Spinach Grow Guide Summary

I’m a fan of putting my summaries at the top – so if you don’t want to read all the extraneous material you don’t have to – you’re welcome. But there is more on everything I say here in the summary if you want to read it. There should be a table of contents at the top of this article as well.

Spinach is a cool season vegetable. Spinach needs 6 weeks of weather between 45° and 75° – stop planting when the weather is consistently higher than 75°, or below 45° to be certain, 35° if you want to take a shot. So we’re looking at planting in the Spring or in the Fall or both depending on where you are and your particular climate. This is why the spinach I planted in July sprouted in 2 days but then didn’t do anything else.

Spinach wants short days as well as cool weather. Temperatures in excess of 75° and more than 12 hours of daylight will speed up bolting. Bolting is when the plant flowers, we want to harvest before the spinach bolts or flowers, it becomes bitter after bolting.

Zone 10b

In Zone 10b we’re going to be restricted to planting spinach seed in the fall or early spring. The hot and dry conditions in the summer won’t work for spinach. As we discussed above it doesn’t like warm climates. Nevertheless we should be able to have mostly continual harvest for the rest of year.

Planting Spinach

Planting depth

Planting depth is surprisingly important no matter what you’re planting. If seeds are planted too deep, they may struggle to reach the surface, resulting in weak or stunted seedlings. Conversely, if seeds are planted too shallow, they may not receive sufficient nutrients and moisture to germinate successfully. Rule of Thumb: Plant no deeper than twice the width of the seed.

And the required depth varies from plant to plant. Larger seeds generally need to be planted deeper than smaller seeds. Small seeds may only need a light covering of soil, while larger seeds may need to be planted deeper to ensure they are adequately covered.

I wouldn’t depend too heavily on the instructions that come with your seed packets, unless they come from Ferry-Morse they take care to make their seed packets useful, but too often the instructions on the packets are not specific to the actual seeds you’re planting. Unless you are sure double check by checking 2 or 3 other online resources or books. We recommend several in most articles and in the Resource Section on the main menu – where we’ve listed every website, magazine or catalog we’ve referenced to write these article.

Spacing

Plant seeds two to four inches apart. It’s not uncommon to accidently drop more than one seed in a space. There are tools available to prevent this but I don’t bother with them. If you drop an extra seed it might just be the one that really wants to grow for you. When your plants are 2 to 3 inches tall, thin to 1 plant every 2 to 3 inches. Thinning is when you pull up the weakest of the two plants within the 2 to 4 inches. I always drop those into the soil to degrade or get eaten by earthworms.

If you’re using Square Foot Gardening, plant 4 to 9 per square foot. You’ll have to experiment with different varieties to figure out if it’s closer to 4 than to 9. I always err on the side of planting a few extra. We can always thin them out later.

Location, Location, Location

Spinach will grow with 3 to 4 hours of sunlight daily but will thrive with 6 hours. So when you read full sun to partial shade (a sneaky way to sound like you’re providing information when you are not) bear in mind how many hours of sunlight you have typically in the spot you’ve chosen. Full sun means 6 hours or more daily. Partial shade means less than 6 hours of full sun daily.

Location is ALWAYS critical when planting and growing anything. So consider the light and moisture requirements when deciding. Accessibility is also key, if you find the perfect spot on your property but it’s far from your house you’re less likely to go out and tend to your garden. Pests can decimate your harvest in a a day or two, too much sun, not enough sun, poor drainage will all make hard to grow vegetables successfully.

If you don’t have a good spot – you can create one, with a raised bed on wheels as I have ($100 from Home Depot when I bought it) or you can use containers. We’ll talk about that in the next section.

Growing Spinach

Growing Spinach in Containers

Spinach is well suited to container growing. Spinach leaves are relatively small and the plant It has a relatively shallow root system. Given it’s somewhat finicky requirements being able to move the plant to the best environment easily is a real benefit. Planting in a container allows you to control most everything, soil quality, light and moisture requirements and temperature. If it gets too hot where you have it move it to a cooler spot

As always make sure your containers drain well. Most anything will work but I tend toward pots that move easily so that rules out ceramic and clay. I save those for ornamentals. The size of the pot depends on how many plants you want in one pot – I usually put three. So I’ll use a 3 gallon plastic pot. Use a 1 gallon pot if you want 1 plant per pot.

