🥕 Spinach

Spinacia oleracea

vegetables leafy green

☀️ Sun

Full sun in cool weather; partial shade in warm weather; 3–6 hours sufficient in summer

💧 Water

Medium–high; 1–1.5 inches per week; consistent moisture for tender, non-bitter leaves; mulch to keep soil cool

🗺️ Zones

2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

🪴 Soil Type

Rich, well-drained loam with very high organic matter; spinach is a heavy feeder for a leafy green

🧪 Soil pH

6.5–7.5 (neutral to slightly alkaline — spinach prefers more alkaline soil than most vegetables)

💧 Drainage

Moisture-retentive but well-drained; spinach is particularly sensitive to acidic, poorly-drained soils

📏 Spacing

Seeds 4–6 inches apart; rows 12–18 inches; thin to 4–6 inches; closer spacing for baby spinach

📅 Days to Maturity

37-50 days (from seed); baby spinach at 21-30 days

🍴 Edible Parts

🍽️ ["Leaves"🍽️ "Stems (edible when young)"🍽️ "Roots (edible but rarely used)"]

🤝 Companions (5)

🤝 Pea

Peas fix nitrogen for spinach; peas provide partial shade delaying spinach bolting in warm weather; spinach acts as living mulch for pea roots

🤝 Strawberry

Spinach grows well between strawberries; strawberries shade spinach in heat; spinach acts as ground cover

🤝 Bean (bush)

Beans fix nitrogen; beans provide some shade as weather warms; spinach is harvested before beans need full space

🤝 Radish

Radishes mark rows; repel leaf miners; harvested before spinach matures

🤝 Nasturtium

Trap crop for aphids; repels leaf miners

⚠️ Keep Apart (2)

⚠️ Potato

Potatoes may stunt spinach growth; heavy feeding competition; potatoes shade out low-growing spinach

⚠️ Fennel

Allelopathic

💊 Medicinal Uses

["Exceptionally high in iron (though oxalates reduce absorption \u2014 eat with vitamin C to improve uptake)", "Very high in vitamin K, vitamin A, folate, and manganese", "Contains lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health; nitrates that may improve athletic performance", "Contains glycoglycerolipids \u2014 may protect intestinal lining from inflammation", "Traditional 'strength-giving' food; Popeye's association had some nutritional basis!"]

📝 Notes

Spinach is THE most cold-hardy leafy green — can survive temperatures down to 15–20°F. Bolts quickly in heat and long days (it's day-length sensitive). Three types: Savoy (crinkled, most cold-hardy), Semi-savoy (partially crinkled, easier to clean), Flat/smooth leaf (easiest to clean, preferred for processing). Plant in very early spring or late summer for fall harvest. Spinach is notoriously difficult to grow in warm climates — use heat-tolerant substitutes like Malabar spinach (Basella alba, not true spinach) or New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia).