Trying to plant any type of spinach in Alabama and not having proper knowledge and technical know-how of cultivating them can be quite frustrating due to poor yields.
That is why farmers and gardeners in Alabama need to know when to plant spinach in Alabama, which is precisely what we will be talking about here.
In order to get optimum yields during harvests, you will have to know the right planting dates and seasons.
That said, the best time to plant spinach in Alabama is in spring, but there are other things you need to know about this planting date, which we will discuss later in the article.
Read Also: Best Crops to Grow in Alabama
Table of Contents
Alabama Planting Conditions
Alabama is a state in the United States that is known to have humid subtropical climate conditions.
They have very warm summers, short winters and ample cloudbursts throughout the year.
The soil conditions in Alabama are conducive enough to support a wide variety of plants and crops including spinach, because of their suitable weather and soil conditions.
They comprise mostly of fine sandy soil, loamy soil, clayey subsoil, and generally sandy loam surface layers, in areas such as plains, valleys, plateau, uplands, open fields, gulf coasts and so on.
When To Plant Spinach In Alabama
Spinach is a vegetable that thrives more under cool weather conditions. So plant your spinach seeds as early as six weeks before the last frost.
The best time to plant spinach in Alabama is in spring. Spring plantings can be made as soon as the soil is cool enough and can be properly worked on.
Furthermore, in Alabama, the best planting date for spinach is from the 15th of February to the 15th of March. Peculiar species of spinach can thrive in fall. Their seeds are best sown any time in September.
Read Also: Best Time to Plant Spinach in Texas
Where To Plant Spinach In Alabama
Select a site that is exposed to sunlight but not too much because spinach is a vegetable that cannot stand so much heat.
So, you can grow your spinach in competition with trees, grow them in greenhouses or grow them at any strategic point that provides shade.
Common spinach species cannot grow in midsummer. If you live in a place that is known to have mild winters in Alabama, you can also plant in the fall. Wait till the soil temperatures are cool enough before you plant.
Tips on how to grow spinach for maximum yields
- Try as much as possible to space out the seeds when planting to avoid overcrowding. Overcrowding the seeds stunts their growth rate, so it is best that the seedlings are planted about four to six inches apart.
- It's beneficial that you prepare the soil the previous autumn, a that you'll be too comfortable to plant the seeds in an already softened ground when it's springtime.
- Spinach does best when growing in moist, nitrogen-rich soil. Do ensure to plant them in soils with such conditions.
- loosen the soil at least 1.5 feet deep before planting your Spinach, because they are biologically adapted to have deep taproots that sustain their life.
- In warm climates, plant spinach in the shade of tall crops such as corn or beans.
- Harvest spinach starting with the outermost leaves once leaves are large enough to eat. This enables more leaves to spring out.
- The soil temperature that you plant your spinach seeds should not be warmer than 70ºF (21°C)
Read Also: Best Time to Plant Onion in Alabama
Conclusion
Hopefully, you now know when to plant spinach in Alabama after reading this article. Spinach, when planted in the right reason in Alabama, can yield a bountiful harvest. So, it’s important you adhere to the right planting time for this leafy green vegetable.
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