Good and Bad Spinach Companion Plants

To start, it is helpful to understand which companions are beneficial for your spinach plants and which ones to avoid.

Spinach is an easy vegetable to grow. Moreover, companion planting with other crops can boost its growth.

This technique can help repel certain pests and attract beneficial insects.

Good Companion Plants for Spinach

Here’s what to plant with spinach:

• Peas
• Lettuce
• Peppers
• Cauliflower
• Beans
• Cabbage
• Garlic
• Kale
• Eggplant
• Leeks
• Bok Choy
• Marigolds
• Strawberries
• Carrot
• Nasturtium
• Zinnias
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Swiss Chard
• Tomatoes
• Onions
• Squash

What Not to Plant with Spinach

• Potatoes
• Fennel

How to Grow Spinach

There are different types of spinach. All types can be grown outdoors in pots on the patio or in the vegetable garden.

You can also set them among other vegetables in a raised bed. Overall, spinach is a relatively easy plant to grow. Moreover, you can harvest it in 40 to 60 days from sowing.

When to Plant

Late winter or early spring is the ideal time to plant spinach for a quick crop. Then again, after the hottest temperatures are over, in late summer or early fall.

Spinach is a cool-climate plant, so sow seeds in the autumn and winter. However, you can plant the “slow bolt” heat-tolerant varieties in hotter climates [1].

Some experts recommend sowing those 4 to 6 weeks before the last frosts in the spring and again in the fall, 6 to 8 weeks before the first frosts.

Growing From Seed

Spinach needs ample supplies of calcium and magnesium to thrive, as well as cool temperatures and fertile soil.

It also needs nitrogen for darker leaves. And ensure there aren’t any weeds taking away its nutrients.

Prepare a fertile, well-drained spot in the vegetable patch. Next, loosen the soil to a depth of about a foot to allow for the mature plant’s long taproot. Afterward, add some compost to enrich the soil.

Finally, plant seeds about 1/2 to 2 inches deep and cover them lightly with an additional half-inch of soil. Keep rows 12 to 14 inches apart.

Spinach likes a lot of sunlight but will also tolerate partial shade. However, keep the soil moist and avoid very hot areas where the crop can bolt in high temperatures.

Use covers to provide some shade if necessary on really hot days, or try out summer varieties like Malabar or New Zealand spinach [2].

Pots, Containers, and Raised Beds

You can grow spinach successfully in pots on a sunny windowsill. Growing spinach in this way provides the opportunity to use the best soil and create good drainage for the plants to thrive.

Incorporate plenty of organic material into the potting soil to provide a good base for drainage.

Plant the seeds in much the same way as in the vegetable plot. So, keep some space and plant them 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep with a light covering of topsoil.

Additionally, keep them watered, but avoid overwatering, which can lead to waterlogging. Avoid strong sunlight, but put them in a position to get some hours of moderate sunlight daily.

Fertilize frequently with a suitable organic fertilizer. Also, place the pots in full sun in the cold months or partial shade in the warm season.

Care and Maintenance

Spinach does best in soil with a pH of 6.5 to 8 [3]. Therefore, continue testing and amend the soil with garden lime as needed. Plus, enrich the soil every 3 to 4 weeks with good water-soluble plant food.

Additionally, a light mulch is beneficial for controlling weeds. Straw, peat moss, dried leaves, or grass clippings are ideal.

Thin the leaves once the seedlings have sprouted to a height of 2 inches. Overcrowding can sap the strength of the growing plants. Thinning to about 4 to 6 inches apart will encourage the saplings to thrive.

Furthermore, ensure the crop is kept moist and watered well in warm weather.

Pests and Diseases

As with all crops, diseases and pests can ruin a good harvest. Therefore, consider encouraging beneficial insects in the garden.

Additionally, trap crops like radishes lure away leaf miners, and there are many other natural means of controlling plant pests.

Cutworms, wireworms, slugs and snails, and flea beetles are other garden pests that affect spinach.

Downy mildew and most other plant diseases are best managed by removing the infected plant parts or plants.

Harvesting

Young and tender spinach leaves are sweeter and have a more delicate taste.

Larger leaves can be delicious and beneficial in dishes, such as soups and stews. However, they can become bitter if left too long before harvesting.

Spinach is a quick-growing vegetable, and harvesting can begin 6 to 8 weeks after planting. Moreover, you can cut the whole plant or individual leaves.

Pick the outer leaves when ready and leave the inner ones to mature, allowing the plant to continue growing.

For a whole plant, cut it at the base.

The young, tender leaves are known as ‘baby spinach’ and are popularly used in salads and light dishes. However, harvest the entire plant before it approaches the end of the season.

Takeaway

There are so many ways you can use spinach. Its bright green color also makes it a satisfying vegetable to grow at home.

Moreover, companion planting spinach with other crops can make for a more bountiful harvest.