Last Updated on April 3, 2024 by Real Men Sow
Spinach is a great vegetable to grow all year. It can also be grown when other green vegetables are difficult. It likes cool and moist climates. Spinach can also be grown in autumn and spring. However, Spinach is more sensitive than other vegetables to ground temperatures. You might consider sowing spinach indoors or making it easy by growing spinach in pots.
Spinach can be grown all year, but some varieties do better in winter than others. To find the best varieties for your garden, you’ll want to visit our section on choosing spinach varieties. You should sow spring spinach outdoors in March, and winter spinach varieties in August. However, most varieties of spinach can be sown between March and September. It takes approximately 60-90 days for spinach to be harvested.
Growing Spinach
It should be possible to sow spinach outside from mid-March. However, if you grow spinach in pots you can move the post easily from inside to out. You can also use pots to grow spinach. This allows you to add insulation to the pots in order to raise the temperature of your compost.
Why grow spinach?
Spinach is a great way to get a lot of Vitamin A and Vitamin C into your diet. Spinach also contains iron and folic acids. Fresh spinach can be expensive so we recommend it as an inexpensive vegetable.
Where can you grow Spinach?
You can transport your spinach around depending on the weather conditions. This is one of the greatest benefits to growing spinach in containers. If you can keep your spinach from the sun during summer, and have moist soil, it will thrive. A pot is the most flexible way to grow spinach.
Best Growing Conditions for Spinach
Some gardeners grow spinach indoors (we do too some years), although it is possible to grow winter spinach outdoors if you are particularly hardy. Outdoor spinach is the best method of growing spinach. If necessary, you can add indoor spinach to your supply.
Good compost is essential for spinach plants in pots. Spinach thrives when nutrients are present in the soil. You can add fertilizer or food to soil that you have prepared from old compost or soil. For spinach to grow, you need some sunlight but not too much. You should shade your plants if it is very hot. Avoid soggy soil and spinach mold by watering your plants regularly.
How to Grow Spinach in Pots
A pot should be about 20 cm deep. You will need to leave about 8cm between each spinach plant and the rest of the pot if you are planning to harvest in the early season.
When to Plant
Spring spinach should be planted in March if you plan to plant it. However, you can also succession sow the spinach to ensure a steady supply. Winter spinach should only be planted between August and September. You will likely need some protection from the elements starting in October. Consider a mini-garden or cloche.
General Care
Spinach is a simple plant to grow. Planting spinach in containers or pots can help to repel snails and slugs. However, you should still check the pots regularly especially when the plants start to grow.
Growing spinach in pots does not require a lot of care. The container should not be waterlogged. Also, don’t allow the compost to dry out. Your spinach plants will bolt if they are not watered regularly. This can cause the leaves to taste bitter and unappetizing.
Growing Spinach Indoors
Indoors growing spinach is one of the most simple ways to grow it at home. Perpetual spinach is a variety we prefer to grow indoors. We keep it in containers all year. Indoors growing spinach in winter is a wonderful way to preserve your winter greens, and to add color to your greenhouse.
Harvest
The average time it takes to produce baby spinach leaves is 35 days. By 40-50 days, you will have about 6 leaves. Spinach is one the fastest growing vegetables. Here are some other recommended plants.
How to pick spinach: The cut and come back method
Start by picking the outer leaves and working your way inwards. You’ll notice a rapid growth of the leaves if you harvest your spinach regularly. This is called the “cut and return” method. You can harvest the inner leaves later on, as they continue to grow.
Whole spinach harvesting
A whole spinach plant can be harvested at once by simply cutting it off with a pair of scissors or a knife 7-8 cm above the ground. Although the plant will eventually grow back, it will take a little longer.
Storage
You should wash the spinach before you store it. The spinach can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. Before storing spinach in the refrigerator, make sure it is completely dry. It is possible to dry and freeze spinach, and it will last throughout the year.
