Spring & fall
Spinach loves cool weather and bolts fast in heat. Sow early spring and again in fall for the best crops.
Fast, hardy and packed with iron β spinach is the cool-season green that gives you leaves in weeks. Here's how.

Spinach loves cool weather and bolts fast in heat. Sow early spring and again in fall for the best crops.
Sow shallow, keep moist, and you're picking baby leaves in as little as 4β5 weeks.
As it warms, give afternoon shade and pick often β heat and long days make it bolt and turn bitter.
Take outer leaves and leave the center, and sow a little every couple of weeks for a steady supply.
For greens plus the whole backyard food plan, The most complete beginner's manual we've found is The Self-Sufficient Backyard β Ron & Johanna Melchiore's 40 years off-grid distilled into food, water, power and 75+ DIY projects. Our honest take:
Garden beds, rainwater sizing, pantry days-of-supply and the weekly rhythm β free spreadsheet, straight to your inbox.