When growing spinach, it's all about timing
Spinach is a vitamin-rich, delicious leafy green that is best grown in the late winter and early spring.
The many varieties, smooth-leaf, savoyed-leaf and arrowhead-leaf spinach can be eaten raw or cooked. Spinach stores well in the refrigerator. In addition to iron, potassium, magnesium, Vitamins A, C and B6, spinach is a great source of dietary fiber.
Many home gardeners become discouraged growing spinach mainly because they start too late, and the spinach bolts, making it bitter and inedible.
Key to spinach
Fall is really the best time to plan for planting spinach. Select the variety of spinach for growing and the garden area for planting.
A raised bed with good drainage sited in full sunlight is perfect for growing since the soil can be worked following a few warm days. The key to successfully growing spinach is to plant the seeds late winter to early spring, when soil temperatures are cool.
Preparing the bed in late fall and fertilizing with rich compost or aged manure is suggested. Mini-till or spade the ground, level it off with a rake and sow the seeds. Deposit ½ inch of soil over the seeds and tamp down lightly. Make sure the soil is moist and cover the bed.
Always use fresh spinach seeds for best germination rate as seed may not store well year to year.
Shelter the seeds with a clear polypropylene cover over the raised bed for the first few months of winter and spring. A framework over the bed keeps the plastic from direct contact with the spinach and prevents stem damage if snow, rain or ice builds up on the plastic cover.
Spinach seeds germinate and sprout best in a soil temperature of 45 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit, and the plastic cover serves as a greenhouse, encouraging leaf growth on those warmer January and February days.
Spinach can withstand periods of soil temperatures of 15 degrees Fahrenheit and snow cover under the protective cover. Once the days warm up and the soil temperature reaches 86 degrees Fahrenheit, spinach wants to bolt and go to seed.
Within a couple weeks, the first signs of sprouting usually appear as the cotyledon or seed leaves emerge. Make sure the soil remains moist and during light rainy days, remove the plastic cover for a good soaking.
Spring harvestKeep the cover on through March and possibly April depending on weather conditions. If the soil dries out, spinach may bolt so water frequently.Thin out the plants as they reach two inches, as spinach plants need three to four inches of space to develop properly. At a two inch height, the plant should have developed a set of true leaves. Failure to thin out seedlings will result in stunted growth.Roots are shallow at this stage, so be careful when thinning. Pull out all weeds that start to grow. Aphids and leaf miners are typical pests, and removing weeds can help control them.As daylight increases and temperatures warm to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, replace the plastic cover with a shade cloth (row cover material) to cool the soil and control the insects.Matured spinach has a long taproot so loosen the soil to one foot. Begin harvesting the spinach leaves when they reach a nice size.Leaves can become bitter and lose quality if left on the stem too long. Simply snip off the leaves at their base, leaving the main stem intact for further growth.Enjoy the fresh picked, crisp leaf spinach in salads and cooked dishes. Visit https://extension.psu.edu/cut-cancer-risks-with-spinach for recipes.The plant's productive life usually stops by the end of May, so pull them out, add some compost, till the soil, and reuse the bed for the next vegetable crop.For questions about growing spinach, call the Master Gardener Garden Hotline at 724-287-4761, Ext. 7, or email the Master Gardeners at butlermg@psu.edu. Join us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/butlermg.Visit the Garden Hotline LIVE with Master Gardeners and Extension Educators from across the state answering questions. For more information about the show, visit the statewide Penn State Extension Master Gardener group page https://www.facebook.com/groups/696217890434068.Lew Palka has been a Penn State Master Gardener since 2018.
