How to grow Spinach in Australia

Where to plant

Spinach grows best at about 15 to 20°C, in rich, moisture-retentive soil with plenty of compost. It likes a neutral to slightly alkaline soil, so add lime to acid soils before sowing. Give it full sun in winter, and part shade if you sow in early autumn or late winter when warm spells are likely.

Above about 20°C, and as days lengthen in spring, spinach bolts quickly. Timing is everything.

• South East Queensland, the Northern Rivers and Sydney: sow from April to July only, for a winter crop.
• Melbourne: sow from March to August for picking right through winter.
• Adelaide and Perth: sow from March to September; avoid November to February.
• Hobart: sow from February to May for autumn and winter, and from August to October for spring. Tasmania grows excellent spinach.
• Canberra: sow in March and April, or from August to October. Midwinter soil is too cold for good germination.
• North Queensland and Darwin: sow in the dry season, from May to August, under shade cloth.

Choosing a variety

• Savoyed (crinkle-leaved) types such as Bloomsdale Long Standing are slow to bolt and a good choice for warmer areas.
• Smooth, flat-leaved types are easier to wash and good for baby leaves.
• In warm climates or for a summer green, grow silverbeet, perpetual spinach, Warrigal Greens or Ceylon spinach instead, which cope with heat.

How to plant

1. Dig in compost and, on acid soil, a little lime a couple of weeks before sowing.
2. Sow seed directly 1 to 2.5 cm deep, in clumps of two or three, or in rows about 20 cm apart.
3. Keep the soil moist. Seedlings appear in one to two weeks.
4. Thin to about 15 to 20 cm apart for full-sized plants, or closer for baby leaves.
5. Sow a short row every three to four weeks through the season for a steady supply.

Watering and feeding

Water regularly so the soil never dries out. Dry soil is one of the main triggers for bolting, along with heat and lengthening days.

Spinach is a hungry leafy crop. Dig in compost or an organic fertiliser before sowing, then give a liquid feed every week or two once the seedlings are up.

Pruning and care through the year

• Keep weeds down and mulch lightly once seedlings are up.
• Space plants well, as crowding encourages downy mildew.
• Pull plants as soon as they start to send up a flower stem, as the leaves turn bitter.

Harvesting

Pick baby leaves about four weeks after sowing, and full-sized leaves from about six to eight weeks. Take outer leaves as you need them, snipping at the base, and the centre keeps producing. Or cut the whole plant a few centimetres above the soil and it may regrow once.

Spinach keeps three to four days in a sealed bag in the fridge. It blanches and freezes well.

Growing in pots

Spinach grows well in a pot or trough at least 25 to 30 cm wide and deep with a rich potting mix. Pots dry out fast, so check them often, and move them into shade on warm days.

Using it

Eat young leaves raw in salads, and wilt larger leaves into pasta, curries, soups, omelettes and pies. Spinach shrinks a lot when cooked.

Spinach contains oxalates, as silverbeet and sorrel do. That is not a concern in normal food amounts.