Spinacia oleracea

Spinach is an annual vegetable in the Amaranth family that is widely grown for use as a leafy green in salads and cooked dishes.  It can be grown at home in containers or beds and tolerates areas too shady for most other vegetables to thrive.

Spinach grows best in moist, rich, well-drained soil in full sun to light shade– it can tolerate 3-4 hrs of sun a day, and some shade can be beneficial in hot weather.  Plant seeds 1/4-1/2 inches deep and thin to 2-3 inches apart.  For spring crops, plant seed directly in the soil in early spring or start indoors 8 weeks before first frost for later transplant.  For fall crops, plants can be started indoors early or direct seeded after the hottest heat of summer has passed.  For an extended harvest, plant seeds every one to two weeks.  Plants are somewhat frost tolerant and can survive temperatures up to 20F.  Spinach can be grown in containers as small as 1 gal. and as shallow as 4-6 in.

Harvest leaves at any size.  Spinach plants will continue to grow new leaves after harvesting, especially when harvested small, allowing for continuous harvests throughout the season.  Spinach grows best in the cool weather of spring and fall.  It is sensitive to the increasing day length and heat that comes with summer, causing plants to "bolt" and send up flowering stalks; as this process stops leaf growth and makes them bitter, bolt-resistant cultivars are recommended if growing a spring crop in warm climates.

Raw spinach leaves, while edible and safe to eat, contain oxalates that can prevent the absorption of iron and calcium.  Cooking spinach in several changes of water can reduce the levels of oxalates.

VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Nuts" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.