Timing is Everything (right after Location)

It really is – plant at the wrong time and perfectly viable seeds and plants will perish. Unfortunately I’ve learned this from experience. Trying to make things grow where and when you want them to can only work in a completely artificial environment. Never in the garden. We need to let out plants grow into their space – but that is a discussion for another day.

Spinach Facts

Spinach Varieties

There are several varieties of spinach, each with its own unique characteristics. Some of the popular varieties of spinach include:

1. Savoy Spinach: This type has dark green, crinkly and curly leaves. It’s a common variety found in many grocery stores and has a slightly bitter taste.
2. Flat-Leaf Spinach: Also known as smooth leaf or just flat spinach, this variety has smooth, flat leaves and is easier to clean than Savoy spinach. It’s often used in salads.
3. Semi-Savoy Spinach: This variety has leaves that are less crinkled than Savoy spinach but more textured than flat-leaf spinach. It combines some of the characteristics of both types.
4. Baby Spinach: This is not a distinct variety but rather a term used for spinach that is harvested when the leaves are still young and tender. It is often preferred for salads.
5. Red or Purple Spinach: Some varieties of spinach have red or purple stems and veins. While the leaves may still be green, the colorful accents add visual interest.
6. New Zealand Spinach: Botanically different from common spinach, New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides) has similar culinary uses. It has succulent, triangular-shaped leaves and is more heat-tolerant than traditional spinach.

There are more – I got that list from ChatGPT and it didn’t mention any of the three varieties I’m trying right now Renegade, Bloomingdale and Veroflay. Here is a link to a spinach grow guide that lists a whole slew of varieties I haven’t heard of. And a picture of Red Malabar a heat tolerant variety.

In the meantime I had to look up “savoy types” – seriously what is savoy? Turns out it is a type of cabbage and it has crinkly leaves – it’s also a Noble family in Italy from 1861 to 1946 and it’s an area of Southeast France bordering on Italy. None of which in anyway explains using the word to describe a type of spinach. So, from all of that I’ve deduced it is spinach with crinkly leaves as opposed to the smooth spinach leaves we typically see in the grocery.

Growth Requirements

Spinach is a cool weather vegetable and requires 6 weeks of temperatures between 45°? and 75° to perform well. Actually I’m uncertain of the lower end temperature. I’ve read 25°, 35° and 45°. Experiment with your own climate – let us know how it went – journal what you do so you remember what worked and what didn’t. Here in zone 10b 35° is possible but unlikely – though between 40° and 45° isn’t unheard of in the winter.

There seems to be no disagreement about the high end – 75° seems to be it.

More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Spinach

The botanical name for spinach is Spinacia oleracea. Spinach belongs to the Amaranthaceae family, and its scientific name reflects its classification in the plant kingdom.

Ancient Origins

Spinach has a long history and is believed to have originated in ancient Persia (modern-day Iran). It was later introduced to China in the 7th century and then made its way to Europe in the 11th century. Spinach gained popularity in the United States in the early 19th century.

Oxalic Acid Content

Spinach contains oxalic acid, which can bind with calcium and form oxalate crystals. These crystals can contribute to the formation of kidney stones in susceptible individuals. However, the oxalic acid content can be reduced by cooking or blanching the spinach.

Iron and Calcium Absorption

While spinach is often touted as an excellent source of iron and calcium, it also contains compounds like oxalic acid and phytates that can inhibit the absorption of these minerals. Consuming vitamin C-rich foods alongside spinach can enhance the absorption of iron, as vitamin C helps convert non-heme iron (found in plants) into a more absorbable form.

Questions:

When is the best time to plant spinach?

The best time to plant spinach is either spring or spring and fall, it depends on where you are and what kind of climate you’re in. See Growth Requirements earlier in this article.

How long does it take to grow spinach?

It takes about 45 days for your spinach to be ready to harvest.

How can I know when my spinach is ready for harvest?

Your spinach plant is ready to harvest when the leaves are big enough to eat. So in other words, it’s up to you. That said, if what you want is continual harvest, trim the outer leaves frequently, this allows the inner leaves to mature and encourages growth of new inner leaves.

If your plant begins to produce a flower stalk it’s done producing.

You can pull the entire plant if you want but leaving the roots in the ground even after the plant is finished producing will ultimately improve the health of your soil. The downside is it takes a while for them to decompose – and if your growing in containers it’s not relevant at all. In that case throw the plant in your compost pile when it’s done producing. You do have a compost pile right?

What are some common pests and diseases that affect spinach plants, and how can I prevent or treat them?

