- Hardiness
- Grown as a yearly crop in every zone
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Average, about an inch a week
- Size
- 6 to 12 in
- Days to harvest
- 40 to 50
Growing tip. A cool-weather crop that bolts as days lengthen. Fall sowings often overwinter and give a second harvest in spring.
When to plant spinach by zone
| Zone | Median last / first frost | When to plant |
|---|---|---|
| 3b | May 16 / Sep 25 | Plant outside: Apr 4 to Apr 18 Fall crop: Jul 31 to Aug 28 |
| 4a | May 12 / Sep 28 | Plant outside: Mar 31 to Apr 14 Fall crop: Aug 3 to Aug 31 |
| 4b | May 8 / Oct 1 | Plant outside: Mar 27 to Apr 10 Fall crop: Aug 6 to Sep 3 |
| 5a | May 3 / Oct 5 | Plant outside: Mar 22 to Apr 5 Fall crop: Aug 10 to Sep 7 |
| 5b | May 1 / Oct 10 | Plant outside: Mar 20 to Apr 3 Fall crop: Aug 15 to Sep 12 |
| 6a | Apr 29 / Oct 16 | Plant outside: Mar 18 to Apr 1 Fall crop: Aug 21 to Sep 18 |
| 6b | Apr 22 / Oct 22 | Plant outside: Mar 11 to Mar 25 Fall crop: Aug 27 to Sep 24 |
| 7a | Apr 16 / Oct 25 | Plant outside: Mar 5 to Mar 19 Fall crop: Aug 30 to Sep 27 |
| 7b | Apr 5 / Nov 1 | Plant outside: Feb 22 to Mar 8 Fall crop: Sep 6 to Oct 4 |
| 8a | Mar 29 / Nov 7 | Plant outside: Feb 15 to Mar 1 Fall crop: Sep 12 to Oct 10 |
| 8b | Mar 16 / Nov 14 | Plant outside: Feb 2 to Feb 16 Fall crop: Sep 19 to Oct 17 |
| 9a | Mar 2 / Nov 26 | Plant outside: Jan 19 to Feb 2 Fall crop: Oct 1 to Oct 29 |
| 9b | Feb 1 / Dec 9 | Plant outside: Jan 1 to Jan 4 Fall crop: Oct 14 to Nov 11 |
Zones 10 and warmer have little or no frost. There, plant cool-season plants in fall and warm-season plants from late winter.
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Frequently asked questions
What zone does spinach grow in?
Spinach is grown fresh each year, so it fits every zone. What changes is when you plant. Find your zone by ZIP code.
How much sun does spinach need?
Full sun to part shade. Full sun means at least six hours of direct sun a day; part shade means about three to six.
Hardiness ranges, light and size are typical figures from university extension services and botanic garden plant records; a named variety can differ, so check its tag. Planting dates come from each zone's median frost dates (NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals) and the timing rules in how we check.