Growing Spinach, also English spinach

Spinacia oleracea : Amaranthaceae / the amaranth family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec

Not recommended for growing in Australia - tropical regions

  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 25°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 20 - 30 cm apart
  • Harvest in 5-11 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Broad beans (fava), cabbage, cauliflower, celery, eggplant (aubergine), onion, peas, strawberry, santolina

Your comments and tips

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16 May 08, Liz (Unknown climate)
Have you tried soaking in a saucer of water for 24 hours? You may find that the hard coat will soften enough to encourage germination.
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14 May 08, Janette Jenyns (Unknown climate)
No success at all getting spinach seed to germinate. Have tried planting in egg carton covered with plastic to keep moist by still no luck.
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01 May 08, Noelene Smith (Unknown climate)
I have success with this seed. I keep it damp and protected. In the middle of a group of plants I just sprinkle seed. then transplant it before it get over 10-15 cm. Snails are the worst enemy of new shoots so you will have to protect the seed as they shoot.
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20 Apr 08, Lynton Wright (Unknown climate)
I Find Spinach the most Difficult vegetable to grow. That is to strike
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Showing 111 - 114 of 114 comments
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Leafy greens like humus rich soil. Add some well-composted chicken manure and mulch around the plants. As for seeds, it depends on what you mean by spinach. Here in Australia some people call silverbeet (Beta vulgaris) spinach while others use the word spinach when referring to true spinach (Spinacia oleracea). For the former, seed is found on seed stalks that the plant sends up after it has been through a winter. The seeds are rough and corky and when dry can be easily stripped from the stalks between fingers and thumb. For the latter, it is similar but you need to be very careful. Older varieties have very thorny seeds so do not attempt stripping them from the stalks without a sturdy pair of gloves. True spinach has male and female plants so you will need at least one of each for seed. More is better.

- RayS

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