The Front-Yard Farmer

How to grow spinach in north Florida

NORTHWEST FLORIDA - Spinach is a wonderful addition to any front-yard garden in north Florida. So long as you plant it at the right time, it can be easy to grow and quite productive.

In north Florida, spinach is typically planted during October and November.

Spinach is a hardy cool season vegetable. It needs cool, short days to grow well. It will stand up to frost but hates warm weather. Plant spinach too early in the fall when the ground is too warm and the seed may not germinate. If the weather is too warm after the seeds germinate, the spinach is likely to bolt, or prematurely flower, leaving you without much of a harvest.

Spinach will do best if planted in a sunny location. It likes a moist, organic-rich soil with a pH of 6.2-6.9. It’s a good idea to add a two-inch layer of compost on top of our sandy soil and work it into the top six inches. This is best when done several weeks prior to planting.

The varieties of spinach recommended for north Florida include Bloomsdale, Virginia Savory, Melody, Tyee, Olympia and Longstanding.

Spinach can have a smooth leaf, crinkled leaf (savoy) or a semi-crinkled leaf. I prefer a smooth leaf variety because the leaves are easier to clean after they are harvested.

Seeds are typically planted ¼ inch to ¾ inch deep. I usually plant one every inch and thin later. Spinach plants should be three inches apart in rows spaced 12 inches to 18 inches apart.

Spinach matures in about 40 to 70 days depending on the type you are growing. It is ready to harvest when the spinach leaves are big enough to pick.

I will usually make a few plantings in October and November separated by a couple of weeks to help extend the harvest.

Water often enough to keep the ground moist but not saturated. Spinach needs to be evenly moist throughout its growing season

Spinach is usually harvested by removing the whole plant once it reaches full size. If you choose this method, be careful to harvest the plant before the leaves become tough and before the plant bolts.

Instead of harvesting the whole plant, I prefer to harvest just the outside leaves of each plant as they grow. In this manner the plants remain growing, and producing new leaves for a good part of the winter. If you choose this method, you should remember to remove leaves that begin to yellow. If this is not done the plants tend to become less productive and may bolt.

Spinach leaves should be washed in cool water immediately after harvest. Spinach is best when eaten fresh from the garden, however, spinach leaves can be stored 10-14 days if refrigerated at near 32°.

For a complete list of vegetable planting dates for north Florida and recommended varieties of vegetables for the home garden, see our Vegetable Planting Guide.

Front-Yard Farmer Dennis Gilson grows a great variety of fruits and vegetables at his home in Niceville, Florida