The rules we use
- Frost
- Hardy. Can go in 6 weeks before the average last frost and stands about 4 weeks of autumn frost.
- Soil warm enough
- Weekly mean around 4°C39°F or more
- Heat limit
- Average highs above 26°C79°F while it matures (it bolts)
- Days to harvest
- About 45 days from sowing in warm weather; longer when it is cool
- Picking
- About 4 weeks from one planting
General guidance, kept on the cautious side. Varieties differ: check the seed packet. How the dates are worked out.
At a glance
- Grows outdoors in
- 88 of 89 cities
- Earliest start (north)
- San Francisco, January 1
- Latest start (north)
- Miami, November 19
- Can go in this week
- 19 cities
- No outdoor window
- Honolulu
Spinach: city by city
Sorted from the earliest start after midwinter to the latest. Southern-hemisphere cities follow, with their seasons six months on.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates
| City | Sow outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco California | Jan 1 – Dec 31 | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
| Austin Texas | Jan 9 – Mar 10, Oct 21 – Nov 7 | Nov 30 – Jan 2, Mar 8 – May 12 |
| San Antonio Texas | Jan 9 – Mar 1, Oct 25 – Nov 11 | Dec 3 – Jan 2, Mar 3 – May 3 |
| Dallas Texas | Jan 19 – Mar 19, Oct 15 – Oct 28 | Mar 23 – May 21, Nov 26 – Dec 29 |
| El Paso Texas | Jan 19 – Mar 2 | Mar 27 – May 12 |
| Portland Oregon | Jan 30 – Jun 7, Aug 28 – Sep 20 | May 9 – Aug 9, Oct 6 – Dec 19 |
| Memphis Tennessee | Feb 2 – Apr 4, Oct 4 – Oct 12 | Apr 15 – Jun 7, Nov 17 – Dec 16 |
| Birmingham Alabama | Feb 7 – Mar 22, Oct 9 – Oct 14 | Apr 9 – May 27, Nov 25 – Dec 11 |
| Little Rock Arkansas | Feb 7 – Mar 28, Oct 7 – Oct 12 | Apr 11 – May 31, Nov 22 – Dec 10 |
| Seattle Washington | Feb 9 – Sep 17 | May 19 – Dec 17 |
| Atlanta Georgia | Feb 10 – Apr 2, Sep 26 – Oct 12 | Apr 11 – Jun 5, Nov 3 – Dec 8 |
| Vancouver British Columbia | Feb 13 – Sep 12 | May 22 – Dec 5 |
| Charlotte North Carolina | Feb 16 – Mar 31, Sep 27 – Oct 8 | Apr 17 – Jun 4, Nov 6 – Dec 3 |
| Raleigh North Carolina | Feb 17 – Apr 4, Sep 25 – Oct 8 | Apr 21 – Jun 8, Nov 3 – Dec 4 |
| Nashville Tennessee | Feb 17 – Apr 1 | Apr 22 – Jun 6 |
| Tulsa Oklahoma | Feb 17 – Apr 5 | Apr 21 – Jun 8 |
| Richmond Virginia | Feb 20 – Apr 7, Sep 24 – Oct 4 | Apr 27 – Jun 12, Nov 4 – Dec 4 |
| Louisville Kentucky | Feb 20 – Apr 13, Sep 24 – Sep 30 | May 3 – Jun 17, Nov 8 – Dec 3 |
| Oklahoma City Oklahoma | Feb 21 – Mar 31, Oct 3 – Oct 7 | Apr 19 – Jun 4, Nov 18 – Dec 2 |
