Spinach
A cool-season leafy green that bolts quickly in summer heat, so it's best sown in autumn, winter and spring. Tolerates shade well.
- Sun
- shade
- Water
- moderate
- Spacing
- 20cm
- Harvest
- Ready in 30-40 days
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
- Expected yield
- Repeated pickings over 4-8 weeks per sowing
- Cost to grow
- ~$8 NZD
- Grocery value
- ~$30 NZD
- Companion plants
- Cauliflower, Celery, Eggplant, Strawberries
- Plants to avoid nearby
- Potatoes, Sweetcorn, Fennel, Pumpkin
- Common diseases
- Downy mildew, Leaf spot
- Common pests
- Aphids, Leaf miner, Slugs and snails
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: February-October. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: February-September. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast and Christchurch / Canterbury: March-April and August-October. In Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: March-April and August-September.
Growing stages
Germination & sowing
- Best sown in autumn, winter and spring; summer sowings tend to bolt quickly in the heat
- Tolerates a shaded position well, which can help keep germination and early growth cool
Seedling & establishment
- Thin crowded seedlings; slugs and snails can shred soft young leaves overnight
- Aphids and leaf miner can begin appearing on young foliage
Vegetative growth
- Leaf miner tunnels show as pale trails within leaves; remove affected leaves promptly
- Downy mildew and leaf spot are more likely in damp, humid or overcrowded conditions
- Rising temperatures encourage bolting, so keep beds well watered
Harvest30-40 days from sowing
- Pick outer leaves regularly to extend cropping before the plant bolts
- Keep checking for aphids clustering on new growth