ChenopodsAmaranthaceae

Spinach.

Cool seasonDeer favorite
At a glance

The spec sheet.

Direct sow / out
Mar 25 – Apr 15 / Aug 15 – Sep 15
Germ
7–14 days
Days to harvest
40–50
Spacing
4", rows 18"
Depth
½"
Square-foot
9 per square
Qty target
Two 4-foot rows for spring + fall.

Plant

Direct sow — spinach bolts in heat. Fall crop is often better than spring in NJ.

Care

Bolt-resistant varieties help ('Bloomsdale', 'Space'). Consistent water.

Harvest

Cut outer leaves; whole plant when about to bolt. Overwinter for spring baby spinach.

Preserve

Blanched & frozen; pressed & frozen puree.

Companion planting

What spinach likes, and doesn’t.

Good neighbors

Avoid nearby

Saponins in spinach act as a natural pest repellent for nearby crops. Great living mulch under peppers.

More in this family

Also in the Chenopods.