| London England | Feb 21 – Sep 23 | May 20 – Dec 21 |
| Cardiff Wales | Feb 21 – Sep 24 | May 25 – Dec 25 |
| Washington District of Columbia | Feb 22 – Apr 17, Sep 18 – Oct 2 | May 6 – Jun 21, Oct 27 – Dec 18 |
| Manchester England | Feb 22 – Sep 15 | May 26 – Dec 16 |
| Albuquerque New Mexico | Feb 23 – Mar 27 | May 1 – Jun 9 |
| Bristol England | Feb 23 – Sep 22 | May 26 – Dec 22 |
| Salt Lake City Utah | Feb 26 – Apr 22 | May 18 – Jul 2 |
| Baltimore Maryland | Feb 27 – Apr 20, Sep 17 – Oct 1 | May 8 – Jun 23, Oct 26 – Dec 21 |
| St. Louis Missouri | Feb 27 – Apr 12, Sep 23 – Sep 27 | May 5 – Jun 16, Nov 8 – Nov 25 |
| Kansas City Missouri | Mar 1 – Apr 18 | May 7 – Jun 21 |
| Dublin Ireland | Mar 2 – Sep 13 | Jun 1 – Dec 10 |
| Belfast Northern Ireland | Mar 3 – Sep 8 | Jun 1 – Dec 7 |
| Philadelphia Pennsylvania | Mar 5 – Apr 23, Sep 15 – Sep 29 | May 14 – Jun 27, Oct 24 – Dec 10 |
| Cincinnati Ohio | Mar 5 – Apr 16, Sep 19 – Sep 24 | May 11 – Jun 21, Nov 3 – Nov 24 |
| Birmingham England | Mar 8 – Sep 10 | Jun 4 – Dec 10 |
| Glasgow Scotland | Mar 9 – Sep 3 | Jun 10 – Dec 3 |
| New York New York | Mar 11 – May 11, Sep 1 – Sep 27 | May 21 – Jul 12, Oct 6 – Dec 20 |
| Columbus Ohio | Mar 11 – Apr 24, Sep 13 – Sep 20 | May 17 – Jun 28, Oct 26 – Nov 26 |
| Indianapolis Indiana | Mar 11 – Apr 24, Sep 16 – Sep 21 | May 16 – Jun 28, Oct 31 – Nov 25 |
| Pittsburgh Pennsylvania | Mar 13 – Apr 20, Sep 12 – Sep 20 | May 19 – Jun 27, Oct 25 – Nov 27 |
| Boise Idaho | Mar 13 – May 2 | May 23 – Jul 10 |
| Omaha Nebraska | Mar 16 – Apr 25, Sep 11 – Sep 15 | May 20 – Jun 30, Oct 25 – Nov 20 |
| Edinburgh Scotland | Mar 16 – Sep 2 | Jun 16 – Nov 30 |
| Spokane Washington | Mar 17 – May 20 | Jun 5 – Jul 26 |
| Des Moines Iowa | Mar 19 – Apr 29, Sep 9 – Sep 14 | May 22 – Jul 3, Oct 22 – Nov 19 |
| Chicago Illinois | Mar 21 – May 12, Aug 25 – Sep 14 | May 29 – Jul 15, Sep 29 – Nov 30 |
| Cleveland Ohio | Mar 21 – May 7, Sep 2 – Sep 18 | May 26 – Jul 10, Oct 9 – Dec 12 |
| Boston Massachusetts | Mar 23 – May 14, Sep 1 – Sep 17 | May 31 – Jul 17, Oct 9 – Dec 9 |
| Denver Colorado | Mar 23 – Apr 21 | May 29 – Jul 4 |
| Billings Montana | Mar 23 – May 7 | Jun 6 – Jul 17 |
| Detroit Michigan | Mar 26 – May 14, Aug 24 – Sep 14 | May 30 – Jul 16, Sep 28 – Nov 30 |
| Milwaukee Wisconsin | Mar 29 – May 23, Aug 15 – Sep 9 | Jun 5 – Jul 25, Sep 18 – Nov 28 |
| Minneapolis Minnesota | Mar 31 – May 5, Aug 25 – Sep 6 | May 31 – Jul 9, Oct 1 – Nov 17 |
| Madison Wisconsin | Apr 2 – May 13, Aug 21 – Sep 7 | Jun 6 – Jul 17, Sep 26 – Nov 9 |
