting spinach.

Can I Grow Spinach? - Burpee

Posted in: Spinach

Can I Grow Spinach?

Spinach is one of the few vegetables with beets and chard that prefers a neutral to alkaline soil (pH 7. 0 or above). If your garden soil is sandy and acid, be sure to get a lime recommendation based on a soil test before planting spinach. Spinach is also a heavy feeder. Start by working 2-4 pounds of a complete fertilizer per 100 square feet into the soil at planting time and then side-dress every two weeks or as necessary to keep the plants growing vigorously. Be sure to keep fertilizer 4-6 inches from the base of the plants so as not to burn the roots and water thoroughly immediately after fertilizing.

There is no such thing as putting too much compost in garden soil. Mix at least 2-4 inches of compost in the row before planting. Commercial compost is sometimes little more than slightly decayed wood chips. Check to see that the raw material used to make the compost is mostly unrecognizable before buying it or better yet, make your own.

Spinach thrives in cool weather and short days so it's best to grow it in the fall for most gardeners. Northern gardeners can plant an early spring crop followed by another in midsummer to mature before the first hard freeze. In southern gardens spinach easily tolerates a light frost, especially if it is acclimated. In case of a sudden or hard freeze (below 28 degrees), old blankets or polypropylene frost blankets can save the day and prolong the harvest.

Plant spinach seeds an inch apart in rows 14-18 inches apart and cover the seeds with a 1/2 inch of soil. Keep the soil moist and after the seeds germinate thin them to stand 3-5 inches apart. Most gardeners like to do this in several passes to determine the strongest plants to save. Thinning is very important and you must be ruthless in the final analysis or you will have a congested row of plants that don't size up.

Spinach Plant History

Spinach is thought to be of Persian origin (modern day Iran). It was introduced into Europe about 1000 AD It wasn't until after the eighteenth century that it began to be cultivated in the Netherlands, France and England with the Spanish eventually bringing it to the Americas.

Should I Plant Spinach Seeds Or Plants?

Most gardeners start with seeds but transplants are often available at local nurseries. Germinating the seeds in the heat of late summer/fall can be a real challenge. The best soil temperatures for rapid germination (6-7 days) are between 68 and 86 degrees F. Keeping the soil constantly moist and covering the row with fiber row cover will help to cool the soil and get the seeds up. Be sure to remove the row cover as soon as the seedlings are visible. If its still too hot use hoops made from 1/2 inch polyethylene irrigation tubing to lift the row cover off of the small seedlings. A final spacing of 3-5 inches is best for most varieties. So either transplant them directly to this spacing or thin them.

How Do I Cultivate Spinach Plants?

Spinach is grown commercially on deep, loam soils. If your garden soil is acid (pH below 7), then be sure to lime the soil based on a soil test to raise the pH to 7.0. Many gardeners opt for raised beds, 6-8 inches above the existing soil, especially if they have a heavy clay soil to deal with. Working 2-4 inches of compost into the soil prior to planting is always a good idea and while you're at it incorporate 2 pounds of a complete fertilizer per 100 square feet.

Make sure the plants are adequately spaced or you will end up with lots of very small leaves and don't be afraid to side-dress the row with nitrogen to encourage a continual production of leaves. Ammonium sulfate at 2 tablespoons per foot of row should keep the spinach producing all season long if applied every two weeks or as needed. Similarly spinach needs lots of water but it also needs good drainage. Finally just harvest a few leaves at a time from each plant. This will allow the plants to continue producing all season.

Spinach Plant Growing Tips

The key to success with spinach begins with getting the plants off to a good start. Plant the right varieties in a rich, organic soil. Supply lots of moisture and cool the soil (especially with late summer plantings) and don't be shy about fertilizing. Side-dressing with a nitrogen fertilizer will work and so will foliar applications of fertilizer like Dyna-Gro. Check out the Organica Plant Growth Activator and Marine-Gro products, too. Vigorous spinach is tasty spinach.

Spinach Plant Insects & Diseases

Aphids or plant lice are fond of spinach. Usually a high-pressure water spray will knock them off or try one of the organic sprays like Burpee's K+Neem. Check with your local Cooperative Extension Agent for other recommended pesticides.
Caterpillars love spinach, too. Use one of the biological worm sprays (Bacillus thuringiensis) to take out these pests without hazard to people, pets and beneficial insects.

Diseases are also a threat to spinach. White rust, blue mold (downy mildew) and the soil-borne disease fusarium wilt are the primary pests in this category. White rust is a common problem during cool, humid conditions. If only a few leaves are infected just remove them. Where this disease is a common problem, as it is in many areas of the South, check with the Extension Service for recommended fungicides.
Blue mold can also be treated by removing infected leaves (look for yellow spots on top of the leaf and a grayish-blue mold on the bottom of the leaf) or use a recommended fungicide.

Rotating spinach with unrelated crops for at least three years is the best control for fusarium wilt.

Spinach Plant Recipes & Storage

Fresh spinach is wonderful with blue cheese or ranch dressing, maybe a little bacon, hard-cooked egg, etc, etc. It's also great sautŽed with a little bacon grease, green onion and a vinegar hot pepper sauce. Spinach makes a great quiche and also works well in an omelet.

See all our Spinach

May 18, 2021

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.

Contents

When to Plant Spinach Outdoors: Regional and Lunar Timings

Since spinach is a cold hardy plant, spring planting outdoors is done as soon as the ground thaws .

As for the temperature , the sowing of spinach 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 the fall, spinach is planted before winter , similarly to winter garlic or onion , i.e. from end of September to November (depending on the region).

Lunar calendar in 2023

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

Tops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, greens - spinach, dill, parsley) on growing , roots (carrots, beets, potatoes and other root crops) on decreasing. Cancer, Taurus, Scorpio and Pisces are the most fertile signs .

