Garden Spinach, New Zealand Spinach, and Malabar Spinach
Spinacia oleracea, Tetragonia tetragonioides and Basella alba respectively.
(AMARANTHACEAE, AIZOACEAE, and BASELLACEAE respectively.)
Planting, Growing, and Harvesting
Garden, Malabar, and New Zealand Spinach
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow garden spinach, Malabar spinach, and New Zealand spinach in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- How many plants of garden spinach, Malabar spinach, and New Zealand spinach to growt
- Growing conditions for garden spinach, Malabar spinach, and New Zealand spinach
- When to plant garden spinach, Malabar spinach, and New Zealand spinach
- How to plant garden spinach, Malabar spinach, and New Zealand spinach
- Watering, fertilizing, and pruning garden spinach, Malabar spinach, and New Zealand spinach
- Companion plantings for garden spinach, Malabar spinach, and New Zealand spinach
- How to harvest, store, and use garden spinach, Malabar spinach, and New Zealand spinach
Growing Spinach and Spinach-Like Plants
Cool-season Garden Spinach and warm-season Malabar or New Zealand spinach are annual vegetables.
Depending on species: Garden spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a deep-green, cool-season annual native to central Asia; New Zealand spinach or Warrigal greens (Tetragonia tetragonioides) is a bright-green, warm-season, bushy or trailing annual with yellow flowers native to New Zealand; and Malabar spinach (Basella alba) is a dark-green, warm-season, tender perennial vine native to India.
The three forms grown in home gardens are unrelated species. Choose cultivars known to be successful in your region.
Spinach Plant and Care Guide
How Much to Plant
New Zealand and Garden Spinach: Allow 15 plants per household member. Malabar Spinach: Allow 3 plants per household member.
How to Plant
Garden Spinach: Seed germinates in 8–10 days; New Zealand or Malabar Spinach: 14–20 days.
Garden Spinach: Average Climates: Sow seed in partial shade in spring when soil warms to 50–65°F (10–18°C). Mild-Winter Climates: Sow seed in autumn. Sow seed 1/2-in. (12 mm) deep, 1 in. (25 mm) apart, thinning to 3–4 in. (75–100 mm) apart, in rows 1–2 ft. (30–60 cm) apart. Plant successions every 2–3 weeks. Autumn–Winter Gardens: Sow seed in July or August for harvest in Autumn–Winter.
New Zealand Spinach: Average Climates: Sow seed in full sun in spring when soil warms to 60–85°F (16–29°C). Mild-Winter Climates: Sow seed in autumn or early spring. Sow seed 1/2-in. (12 mm) deep, 1 in. (25 mm) apart, thinning to 3–4 in. (75–100 mm) apart, in rows 1–2 ft. (30–60 cm) apart.
Malabar Spinach: Average Climates: Sow seed in full sun in spring when soil warms to 60–85°F (16–29°C). Mild-Winter Climates: Sow seed in autumn or early spring. Soak seed before planting, then sow 2 seeds, 3/4-in. (19 mm) deep, 4 in. (10 cm) apart, thinning to 1 ft. (30 cm) apart, in rows 3 ft. (90 cm) apart, installing trellises at time of planting.
Best Conditions for Growth
Garden Spinach: 60–70°F (16–21°C); bolts in temperatures over 75°F (24°C) and when daylight hours lengthen in summer. New Zealand and Malabar Spinach: 60–90°F (16–32°C). Malabar Spinach: Ground hardy and overwinters, zones 9–10.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained, sandy soil. Fertility: Rich. 6.0–6.8 pH level. Prepare soil at least 1 ft. (30 cm) deep.
Proper Care
Moderate–challenging. Keep evenly moist; avoid wetting foliage. Fertilize monthly with 10–5–5 formula. Cultivate. Malabar Spinach: Pinch vine ends when 18–24 in. (45–60 cm) long to encourage branching, training vines on trellis supports. Disease resistant. Leaf miner susceptible.
Autumn–Winter Gardens: Protect garden spinach from early-season frosts and freezes or, in winter gardens, beginning in October.
Pairing Recommendations
Garden Spinach: Cole vegetables and lettuce. New Zealand and Malabar Spinach: Husk tomatoes and strawberries.
Maturity, Picking and Gathering
Garden Spinach: 40–50 days. Cut leaves when 4–7 in. (10–18 cm) long, thinning outer leaves and leaving the central growth bud to resprout; harvest heads by cutting the stem 3 in. (75 mm) above the soil, leaving the central growth bud to sprout additional leaves. Harvest promptly; leaves left on plants have gritty texture due to silica crystals in mature cell walls. New Zealand and Malabar Spinach: 50–75 days. Cut leaves when 3–5 in. (75–125 mm) long, every 5–7 days, until the first frost.
How to Store and Preserve
Fresh in vegetable keeper of refrigerator for 10–14 days; blanched, chilled, and frozen, 4–6 months.