These are some of the pests and diseases that could affect your spinach plants. But if you’re growing in the right conditions most of these should not occur – prevention is always better than cure. That said …

Common Pests:

1. Aphids (Aphidoidea): These tiny insects can cluster on the undersides of spinach leaves, sucking sap from the plant. They can distort leaves and excrete honeydew, leading to the growth of sooty mold.
2. Leaf Miners (Liriomyza spp.): The larvae of leaf miner flies tunnel through the leaves, leaving visible trails. While the damage might not be severe, it can reduce the aesthetic appeal of the spinach.
3. Flea Beetles (Phyllotreta spp.): These small beetles can cause small holes in spinach leaves, giving them a characteristic shot-hole appearance. Severe infestations can weaken the plant.
4. Caterpillars: Various caterpillar species, such as cabbage loopers and armyworms, can feed on spinach leaves, causing significant damage.
5. Slugs and Snails: These mollusks can feed on young spinach plants, leaving irregular holes in the leaves. They are most active during cool, damp conditions. (which just happen to be required for healthy growth of your spinach – another good reason to grow in raised beds)

Diseases:

1. Downy Mildew (Peronospora farinosa): This is a common fungal disease affecting spinach. It appears as yellowish or pale green spots on the upper side of leaves, while a grayish-purple growth occurs on the undersides.
2. Powdery Mildew (Erysiphe spp.): Another fungal disease, powdery mildew, manifests as a white, powdery substance on the leaves’ surface. It can affect the overall health of the plant.
3. Fusarium Wilt (Fusarium oxysporum): This soilborne fungus can cause wilting and yellowing of the leaves. It’s particularly problematic in warm conditions.
4. Leaf Spot (Cercospora spp.): Circular lesions with a dark center and lighter outer ring characterize this fungal disease. It can lead to defoliation if not controlled.
5. Root Rot (Rhizoctonia solani): Excessive moisture or poorly-draining soil can contribute to root rot, causing stunted growth and wilting.

Preventive Measures:

• Crop Rotation: Avoid planting spinach in the same location every year to reduce the risk of soilborne diseases. (Not relevant if you’re planting in containers and easily fixed in raised beds)
• Proper Spacing: Provide adequate spacing between plants to improve air circulation and reduce the risk of fungal diseases.
• Watering Practices: Water at the base of the plant in the morning to allow foliage to dry during the day, reducing the risk of fungal infections.
• Natural Predators: Encourage natural predators like ladybugs and parasitic wasps to control aphids and other pests.

Regular monitoring, early detection, and prompt action can help manage pest and disease issues in spinach. Consider using organic or chemical controls as needed, following recommended guidelines for application.

References:

Spinach Planting & Spinach Growing | How to Grow Spinach General Tips – Bonnie Plants

Gardening in December

Historically I haven’t spent that much time in the garden in December. First Thanksgiving, then Chanukkah and Christmas and then New Year’s – we celebrate all of them so it gets busy – and it’s often cold and windy here in the San Fernando Valley where I am. I can go out when it’s cold and not windy or windy and not cold but both – not so much. But this year I’m hoping to have “cool season crops, by the middle of December.” See my Garden Notes for November for what I planted.

Mind you, I’m using the word “crops” loosely and mostly to get that word crops into the article for SEO purposes, but all sarcasm aside I’ve been reading about square foot gardening and I’ve got to say it really makes sense to me. Done right you end up with just the right amount of vegetables and you can be harvesting something all year.

We really never know what’s going to happen in with the weather in December it can go either way, hot and dry or cold and wet. But guess what we can do to protect our plants either way? You got it, MULCH. I know I say it in almost every post but it’s really that important. Whether it’s too hot or too cold a layer of ideally organic mulch will around your plants will insulate the roots and retain moisture.

Gardener’s Guide – What to do in Week 49 2023

What to Plant in December in Southern California

Continue Planting Winter Vegetables

We can continue planting winter vegetables from seed or garden packs, including beets and peas, kale and spinach, cauliflower (I like it but I never end up eating it) broccoli, celery and radishes, cucumbers, basil and collards. Collards, really in Southern California? I gotta look that up. We can still plant chard, cabbage and most lettuces. We can continue to plant leeks, asparagus, spinach, root vegetables and according to Yvonne Savio bulb onions, while Pat Welsh tells us that onions must be planted between Nov 1st and 10th – I’m writing this on November 8th 2023 – and I’m going to put my seeds into my raised bed in the morning.

