Growing Spinach on an Allotment

Spinach is a fast-growing, nutrient-rich leafy green that thrives in cool conditions. It’s ideal for beginners, works brilliantly in beds and containers, and can be harvested repeatedly using cut-and-come-again methods. With the right timing and moisture control, you can harvest spinach from early spring through late autumn — and overwinter hardy varieties for spring crops.

This guide covers how to grow spinach from seed or plug plants, when to plant, spacing, watering and feeding, pests and diseases, container vs ground growing, and proven ways to improve yields.

🌱 1. Types of Spinach You Can Grow

🥬 True Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)

• Smooth or savoy (crinkled) leaves

• Best in cool weather

• Can bolt in heat

🌿 Perpetual / Leaf Beet (Spinach Beet)

• Technically a beet, grown like spinach

• More heat tolerant

• Harvest leaves for months

(Growing methods are similar, but true spinach prefers cooler conditions.)

🌰 2. Ways to Grow Spinach

From Seed (Most Common)

Pros

• Cheapest option

• Easy and quick to germinate

• Ideal for succession sowing

Cons

• Can bolt if stressed

Plug Plants

Young spinach plants grown in modules.

Pros

• Faster establishment

• Less thinning required

• Useful for late or tricky sowings

Cons

• More expensive

• Limited variety choice

👉 Both methods work well — timing and consistent moisture matter most.

🗓️ 3. When to Sow & Plant Spinach

From Seed

• Spring sowing: March–May

• Autumn sowing: August–September (overwintering)

• Under cover: February–October (variety dependent)

Plug Plants

• Plant out: April–May and September

Spinach prefers cool, steady temperatures.

🌾 4. How to Grow Spinach in the Ground

Soil & Position

• Moisture-retentive but free-draining soil

• Fertile, light soil

• Partial shade in summer is ideal

Avoid freshly manured soil — it encourages leaf at the expense of flavour.

Spacing

• Between plants: 10–15cm

• Between rows: 30cm

Crowding leads to:

• small leaves

• disease

• bolting

Sowing Depth

• Sow seeds 2cm deep

• Keep soil moist until germination (7–14 days)

🪴 5. Growing Spinach in Containers

Spinach is excellent for container growing.

Container Guidelines

• Depth: 15–20cm minimum

• Use multi-purpose or veg compost

• Sow thinly and evenly

Containers dry out quickly — check daily in warm weather.

💧 6. Watering Spinach (Critical)

Spinach is shallow-rooted and hates drying out.

Best Practice

• Water little and often

• Keep soil consistently moist

• Water in the morning

Dry stress causes:

• bitter leaves

• bolting

• poor regrowth

Mulch lightly to retain moisture.

🌿 7. Feeding Spinach

Spinach is a light to moderate feeder.

Feeding Rules

• Compost before sowing is usually enough

• Optional light liquid feed after first cut

• Avoid overfeeding

Too much nitrogen = soft, short-lived leaves.

🐛 8. Common Pests & Diseases

Slugs & Snails

• Major threat to seedlings

Control

• Protect young plants early

• Improve airflow and drainage

Leaf Miners

Symptoms

• White tunnels in leaves

Control

• Remove affected leaves

• Use fine mesh covers

Downy Mildew

Symptoms

• Yellow patches, grey mould underside

Prevention

• Good spacing

• Avoid overhead watering

• Remove affected leaves

✂️ 9. Harvesting Spinach (For Best Yields)

Cut-and-Come-Again

• Harvest outer leaves first

• Leave the centre growing point

• Pick every 7–10 days

Regular harvesting:

• improves flavour

• delays bolting

• increases total yield

🌾 10. Improving Spinach Yields

• Sow little and often

• Grow in partial shade during summer

• Keep soil moist

• Harvest regularly

• Choose bolt-resistant varieties

Spinach rewards steady, gentle care.

⚡ Quick Spinach Growing Tips

• Autumn sowings overwinter well

• Shade prevents summer bolting

• Leaves are best young and tender

• Grow perpetual spinach for heat tolerance

🧠 Key Spinach Principles

• Cool conditions are essential

• Moist soil = tender leaves

• Regular harvesting boosts yield

• Succession sowing prevents gaps

Photo by Elianna Friedman on Unsplash