🌱 Sowing & planting
- Sowing depth: 2.5 cm
- Sowing distance: 15 cm between rows, 10 cm between plants
- Germination temperature: 7–21 °C
- Germination period: 7–14 days
- Planting distance: 15 cm between rows, 10 cm between plants (sown directly on site)
- Growth cycle: 40–60 days from sowing to harvestable leaves
- Planting out: Spinach is preferably sown on site
📅 Growing times throughout the year
Motto: “Sow spinach all year round” – thanks to various crops you can harvest almost all year round.
- Early (under glass): sow January–February; harvest April–May.
- Spring (outdoors): sow March–mid-April; harvest May–early June.
- Summer (outdoors): sow mid-April–mid-July; harvest mid-May–mid-July.
- Autumn (outdoors): sow mid-July–mid-September; harvest mid-August–October.
- Winter (under glass): sow mid-October–December; harvest mid-December–early April.
Start cultivation (sowing)
Harvesting
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
🪟 Early (under glass)
Spring (outside)
Summer (outside)
Autumn (outside)
🪟 Winter (under glass)
🏠 Inside
🪟 Greenhouse / conservatory
Outside
🌿 Popular breeds
📘 Basic information
- Crop group: Leafy vegetables
- Crop family: Goosefoot family
- Height: 15–40 cm
- Frost resistant: yes (good resistance to cold, ideal for early and late crops)
- Root system: 30–45 cm deep
- Preferred soil: pH 6.0–7.0, nutritious, evenly moist soil
🌞💧 Pitch & water
Location: 🌤 Partial shade to moderate sun. Avoid scorching midday sun in summer, as spinach bolts more quickly.
Watering: 💧💧 Regularly and moderately. Keep the soil slightly moist, but not soggy.
🤝 Good & Bad Neighbors
🪴 Cultivation method step-by-step
General: Spinach is almost always sown directly in the field. By cleverly staggering the time, you can harvest almost year-round.
- Early cultivation (under glass): sow in the greenhouse/cold house in January–February, harvest April–May.
- Spring cultivation (outdoors): sow outdoors March–mid-April, harvest May–early June.
- Summer cultivation (outdoors): sow outdoors mid-April–mid-July, harvest mid-May–mid-July.
- Autumn cultivation (outdoors): sow mid-July–mid-September, harvest mid-August–October.
- Winter cultivation (under glass): sow under glass mid-October–December, harvest mid-December–early April.
Sow in rows, thin out if necessary to about 10 cm between plants for attractive foliage.
🌱 Fertilization
Use a general-purpose fertilizer or some nettle manure . Be careful with excessive nitrogen fertilization: spinach easily stores nitrates , which can be harmful when converted to nitrite.
❗ Dangers & Concerns
- Snails: they like to feed on young leaves – protect them with snail edges, beer traps or collect them by hand.
- Bolting: Spinach will quickly flower in hot, dry conditions. A cool location and sufficient water will help prevent this.
🧺 Harvesting & storing
- Harvest as you would lettuce : pick the outer leaves and allow the heart to continue to grow.
- Young leaves are ideal for salads; older leaves can be stewed.
- Harvest preferably in the morning, when the leaves are at their freshest.
🍽️ Nutritional value
Per 100 g cooked spinach (without salt):
- 23 kcal
- 0 g fat
- 3 g protein
- 4 g carbohydrates
- 2 g fiber
- 0.6 g sugar
- Vitamins: A, B6, C, E and K
- Minerals & trace elements: calcium, iron, magnesium , phosphorus , potassium, copper and manganese.
- Less good: relatively high in sodium (salt).
