How to Grow Spinach All Year Round: A Complete Guide

Introduction

Spinach is a fast-growing, nutrient-dense leafy green that deserves a permanent place in every garden. Packed with iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C, it’s a superfood that’s as easy to grow as it is good for you. Even better? With a bit of planning and the right techniques, you can enjoy fresh, homegrown spinach nearly all year round in the UK.

In this complete guide to growing spinach all year round, we’ll show you how to choose the right varieties, when and where to plant, and how to maintain a constant harvest across the seasons—whether in beds, containers, or under cover.

Why Grow Spinach Year-Round?

🥬 Nutritious: A great source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
🌿 Quick to grow: Ready to harvest in as little as 4 weeks
🍽️ Versatile in the kitchen: Use raw, steamed, stir-fried, or in smoothies
💷 Cost-effective: Grow for pennies compared to supermarket prices
🌦️ Cold-hardy and adaptable: Can thrive in both cool and warm conditions with care

Best Spinach Varieties for Year-Round Growing

Type	Varieties	Best For
True spinach	Giant Winter, Emilia, Amazon	Autumn/winter sowing, overwintering
Summer spinach	Helios F1, Corvette	Spring and summer sowing
Perpetual spinach (Leaf beet)	Fordhook Giant, Lucullus	Tolerant of heat and cold; great year-round substitute

Tip: Grow a mix of true and perpetual spinach for harvests throughout the year.

When to Plant Spinach in the UK

Season	Sowing Time	Harvest Time
Spring	March to May	April to June
Summer	Late May to July	June to August
Autumn/Winter	August to October	October to March (under cover)
Indoors/Under Cover	October to February	Throughout winter and early spring

Succession sow every 2–3 weeks for a continuous supply.

Where to Grow Spinach

Spinach is incredibly versatile and can be grown in:

Raised beds and borders
Containers or grow bags
Greenhouses, cold frames, or under cloches
Window boxes for small-scale harvests

How to Grow Spinach All Year Round: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Prepare the Soil or Container

Spinach prefers:

Moist, fertile, well-drained soil
Neutral to slightly alkaline pH (6.5–7.5)

Garden Beds or Raised Beds:

Work in well-rotted compost or organic matter before sowing
Add a balanced fertiliser before planting

Containers:

Use a deep container (20–30cm) for root growth
Fill with multipurpose compost mixed with garden soil or loam
Ensure good drainage

Step 2: Sow the Seeds

Direct Sowing (Recommended):

Sow 1.5cm deep in drills 30cm apart
Space seeds 5–10cm apart
Thin seedlings to 15cm for full-sized plants, or 5cm for baby leaves

Indoor or Protected Sowing:

Sow in trays or modules in cold frames, greenhouses, or polytunnels
Transplant seedlings when they are 3–4 weeks old

Step 3: Watering and Feeding

Keep soil consistently moist, especially in warm weather
Water early in the day to prevent fungal diseases
Apply a liquid seaweed or nitrogen-rich feed every few weeks

Tip: Don’t let spinach dry out—this encourages bolting (going to seed prematurely)

Step 4: Mulching and Maintenance

Add mulch (straw, compost, or leaf mould) to retain moisture and suppress weeds
Keep the area weed-free to reduce competition
In summer, provide shade during the hottest part of the day to slow bolting

Avoiding Bolting in Spinach

Bolting is when spinach starts flowering and becomes bitter. Prevent it by:

Sowing bolt-resistant varieties (like Amazon or Helios)
Keeping soil cool and moist
Harvesting frequently
Providing shade during long, hot days
Avoiding sowing during peak midsummer heat unless under cover

Harvesting Spinach for Maximum Yield

When to Harvest:

Baby leaves: 3–4 weeks after sowing
Mature leaves: 6–8 weeks after sowing
Pick outer leaves first, allowing inner leaves to grow on

How to Harvest:

Use scissors to snip leaves just above the base
Harvest little and often to encourage more growth
Avoid pulling the whole plant unless it’s bolting or finished

Storing and Using Spinach

Fresh Storage:

Store in the fridge in a sealed bag or container
Use within 3–5 days for best quality

Freezing Spinach:

Wash and blanch leaves for 2 minutes
Cool in ice water, drain, and pat dry
Freeze in portions for soups, smoothies, or cooking

Winter Growing: Spinach Under Cover

For spinach in the colder months:

Sow hardy varieties like Giant Winter or Amazon
Grow under cloches, polytunnels, or in a cold greenhouse
Cover beds with fleece or mesh for extra protection
Growth slows in deep winter but picks up in early spring

Growing Spinach in Containers

Perfect for small gardens, patios, and balconies.

Container Tips:

Use deep pots or troughs
Sow directly or transplant young plants
Water daily in dry weather
Harvest regularly to keep new leaves coming

Succession Planting for Year-Round Harvests

To keep spinach coming:

Sow every 2–3 weeks from March to October
In late summer, switch to autumn and winter varieties
Use containers indoors or under cover during cold months
Mix in perpetual spinach for a continuous fallback option

Companion Planting with Spinach

Good Companions:

Radishes – grow quickly and help break up the soil
Strawberries – don’t compete for nutrients
Brassicas – leafy greens grow well together
Onions – deter aphids and some soil pests

Avoid Planting Near:

Potatoes – may compete for nutrients and space
Fennel – inhibits growth of many plants, including spinach

Common Spinach Problems and How to Fix Them

Issue	Symptoms	Solutions
Bolting	Tall central stem, bitter leaves	Provide shade, water consistently, sow bolt-resistant varieties
Downy mildew	Yellow spots and white mould underside	Improve air circulation, water in the morning
Slugs/snails	Holes in leaves, missing seedlings	Use barriers, pellets, or slug traps
Leaf miners	Trails or blotches inside leaves	Remove affected leaves, cover with insect mesh
Poor germination	Few or no seedlings emerge	Pre-warm soil, sow shallowly, keep soil moist

Conclusion

Spinach is a low-maintenance, high-reward crop that’s perfect for any gardener looking to grow fresh greens throughout the year. By choosing the right varieties for each season and using a mix of in-ground, container, and undercover growing methods, you can enjoy succession harvests of fresh, delicious spinach from January to December.

Whether you’re a beginner growing in pots or a seasoned allotment grower with cold frames and raised beds, follow the tips in this guide to make spinach a year-round staple in your garden—and your kitchen.