Crop fact sheet · Cool season
Spinach
Plant now Window open in Houston until Wed, Nov 25.
Your dates in Houston
| Window | Order seed by | Start indoors | Plant | First harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Jul 29 | — | Aug 19 – Nov 25 | from Sep 28 |
| Spring 2026 | Nov 30 | — | Dec 21 – Feb 8 | from Jan 30 |
| Fall 2027 | Jul 29 | — | Aug 19 – Nov 25 | from Sep 28 |
Worked out from AgriLife planting windows (days before/after average frost) and Houston's average frost dates. "Order seed by" is our own 3-week heads-up, not an AgriLife date.
The numbers
- How to plant
- Sow seed directly 0.5" deep, 4" apart, rows 18" apart.
- Days to harvest
- 40–60 days
- Yield per 10 ft of row
- 0.3 bushel
- Replant every
- 10 days for a steady harvest
- Keeps producing
- about 5.7 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Family
- Amaranthaceae (for rotation)
Water
Water thoroughly each week, more often in hot weather or light soils, soaking the soil deeply. Spinach cannot tolerate waterlogged soil, so use raised beds.
Feeding
- At planting: 2-3 lb of 10-10-10 per 100 sq ft (or per soil test), mixed about 3 inches deep or banded 3 inches under the row.
- About 30 days after emergence: Side-dress lightly beside the row and water in; after each cutting, water and fertilize lightly to encourage regrowth.
Not sure what your soil needs? Get a soil test first.
Texas heat
High temperatures and long days cause bolting, which ruins the plant. Seed-zone soil at 95°F or hotter causes poor stands. Plants stop producing in hot weather, so pull the whole plant in late spring.
Pests to watch
- aphids
- leaf miners
- armyworms
- loopers
- flea beetles
Diseases
- downy mildew (blue mold)
- white rust
- Cercospora leaf spot
- damping-off
What to do about them: pest sheet · what's wrong with my plant?
When it's ready
Harvest when plants are 6-8 inches tall or large leaves are 4-6 inches long. Pull whole plants in spring; in milder fall areas, clip leaves 1-2 inches above the crown.
Storing it
Wrap loosely in a damp paper towel, refrigerate in a plastic bag, and use within 3-5 days.
Texas tips
- AgriLife table: plant 1-8 weeks before the last spring frost and 2-16 weeks before the first fall freeze.
- For fall crops, cover seed with sand or light-colored material to keep the soil cooler.
- Don't replant spinach in the same spot more than once every 2-3 years to limit leaf diseases.
- Malabar and New Zealand spinach are heat-tolerant summer substitutes (not cold-tolerant).
Varieties that do well in Texas
Bloomsdale, Early Hybrid, Melody, Space, Tyee