Although you can harvest seeds from a spinach plant, it is easier to use commercial seeds. These are tested to provide the most consistent results.

You can also add nitrogen into soil using fertilizer or compost.

Spinach seeds don’t need to be planted very deep in the soil. Covering the seeds with as little as 1⁄4 inch (0. 64 cm) of soil will do.

If the temperature consistently reaches above 80 °F (27 °C) around your spinach, new seeds won’t sprout and seedlings will start to wilt and won’t produce new leaves. Alternatively, you can use growing lamps if your spinach can’t get 6 hours of sun a day inside your home.

To see if your spinach plants need to be watered, stick a finger into the soil around one knuckle deep. If the soil feels dry, it needs to be watered.

Ideally, there should be around 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) between the seedlings. If there isn’t enough space, the seedlings will need to be transplanted.

In a 12-inch (30 cm) pot, you can grow 1-2 spinach plants to full size. Spinach plants need 6 inches (15 cm) of space between each other to grow to full size.

Never harvest more than 1/2 of the leaves at a time.

The earlier you can plant spinach, the better your harvest will be in the summer and fall. Spinach can grow in a wide range of climates, but you may have to change what season you plant it in depending on the average temperatures. USDA hardiness zones 1-10 are ideal for spinach. Check what zone you live in at https://planthardiness. ars. usda. gov/

Use a nitrogen-rich soil from a gardening center, or add fertilizer or compost to boost nitrogen content.

A placement in full sun works well if you are planting spinach in cool climates. If you anticipate that the temperature will regularly be higher than 80 °F (27 °C), a placement with more shade can keep your spinach cooler and happier. Water spinach plants up to twice a day on hot days to cool down the roots.

Leave 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) between the stronger seedlings.

Be gentle when harvesting baby spinach leaves. They are very tender and can easily bruise.