Rainline Garden

When to plant spinach in Oregon and Washington

In Portland: Plant spinach from seed, directly in the garden, Mar 1 – Apr 5. For a fall harvest, plant again Aug 20 – Sep 10. In Bend: Apr 28 – Jun 2. Find your city below.

Difficulty
Moderate
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Spacing
3 inches apart
Planting depth
½ inch deep
Frost
Handles light frost
First harvest
About 45 days after planting

Bolts when days get long and warm, so spring sowings should go in early.

Spinach planting dates by city

CityPlant in the gardenPlant again for fall
Astoria, ORMar 25 – Apr 29Aug 20 – Sep 10
Baker City, ORApr 20 – May 25Jul 21 – Aug 11
Bend and Redmond, ORApr 28 – Jun 2Jul 20 – Aug 10
Burns, ORApr 30 – Jun 4Jul 12 – Aug 2
Coos Bay and North Bend, ORMar 25 – Apr 29Aug 20 – Sep 10
Eugene, ORMar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 10
Gresham, ORMar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 10
Klamath Falls, ORApr 28 – Jun 2Jul 24 – Aug 14
Medford, ORMar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 10
Pendleton, ORMar 20 – Apr 24Aug 20 – Sep 10
Portland, ORMar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 10
Roseburg, ORMar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 10
Salem, ORMar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 10
The Dalles, ORMar 20 – Apr 24Aug 20 – Sep 10
Wilsonville and Canby, ORMar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 10
Aberdeen and Hoquiam, WAMar 25 – Apr 29Aug 20 – Sep 10
Bellingham, WAMar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 10
Ellensburg, WAApr 1 – May 6Aug 12 – Sep 2
Everett, WAMar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 10
Forks, WAMar 25 – Apr 29Aug 20 – Sep 10
Moses Lake, WAMar 20 – Apr 24Aug 13 – Sep 3
Olympia, WAMar 18 – Apr 22Aug 19 – Sep 9
Omak and Okanogan, WAApr 1 – May 6Aug 12 – Sep 2
Seattle and Tacoma, WAMar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 10
Spokane, WAApr 1 – May 6Aug 17 – Sep 7
Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WAMar 20 – Apr 24Aug 16 – Sep 6
Vancouver, WAMar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 10
Walla Walla, WAMar 20 – Apr 24Aug 20 – Sep 10
Wenatchee, WAMar 20 – Apr 24Aug 20 – Sep 10
Yakima, WAMar 27 – May 1Aug 9–30

How to grow spinach

  1. Prepare the bed: loosen the soil and mix in an inch or two of compost.
  2. Plant seeds on your city's dates, ½ inch deep, 3 inches apart.
  3. Keep the soil evenly moist until sprouts appear, which can take one to three weeks in cool soil.
  4. Plant again on your city's dates for a fall harvest.
  5. Harvest: Cut outer leaves once plants have five or six, or cut the whole plant before it sends up a flower stalk.

Varieties that do well in the Northwest

Watch out for

Bolts (goes to seed) as days lengthen in late spring. Sow early, and sow again in late summer for fall and winter.

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