According to the lunar calendar in 2023 favorable days for planting spinach in open ground are:

Unfavorable days according to the lunar calendar for 2023 for sowing spinach are the following dates (days of the Full Moon and New Moon , as well as the period when the Moon is in Aquarius, because it is a barren and dry sign - is in italics ):

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 no place to plant bushes except for a lowland, the culture 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 applied 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! Do not harvest spinach 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.

Important features in spinach cultivation: what to plant next to it, and which crops will harm it?

Spinach is a healthy plant rich in minerals and vitamins. Many summer residents are happy to grow it on their plots.

This hardy annual plant is easy to care for and grows well both outdoors and in greenhouses.

It can be grown in separate beds or planted with other vegetable crops between rows, with which it gets along well. This allows not only to rationally use the land, but also to increase productivity.

Show content

  • Neighbor selection for a plant
  • Which crops are undesirable to grow next to each other?
  • What is the best thing to grow before and why?
  • What is the best planting after and why?

    • The choice of neighbors for a plant

    Today, the joint cultivation of various vegetable crops is gaining momentum.

    Spinach releases useful substances into the soil, which strengthens the root system of other plants, which favorably affects their growth and yield.

    In mixed cultivation, it acts as a natural barrier between plants of the same species, thereby reducing the spread of pests. Also, dense planting reduces the growth of weeds and prevents the soil from drying out. This plant provides moisture and porosity to the soil.

    Both when growing in separate beds, and when growing in mixed plantings with other vegetables , the following planting parameters for spinach must be maintained :

    • The depth of the groove into which the seeds are sown is made up to two centimeters deep.
    • The distance between plants in a row should be 6-10 cm and the distance between two rows 20-30 cm. Next, we will talk about what next to it is best to grow spinach on the same bed and what parameters should be taken into account when growing together.

      • Potato .

        It is recommended to make a bed 90-100 cm wide, on which two rows of potatoes are planted, maintaining a distance of half a meter between them. Spinach is planted between rows and along the edges of the beds at a distance of 15 cm from the potatoes.

      • Beetroot .

        Spinach matures much faster than beets and can be re-sown after cutting. On a bed 90-100 cm wide, three rows of beets are planted in the middle, and greens are planted along the edges of the bed at a distance of 15 cm.

      • Radish .

        Radish loves moist soil, and the proximity to spinach provides this condition. Spinach ripens faster than radishes. Therefore, it will protect the soil under the young radish from drying out. It is recommended to plant two or three rows of radishes at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other, and plant spinach along the edges at a distance of 20 cm.

      • Strawberry .

        Spinach is unpretentious to the soil and does not deplete it, and also does not have common pests with strawberries. It provides strawberries with the shade they need in hot climates.

        The scheme of joint planting of these plants is as follows: the distance between the rows of strawberries is kept 50-70 cm, spinach is planted in the middle of the rows.

      • Bow .

        Onion goes well with spinach. You can plant onions at a distance of 30 cm from each other. Alternate the planting of spinach in the aisle through two rows of onions. An interesting option with carrots, then planting plants in the garden alternates as follows: onion-greens-carrots-greens-onions.

      • Turnip .

        Turnip and spinach get along well side by side. Turnips are planted with respect to the distance between rows of 25-30 cm. Spinach is sown in the aisle. After germination, it is harvested after 25-30 days, and turnips need up to ninety days for ripening. Therefore, after harvesting the spinach, the turnip gets enough room to grow.

      • Cabbage .

        Spinach is often planted next to cabbage, which has a longer ripening period. Observe the distance between the rows of cabbage 80 cm, plant spinach in the middle of the rows.

      Which crops are undesirable to grow nearby?

      Now you know what you can plant with, however, there are a number of vegetable crops that should be avoided next to each other or increase the distance between them. What is it better not to plant a plant next to?

      • Pumpkin .

        The pumpkin grows very fast, besides it lashes. And spinach is a light-loving plant, so pumpkin will shade it and interfere with good growth. Therefore, if you still decide to land next to the pumpkin, then it is better to do it along the edge of the pumpkin landing site at a distance of at least 50 cm.

      • Beans .

        Beans grow rapidly and may shade other crops, especially climbing varieties that require a garter. In principle, these plants are good friends with each other, only you need to fulfill some planting conditions:

        1. Use bush bean varieties for mixed planting.
        2. Row spacing should be at least 50 cm.
      • Fennel .

        But the neighborhood with fennel for spinach is completely undesirable. Fennel inhibits the growth of many plants. Therefore, you will not get a good harvest of the latter in such a neighborhood. These plants are best planted as far apart as possible.

      In our separate publications, you can find out when is the best time to plant spinach in different regions, how to grow it from seed, how to harvest it correctly and whether you can harvest spinach at home.

      What is the best thing to grow before and why?

      Spinach loves fertilized soil , but it is impossible to do this with the use of organic matter in the year of planting due to the high content of pathogenic microbes in organic fertilizers. Therefore, it is good to plant it in the beds where it was grown last year:

      • cucumbers;
      • tomatoes;
      • potatoes;
      • cabbage.

      The soil after these crops becomes loose and rich in organic matter and is excellent for lettuce.

      What is the best planting after and why?

      Spinach matures quickly and saturates the soil with substances that promote the development of the root system, including the tuber.

      Therefore, after harvesting, heat-loving vegetables can be planted on the beds which are planted in summer:

      • pepper;
      • tomatoes;
      • marrows;
      • cucumbers.

      Radish, Jerusalem artichoke, radish will also grow well after spinach.

      Growing spinach is a simple matter, so feel free to plant it in your garden in combination with other vegetables. Complex plantings increase the efficiency of land use and give a good harvest.

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