When to plant spinach
The rule
Days to maturity: 40–45 days [src]
Method: Direct-sow in the garden. Frost tolerance: frost-hardy (derived from the planting timing above).
Because spinach is frost-hardy and matures in about 40–45 days, it's a strong fall crop — sow it in mid-to-late summer so it finishes before your first frost.
Spinach planting dates by hardiness zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Direct-sow | Sow for fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2a | — | April 9 – April 23 | July 3 – July 17 |
| Zone 2b | — | April 17 – May 1 | July 11 – July 25 |
| Zone 3b | — | April 12 – April 26 | July 15 – July 29 |
| Zone 4a | — | April 6 – April 20 | July 23 – August 6 |
| Zone 4b | — | April 2 – April 16 | July 26 – August 9 |
| Zone 5a | — | April 4 – April 18 | July 27 – August 10 |
| Zone 5b | — | March 27 – April 10 | August 3 – August 17 |
| Zone 6a | — | March 23 – April 6 | August 10 – August 24 |
| Zone 6b | — | March 16 – March 30 | August 15 – August 29 |
| Zone 7a | — | March 8 – March 22 | August 21 – September 4 |
| Zone 7b | — | February 27 – March 13 | August 27 – September 10 |
| Zone 8a | — | February 16 – March 2 | September 3 – September 17 |
| Zone 8b | — | February 6 – February 20 | September 10 – September 24 |
| Zone 9a | — | January 23 – February 6 | September 20 – October 4 |
| Zone 9b | — | December 26 – January 9 | October 3 – October 17 |
| Zone 10a | — | December 8 – December 22 | September 27 – October 11 |
| Zone 10b | — | December 13 – December 27 | November 20 – December 4 |
What you'll need
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Calendar computed 2026-09-27. Sources: University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension — “Growing Vegetables: When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden”; University of Georgia Extension — Vegetable Planting Chart (Circular C963) (days to maturity); NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Climate Normals (frost); USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map.