Spinach is known as a cool-weather plant, meaning it excels in the spring and fall months. During the summer, the plant will produce a flowering stalk and bitter leaves. This is called bolting.

Before Planting: Spinach grows in a wide range of soils but should have a pH between 6.5-7.5. Spinach germinates best in cool soil between 50-60°F.

Planting: Summer sowing with higher soil temperatures will lead to low germination. Do not use a heat mat to germinate. If sowing has to be done during warmer weather, irrigating can help cool the soil and improve germination. Sow in late summer for a fall harvest.

Watering: Water regularly, and keep soil moist with mulch.

Fertilizer: Fertilization can include blood meal, cottonseed, composted manure or liquid fertilizer, though spinach is a quick grower and gardeners may want to only revert to fertilization if their spinach is experiencing slow growth. Radishes planted nearby spinach will attract leaf miners away from spinach leaves. The leaf miners don’t harm the underground radish.

Harvesting: For baby leaves, Clip small leaves in 3-5 weeks, depending on time of year and speed of growth. Harvest spinach full size but before bolting, cutting just below root attachment for “rooted spinach”, or cut higher for “clipped spinach”.