When to plant spinach by zone
Spinacia oleracea is a cool-season crop that is hardy to frost. Rule of thumb: direct sow from 6 weeks before to 2 weeks before the last frost; for a fall crop, sow or plant 4–8 weeks before the first fall frost.
Spinach planting dates by zone
Each row uses the median 30%-risk frost dates of the major cities in that zone; rows marked * have no major city and use the median of NOAA stations in that zone instead. Frost dates vary a lot within a zone, so use your city page for local dates. In frost-free climates: Oct 1 – Feb 15.
| Zone | Median last frost | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1a* | May 29 | — | — | Apr 17 – May 15 | Jul 2 – Jul 30 |
| 1b* | May 29 | — | — | Apr 17 – May 15 | Jul 2 – Jul 30 |
| 2a | May 21 | — | — | Apr 9 – May 7 | Jul 7 – Aug 4 |
| 2b* | May 20 | — | — | Apr 8 – May 6 | Jul 9 – Aug 6 |
| 3a* | Jun 4 | — | — | Apr 23 – May 21 | Jul 12 – Aug 9 |
| 3b* | May 24 | — | — | Apr 12 – May 10 | Jul 24 – Aug 21 |
| 4a | May 12 | — | — | Mar 31 – Apr 28 | Aug 2 – Aug 30 |
| 4b | May 5 | — | — | Mar 24 – Apr 21 | Aug 9 – Sep 6 |
| 5a | May 4 | — | — | Mar 23 – Apr 20 | Aug 8 – Sep 5 |
| 5b | May 4 | — | — | Mar 23 – Apr 20 | Aug 14 – Sep 11 |
| 6a | May 4 | — | — | Mar 23 – Apr 20 | Aug 14 – Sep 11 |
| 6b | Apr 26 | — | — | Mar 15 – Apr 12 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| 7a | Apr 22 | — | — | Mar 11 – Apr 8 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| 7b | Apr 10 | — | — | Feb 27 – Mar 27 | Sep 1 – Sep 29 |
| 8a | Apr 1 | — | — | Feb 18 – Mar 18 | Sep 8 – Oct 6 |
| 8b | Mar 22 | — | — | Feb 8 – Mar 8 | Sep 15 – Oct 13 |
| 9a | Mar 11 | — | — | Jan 28 – Feb 25 | Sep 24 – Oct 22 |
| 9b | Feb 12 | — | — | Jan 1 – Jan 29 | Oct 8 – Nov 5 |
| 10a | Jan 26 | — | — | Dec 15 – Jan 12 | Oct 20 – Nov 17 |
| 10b | Jan 27 | — | — | Dec 16 – Jan 13 | Oct 18 – Nov 15 |
| 11a | Rare | Oct 1 – Feb 15 | |||
| 11b* | Rare | Oct 1 – Feb 15 | |||
| 12a* | Rare | Oct 1 – Feb 15 | |||
| 12b | Rare | Oct 1 – Feb 15 | |||
| 13a* | Rare | Oct 1 – Feb 15 | |||
| 13b* | Rare | Oct 1 – Feb 15 | |||
Growing tips
- Spinach bolts quickly as days lengthen — spring sowings must be early.
- Fall-sown spinach often overwinters under a light cover in zones 6–7.
- Germination is poor above 75°F soil temperature.
Exact dates for your city
Popular: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, Jacksonville, Fort Worth, San Jose — or browse all cities by state.
Other crops: Tomato, Pepper, Lettuce, Green Beans, Sweet Corn, Zucchini & Summer Squash, Cucumber, Carrot, Onion, Potato, Basil, Kale, Broccoli, Peas, Eggplant, Cabbage, Radish, Strawberry, Beets