Growing Spinach, also English spinach

Spinacia oleracea : Amaranthaceae / the amaranth family

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

(Best months for growing Spinach in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • 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 50°F and 77°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 8 - 12 inches 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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03 Dec 15, Nicol (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
This also happened to me, but it wasn't insects - it was birds having an early dawn feed. I placed bird netting over my crop and they've not been eaten since. I think the bird netting also keeps out flying insects which prevents them laying their eggs in the seed bed and therefore no worms/caterpillars to eat the leaves.
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12 Nov 15, jaxthegardener (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
hi. mine are too. its the snails and slugs. go out at nite and you will see them feeding. I am using a garlic/chillie and soap water spray to keep the pests away.
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08 Jun 16, Valda (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
How do you make garlic/chilli and soapwater spray?
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03 Feb 15, (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Help! My spinach is being completely stripped overnight, not just holes. I have put poison round each plant which worked the first night then it rained heavily and now the remaining plants have been eaten.
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04 Feb 15, Luke (Australia - tropical climate)
the only insect i can think of would be grass hopper and some other bugs breeding in summer as they like heat, they are hard to kill unless heavily poison. Grass hopper can eat a plant in one night if the leaves are fresh. The only safe tip i can give is what i doing now, Spray the area with Madison 50, type of poison for pets that got lices, water your plants with insect repel, best if it natural, there are a range of products at your local garden center. hope this helps
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15 Mar 14, (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Hi my name is veronica live in kemptonpark I like growing spinach but my problem I see the leaves having holes I don't know what is eating it. How do I prevent this
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04 Sep 14, Frans (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Hi Veronica. I plant spinach for several years now and had the same problems. I saw that it can be caused by only 3 things. First it was these brown beetles coming out at night at sumer, then it was snails but last wasthe most devestating, I couln't see or catch the pest until I pick the worst leaves and gave it a good shake. I was surprised to see the amount of worms dropping down. They were camouflached very well. I got poison from my local agri depo and it was the end of them. They destroyed a third of my crop within two weeks.
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26 Nov 13, dorothy (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Why does baby spinach go to seed before its grown big?Should the flowers be cut off soon as they appear? Thank you
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04 Sep 13, jameel Ameen (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
hi I have planted my first batch of 200 seedling.i would like some advice on how to apply my firtilizer and also want to know if its evan needed for me to apply firtilizer since my land is virgin soul and I have good loamy soil. I shall be receiving 200 seedlings a week for a duration of 5 weeks. any advise tips you can give me. ive been using a distance of 15cm from each seedling is that fine? thanks a lot your reply would be greatly appreciated
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04 Jun 13, manyano (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
i planted my spinach on the 1st week of may this year.My qeustion is what do i have to do to produce the promicing spinach?since i did not plant n a perfect time or season.
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Showing 11 - 20 of 22 comments
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I planted spinach a couple of weeks ago and they have sprouted successfully, however, because I planted a few seeds in each hole - they have sprouted together. Rather than pull any out and lose them, is it possible to wait until they get to a certain size and then transplant them to a different area of my garden (as if they were a seedling). And if so, at what stage can I do that (ie. when they are how many centimetres tall)?

- Donna

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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