| Portland Maine | Apr 3 – Jun 4, Aug 11 – Sep 6 | Jun 10 – Aug 5, Sep 15 – Nov 14 |
| Toronto Ontario | Apr 4 – Jun 4, Jul 19 – Sep 9 | Jun 9 – Aug 4, Aug 21 – Nov 8 |
| Buffalo New York | Apr 5 – Jun 13, Jul 20 – Sep 12 | Jun 9 – Aug 13, Aug 22 – Nov 25 |
| Burlington Vermont | Apr 10 – Jun 3, Aug 12 – Sep 7 | Jun 13 – Aug 4, Sep 15 – Nov 14 |
| Fargo North Dakota | Apr 10 – May 10, Aug 25 – Aug 29 | Jun 8 – Jul 15, Oct 7 – Oct 30 |
| Montreal Quebec | Apr 11 – May 27, Aug 15 – Sep 4 | Jun 10 – Jul 28, Sep 19 – Nov 8 |
| Ottawa Ontario | Apr 13 – May 30, Aug 11 – Sep 2 | Jun 12 – Jul 31, Sep 15 – Nov 1 |
| Halifax Nova Scotia | Apr 15 – Sep 6 | Jun 27 – Nov 16 |
| Calgary Alberta | Apr 18 – Aug 11 | Jun 29 – Oct 10 |
| Edmonton Alberta | Apr 20 – Aug 12 | Jun 25 – Oct 19 |
| Winnipeg Manitoba | Apr 20 – May 29, Aug 14 – Aug 21 | Jun 19 – Aug 1, Sep 23 – Oct 22 |
| Anchorage Alaska | Apr 22 – Aug 1 | Jun 30 – Oct 29 |
| San Diego California | Sep 16 – Jun 19 | Oct 19 – Aug 18 |
| Charleston South Carolina | Oct 5 – Mar 31 | Nov 10 – Jun 1 |
| San Jose California | Oct 11 – Apr 25 | Nov 21 – Jun 27 |
| Sacramento California | Oct 15 – Apr 3 | Dec 4 – Jun 8 |
| Jacksonville Florida | Oct 16 – Mar 9 | Nov 19 – May 10 |
| Fresno California | Oct 20 – Mar 19 | Dec 17 – May 25 |
| New Orleans Louisiana | Oct 21 – Mar 10 | Nov 27 – May 11 |
| Las Vegas Nevada | Oct 22 – Mar 7 | Dec 16 – May 12 |
| Houston Texas | Oct 26 – Mar 10 | Dec 2 – May 10 |
| Los Angeles California | Oct 26 – May 5 | Dec 2 – Jul 5 |
| Tucson Arizona | Nov 3 – Feb 18 | Dec 21 – Apr 27 |
| Orlando Florida | Nov 7 – Feb 12 | Dec 11 – Apr 15 |
| Tampa Florida | Nov 7 – Feb 21 | Dec 11 – Apr 23 |
| Phoenix Arizona | Nov 9 – Feb 7 | Dec 25 – Apr 15 |
| Miami Florida | Nov 19 – Feb 13 | Dec 22 – Apr 14 |
| Hobart Tasmania | Jul 14 – Apr 11 | Oct 14 – Jul 7 |
| Canberra Australian Capital Territory | Feb 22 – Mar 31, Aug 14 – Nov 11 | Oct 26 – Jan 14, Mar 30 – Jun 2 |
| Auckland New Zealand | Jan 1 – Dec 31 | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
| Sydney New South Wales | Jan 23 – Dec 18 | Feb 25 – Feb 16 |
| Melbourne Victoria | Jan 30 – Dec 10 | Mar 4 – Feb 9 |
| Adelaide South Australia | Mar 6 – Nov 4 | Apr 9 – Jan 4 |
| Perth Western Australia | Apr 5 – Oct 15 | May 9 – Dec 15 |
| Brisbane Queensland | Apr 19 – Aug 25 | May 23 – Oct 27 |
| Honolulu Hawaii | Too hot year-round: it bolts or fails to set before it matures. Try heat-tolerant varieties in the coolest months. | |
Other crops
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