Leafy & brassicas
Spinach
Tender leaves for cooler growing conditions.
Sowing & planting windows in Australia
Planting timing varies by broad Australian gardening zone. Local weather, unusual seasons and your garden’s microclimate can shift timing.
Cool
Sow · Feb-Nov
Core months: February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
Temperate
Sow · Feb-Sep
Core months: February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September
Subtropical
Sow · Mar-Jul
Core months: March, April, May, June, July
Tropical
Sow · May-Jun
Core months: May, June
Arid
Sow · Mar-Oct
Core months: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Getting started
Sow seed directly into a prepared bed and thin seedlings before they become crowded. Plan smaller successive sowings within the suitable window.
The right conditions
Use fertile, well-drained soil with dependable moisture. True spinach prefers cool conditions; it is a different crop from silverbeet and New Zealand spinach.
As it grows
Keep plants growing steadily and water in dry weather. Heat and drying conditions can bring an early end to the leafy crop as plants flower.
Ready to harvest
Pick tender leaves when large enough to use, retaining the growing centre if you want more leaves, or cut the whole plant. Harvest before the plant sends up its flower stalk.
Related how-to guides
Harvest leafy greens for repeat picking
Identify the crop and whether you want individual leaves or a whole head.
Plant guidance: Desk-reviewed against linked sources; not field-tested. Planting windows are a guide rather than a rule.