When to plant spinach in zone 7a
In zone 7a, where the last spring frost typically comes around April 16, start spinach indoors March 5 to 12 and plant out April 9 to 23. For a fall crop, plant August 16 to September 20.
The zone 7a schedule for spinach
- Start seeds indoors
- March 5 to 12
- Plant out
- April 9 to 23
- Sow outdoors
- March 19 to April 2
- Plant for a fall crop
- August 16 to September 20
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 3,981 ZIP codes in zone 7a, 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 7a
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 7a, the typical last frost ranges from about April 5 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to April 29 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from October 15 to November 2. For a typical place in the zone:
- April 1Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- April 16Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- May 3Safe: 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 7a cities
| City | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY | Mar 31 | Feb 17 to 24 | Mar 24 to Apr 7 |
| Wichita, KS | Apr 11 | Feb 28 to Mar 7 | Apr 4 to 18 |
| Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY | Apr 13 | Mar 2 to 9 | Apr 6 to 20 |
| St. Louis, MO | Apr 8 | Feb 25 to Mar 4 | Apr 1 to 15 |
| Amarillo, TX | Apr 13 | Mar 2 to 9 | Apr 6 to 20 |
| Providence, RI | Apr 11 | Feb 28 to Mar 7 | Apr 4 to 18 |
| Paterson, NJ | Apr 3 | Feb 20 to 27 | Mar 27 to Apr 10 |
| Bridgeport, CT | Apr 5 | Feb 22 to Mar 1 | Mar 29 to Apr 12 |
| Meridian, ID | Apr 24 | Mar 13 to 20 | Apr 17 to May 1 |
| Stamford, CT | Apr 12 | Mar 1 to 8 | Apr 5 to 19 |
| New Haven, CT | Apr 5 | Feb 22 to Mar 1 | Mar 29 to Apr 12 |
| Allentown, PA | Apr 20 | Mar 9 to 16 | Apr 13 to 27 |
How to grow spinachAll zonesSpinach in zone 6bSpinach in zone 7bAbout zone 7a
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)