When to plant spinach
Spinach is a cool-season crop that tolerates light frost and prefers to grow in cool weather. Spinach is one of the most cold-hardy greens and often survives winter under a row cover.
- Sow seeds outdoors 3–6 weeks before the last spring frost.
- For a fall crop, sow 5–8 weeks before the first fall frost.
About 40 days from planting to harvest.
Get exact dates for your garden
Planting dates by hardiness zone
| Zone | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Sow outdoors | Fall crop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2a | May 24 | — | Apr 12 – May 3 | Jul 12 – Aug 2 |
| 3b | May 17 | — | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | Jul 30 – Aug 20 |
| 4a | May 12 | — | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | Aug 3 – Aug 24 |
| 4b | May 8 | — | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Aug 6 – Aug 27 |
| 5a | May 3 | — | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | Aug 10 – Aug 31 |
| 5b | May 1 | — | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Aug 16 – Sep 6 |
| 6a | Apr 29 | — | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Aug 22 – Sep 12 |
| 6b | Apr 22 | — | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | Aug 27 – Sep 17 |
| 7a | Apr 16 | — | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | Aug 30 – Sep 20 |
| 7b | Apr 5 | — | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | Sep 6 – Sep 27 |
| 8a | Mar 29 | — | Feb 15 – Mar 8 | Sep 12 – Oct 3 |
| 8b | Mar 16 | — | Feb 2 – Feb 23 | Sep 19 – Oct 10 |
| 9a | Mar 3 | — | Jan 20 – Feb 10 | Sep 30 – Oct 21 |
| 9b | Feb 20 | — | Jan 9 – Jan 30 | Oct 10 – Oct 31 |
| 10a | Mar 2 | — | Jan 19 – Feb 9 | Oct 6 – Oct 27 |
Zone rows use the median frost dates of all ZIP codes in that zone. Zones measure winter cold, not season length, so two places in the same zone can have frost dates weeks apart — use your ZIP code for real dates.
When to plant spinach in major cities
| City | Median last frost | Sow outdoors | Fall crop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | Mar 13 | Jan 30 – Feb 20 | Sep 22 – Oct 13 |
| Portland, OR | Feb 25 | Jan 14 – Feb 4 | Oct 6 – Oct 27 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | Apr 25 | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | Aug 23 – Sep 13 |
| Denver, CO | Apr 30 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 17 – Sep 7 |
| Minneapolis, MN | Apr 23 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 21 – Sep 11 |
| Chicago, IL | Apr 10 | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | Sep 10 – Oct 1 |
| Detroit, MI | Apr 27 | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Aug 30 – Sep 20 |
| Kansas City, MO | Apr 4 | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | Sep 7 – Sep 28 |
| Columbus, OH | Apr 20 | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Aug 29 – Sep 19 |
| Boston, MA | Apr 4 | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | Sep 14 – Oct 5 |
| New York, NY | Mar 30 | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Sep 25 – Oct 16 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Mar 30 | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Sep 22 – Oct 13 |
| Washington, DC | Mar 29 | Feb 15 – Mar 8 | Sep 13 – Oct 4 |
| Charlotte, NC | Mar 30 | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Sep 8 – Sep 29 |
| Nashville, TN | Apr 1 | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | Sep 5 – Sep 26 |
| Atlanta, GA | Mar 25 | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Sep 14 – Oct 5 |
| Dallas, TX | Mar 2 | Jan 19 – Feb 9 | Oct 4 – Oct 25 |
Growing spinach: quick facts
| Frost tolerance | Hardy: survives hard frosts, down to about 25°F or colder |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | at least 35°F to germinate; 45–75°F is ideal |
| Planting depth | ½ in |
| Spacing | 3–6 in |
| Germination | 7–14 days |
| Days to harvest | about 40 days from planting |
Typical figures from university extension planting guides. Seed packets give the best numbers for a specific variety.