When to plant spinach in zone 5a
In zone 5a, where the last spring frost typically comes around May 3, start spinach indoors March 22 to 29 and plant out April 26 to May 10. For a fall crop, plant July 26 to August 30.
The zone 5a schedule for spinach
- Start seeds indoors
- March 22 to 29
- Plant out
- April 26 to May 10
- Sow outdoors
- April 5 to 19
- Plant for a fall crop
- July 26 to August 30
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 2,200 ZIP codes in zone 5a, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for spinach.
Dates before the last frost assume the soil has thawed and is dry enough to work: a squeezed handful crumbles instead of sticking. After a late or wet spring, wait for that even if the date has passed.
Frost risk in zone 5a
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 5a, the typical last frost ranges from about April 27 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to May 21 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from September 25 to October 13. For a typical place in the zone:
- April 20Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- May 3Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- May 17Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
Your dates for spinach
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant spinach where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Spinach in zone 5a cities
| City | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MN | Apr 23 | Mar 12 to 19 | Apr 16 to 30 |
| St. Paul, MN | Apr 23 | Mar 12 to 19 | Apr 16 to 30 |
| Anchorage, AK | May 5 | Mar 24 to 31 | Apr 28 to May 12 |
| Sioux Falls, SD | May 1 | Mar 20 to 27 | Apr 24 to May 8 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | Apr 28 | Mar 17 to 24 | Apr 21 to May 5 |
| Billings, MT | May 10 | Mar 29 to Apr 5 | May 3 to 17 |
| Bloomington, MN | Apr 23 | Mar 12 to 19 | Apr 16 to 30 |
| Sioux City, IA | Apr 29 | Mar 18 to 25 | Apr 22 to May 6 |
| Brooklyn Park, MN | Apr 30 | Mar 19 to 26 | Apr 23 to May 7 |
| Woodbury, MN | Apr 24 | Mar 13 to 20 | Apr 17 to May 1 |
| Plymouth, MN | Apr 29 | Mar 18 to 25 | Apr 22 to May 6 |
| Blaine, MN | Apr 30 | Mar 19 to 26 | Apr 23 to May 7 |
How to grow spinachAll zonesSpinach in zone 4bSpinach in zone 5bAbout zone 5a
Sources
- How to Grow Spinach in Your Garden · Utah State University Extension
- Spinach, Spinacia oleracea · University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension (Wisconsin Horticulture)
- Spinach | Home Vegetable Gardening · University of Illinois Extension
- Growing Spinach in a Home Garden · University of Maryland Extension
- Spinacia oleracea (Spinach) · NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP 103/VH021) · UF/IFAS Extension
- Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005) · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
- Backyard Gardener #173: Growing Spinach · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County
- RGV Homeowner Vegetable Guide · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
- Fall Vegetable Gardening Guide for Texas · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
- When Is the Right Time to Plant Vegetable Seeds? Check Soil Temperature · University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension (Wisconsin Horticulture)