Yvonne Savio at Gardening in La reminds us that when we plant seeds at this time of year fewer will germinate and they will grow slowly, so plant 2 to 3 times more seeds than you would in the spring.

Gardening Chores Week 49?

While December may not be the busiest time in your garden, there are still some important tasks to take care of during Week 49. Here are a few gardening chores you can tackle:

Start or Update Your Garden Journal

Why you should keep a garden journal

Truth is I don’t know if you should or shouldn’t, but I think if you want better harvests or better looking plants it’s a must have.

My take

Keep a garden journal to track your successes and your failures. It’s always a shot in the garden, maybe it’ll work, maybe it won’t. Maybe the weather will support us and maybe it won’t. But let me ask you this – a year from now whether you have a great harvest or have a cr*p year like I did, will you remember what you did? Or how many days of rain we had? How many unseasonable days?

The weather accounts for what 60% of your results? And your decisions and activities account for the rest. Anyway, if you know you can make adjustments year over year, you can’t help but get better results eventually.

What ChatGPT has to say (abbreviated and slightly edited by me)

…a garden journal… can be a valuable tool for both novice and experienced gardeners. Benefits include:

1. Record Keeping: A garden journal allows you to keep track of important information such as plant varieties, planting dates, and locations. This record-keeping can be useful for planning future gardens, rotating crops, and identifying patterns or trends over time.
2. Observation and Learning: Regularly recording observations about your garden helps you learn from your experiences. You can note what works well, what doesn’t, and why. This knowledge can be applied to improve your gardening skills and increase the success of future plantings.
3. Seasonal Changes: A garden journal provides a historical record of your garden’s development throughout the seasons. This can be especially helpful for understanding the timing of specific events, such as when certain plants bloom or when pests are most active.
4. Problem Identification: If your plants encounter issues such as diseases, pests, or nutrient deficiencies, a garden journal can help you identify patterns and potential causes. This information is crucial for implementing effective solutions and preventing future problems.
5. Succession Planting: Planning for succession planting, where one crop is planted as soon as another is harvested, is easier with a garden journal. You can note the dates of plantings and harvests to optimize your garden space and ensure a continuous supply of fresh produce.
6. Personal Reflection: Keeping a garden journal allows you to reflect on your gardening experiences, successes, and challenges. This can be a source of motivation and inspiration, helping you stay connected to the joy of gardening. (or, more likely and useful in my opinion, you can document any injuries you sustain while gardening and take steps to mitigate future injuries) i.e. don’t try to lift that, whatever it was you hurt yourself lifting the last time!)
7. Garden Design and Layout: Over time, you can use your journal to evaluate the effectiveness of your garden layout and design. This information can be valuable when considering changes or improvements to your garden space. (I never do this but I should)
8. Seed Starting and Germination: If you start plants from seeds, a garden journal can help you track the success rates of different varieties, note germination times, and optimize your seed-starting techniques. (Plus, I really like tracking whether a seed germinates when expected, I want to see if they also grow better than those that take longer to germinate).
9. Weather Conditions: Recording weather patterns and conditions in your garden journal can help you correlate plant growth and health with specific weather events. This information can be useful for understanding the impact of climate on your garden.

How to keep a garden journal

I’ve tried a lot of different ways to do this. I’ve purchased gardening journals and used them, I’ve used notebooks and index cards – but mostly I’ve forgotten to do it and I’m always sorry. I also forget to take pictures which is always a bummer. So far I’ve had the most success keeping on online – I use Workflowey – I don’t print all of them here but you can see some under Garden Notes in these articles. I started adding them last month.

And in case you forgot what we’re talking about after all my rambling

More November Chores

Adjust Your Watering: Keep an eye on the moisture levels in your garden. Even though it may be cooler, your plants still need water. Adjust to the weather, the wind will dry out your plants even if it’s cold.

Finish planting all your Spring blooming bulbs on or before December 25th. Except for Tulips, hyacinths, and crocuses, plant them between Christmas and New Years Day.

When I first moved into this gardening zone 10b 25 years ago I planted Tulip bulbs, they never did that well, I think it’s too hot here, though they did come back for about 3 years. But I’m pretty sure in a cooler zone they’ll come back for years like my Daffodils do.

Edibles – Fruits, Berries and Vegetables

Strawberries

Again according to Pat Walsh the perfect time to get your bare root strawberries planted was last month between Nov 1st and November 10th. See my November article for my strawberry saga.

