When to plant Spinach
Calendar windows
Dates shift with your latitude — they are calculated from your local last-spring-frost date, not from a fixed calendar.
At a glance
Overwinters outdoors in a temperate garden.
Practical notes
Spring and autumn only — long summer days trigger bolting no matter how well you water. An autumn sowing under fleece overwinters for a very early spring pick.
Knowing when to pick
Cut outer leaves at 10 cm and let the crown regrow, or cut the whole plant 3 cm above the ground for a second flush.
Storing the crop
Three or four days in the fridge. Blanch and freeze in balls for winter — it collapses to a fraction of the volume.
Crop rotation
Light feeders that fit well after brassicas; give them 2 years between plantings.
Grows well with
Keep apart from
Watch for
Full guide: spinach diseases and pests (4) → with spread routes, compost verdicts and the prevention this list justifies.