Select your climate zone New Zealand - cool/mountain New Zealand - sub-tropical New Zealand - temperate What is my climate zone?

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(Best months for planting Spinach in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

• Easy to grow.
• Harvest in 40-77 days
• Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
• Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 25°C.
• Space plants: 20-30cm

Green leaf crop. Spinach grows best in cooler weather and quickly runs to seed in warm weather.

Not recommended to grow in warm areas. Alternatives suitable for warm areas are Swiss Chard (Silverbeet) or NZ spinach.

Succession sowing will provide a supply through the winter months.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Spinach

Use young leaves in salad.
Steam and add to other vegetables.

Your comments and tips

09 May 09 Gemma (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I have planted spinach from seedlings last month, but they ust don't seem to be growing. They are still very small, but look healthy enough. Does he soil need something?

15 May 09 Chris (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I had the same result with spinach seedlings. Been told that this is common and it's best to plant seeds. Have done so....and am awaiting some action!

17 May 09 Katie (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

I planted both seedlings and seeds, here in the BOP. At least the seedlings are hanging in there : ) They are shedding their outer leaves - tiny new ones emerging. But the seeds have not shown - in contrast to lettuce, carrots and beetroot that are taking off big time. Maybe the unusual early frosts upset the spinach? Cabbage and cauli seedlings are powering.

01 Jun 09 Katie (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

Spinach update: Two weeks later and the spinach seedlings, from the planted seeds, are flourishing : ) This despite near record cold temps for May. They just needed a few more days in the ground, initially.

16 Feb 11 Gus Grindlay (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

Fantastic website, very helpful. Just want to point out that under "Spinach" you have no highlighted months indicating the best times for growing. Can this be corrected please. Many thannks. GG

16 Feb 11 Liz (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

Gus, there are no planting times suggested (under sub-tropical) because spinach likes a cool climate. You could follow the planting times suggested for temperate.

13 Aug 11 Ava Dickins (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

i love cooking my spinach in boiling water, 2 tea spoons of oil, 1/4 tea spoon salt and a tea spoon of sugar. take it out as soon as it turns green. or stir fry with garlic.