How to Plant Spinach Seeds
It's Popeye's favorite dish and you can grow it right in your backyard. Spinach, brought to the United States from Asia, is easy to grow from seeds in both spring and fall. It's a good-for-you leafy green that is full of Vitamin A, iron and other nutrients. And there are several varieties to choose from, depending on your taste. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Plant the seeds at the correct time. For a spring crop, plant about four to six weeks before the last expected frost. For a fall crop, sow your spinach seeds about four to six weeks before the first anticipated frost of the season. It's a good idea to chill the seeds in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks before planting to encourage faster growth.
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Prepare your seedbed to receive the spinach seeds by tilling the ground. Mix in organic matter from a compost pile or buy it at your local garden center. Spinach needs well-drained soil. Ideally, the pH level of the soil, the amount of acid or alkaline in the soil, should be between 6 and 7. You can test your garden's pH with a kit from your state extension service.
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Use your hoe to make furrows, or long, shallow trenches in the soil. You don't have to dig deep. Spinach seeds should only be planted about 1/4 to 1/2 inch below the soil. Leave about 12 to 18 inches between your furrows.
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Broadcast, or sow, the seeds. For every 12 inches of your furrow, you can plant 12 to 15 seeds. However, even in a small garden you can have good luck with planting the seeds even closer, especially if you plan to harvest the entire spinach plant at one time
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Cover the seeds lightly with soil. You can do this with a rake or you can pour the soil over the seeds. Water your new plantings. Spinach seeds need a good amount of moisture, so water your plants regularly if you are in an area experiencing drought.
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Thin the spinach seedlings when they are a few inches tall to produce more growth from the plants you are leaving. You can start harvesting the leaves when they are still small, since spinach is the tenderest while it is young. When you see flowers starting to form, harvest the entire plant.
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Tips & Warnings
Spinach also can be grown in pots indoors year-round.
Spinach leaves are notorious for being full of dirt, so wash them carefully before cooking. Many cooks like to give them a triple wash before eating.