Blueberries

We can plant blueberries next month in January so now is the time to start looking for plants. Don’t assume the blueberries available in your local nursery will produce for you. Many nurseries sell varieties that won’t bear fruit in Southern California. Last year I tried purchasing in April which is just not the right time of year – see my rant about trying to buy blueberries here. Anyway I purchased at the wrong time and both plants died, so this year I’ve learned a bit more which I’ll share here and I’ll try again. But I’m not buying bare root this time.

I’ve read in several books and on more than one website that you’ll do best if you purchase two varieties so they will cross pollinate. But the really important thing is the chill hours. These two things are true anywhere you try to grow blueberries. Different varieties require more or less chill hours but they all need them.

Chill hours are the number of hours between 45°F and 32°F that a deciduous plant (like blueberries) requires to fruit and flourish. So it’s not how cold it is that is important, it’s the number of hours that the plant is in that temperature range.

Anyway here in zone 10b we want low chill varieties, particularly Southern Highbush and Rabbiteye varieties. Opinions run the gamut about which is better with the Southern Highbush varieties seeming to get more votes for taste while Rabbiteye might produce a little more. With any luck I’ll have my own harvest to report on in April and May of next year.

https://gregalder.com/yardposts/growing-blueberries-in-southern-california/

https://growingfruit.org/t/rabbiteye-vs-southern-highbush-blueberry-flavor/8481/4

Ornamentals

Roses –

Spring Blooming Bulbs

Finish planting all spring-blooming bulbs before Christmas. EXCEPT – there are always exceptions aren’t there? Tulips, hyacinths and crocuses need cooler temperatures, plant between Christmas and New Years, UNLESS (another exception!) there is a heat wave – in that case wait until January.

Dahlias

To Lift or Not to Lift?

Many if not most experts recommend lifting your Dahlia tubers in December – that means digging them up and storing them in for the winter, often in perlite or other medium. I never lift my Dahlia tubers – I’m in Zone 10b so this is the only zone I can speak to on this – but mine stay in the ground.

These have been here for probably 10 years. I believe I planted two tubers in this area I think one was a Thomas Edison and the other (look up the name) any way they come up every year. Interestingly I never know what color they will be. They’ve been red, purple, yellow and several combinations of those 3 colors. This year they were yellow with some peach color like the ones I have in back.

This plant has only been here 3 to 5 years, I had about 30 blooms on this plant at one time this year. I didn’t get very good pictures but here – but this was the best bloom I’ve had in terms of numbers. But I’ve had bigger.

This white one has been coming up annually for three to five years. And this one in my atrium has only bloomed once – I’m going to move it but I haven’t picked a spot yet.

What I’m Planting Now

Most of my experience with plants is with ornamentals. About 80% – but now I have so many plants – probably over 1000 that I’m not that interested in propagating more – well that’s not totally true. But what is true is want to harvest more vegetables. I’ve done okay with tomatoes – actually I’ve done great but last year I planted too late. And I’ve done great with summer squash – but my pumpkins – well see for yourself – these are my pumpkins – super cute but nothing bigger than about 3 inches in diameter – so if you want to grow big pumpkins – you might want to get your advice elsewhere! Like here https://www.almanac.com/how-to-grow-giant-pumpkins.

Well I’m planting my Walla Wall onion seeds – however I’m not expecting much. It seems they are a long day variety (not mentioned on the pack) which according to Pat Walsh will never get enough hours of sun here. Now – I did get one onion out of those that I planted last spring – but again they weren’t planted at the right time and I need a short day variety. It’s too late now to get them planted by the 10th.

Okay, I went to Amazon just to see (feeding the beast) and I ordered Vidalia onion seeds for under $6 and they are supposed to be delivered by the 10th – we shall see.

I did in fact get my Vidalia onions into the raised bed by the 10th as well as short day variety I found in my seed collection – they’re called Texas Grano – but when I planted them I realized I would have to move them into the ground or a deeper container so I started to do some work on small small vegetable bed (see Garden notes below)

What I’m Growing Now

I’m finishing up this post on November 14th and my spinach seeds that put in the raised beds on November 4th just started to sprout today. You can see in my Garden Notes they are right on time. I’m also growing onions – discussed above and carrots and garlic.

What I’m Harvesting Now

Nada, zip, zilch – nothing that I’ve planted since summer, in my raised garden bed or in the ground has done anything – so I have nothing to harvest this November.

My Gardening Notes

References:

https://www.gardendesign.com/checklist/southern-california/december.html

https://www.gardeninginla.net/december.html