Giant Winter Spinach

Hybrid Status

open pollinated

Cold Hardy

Yes

Days to Maturity

45 days

Lifecycle

annual

Color

medium green

Compare with other Spinach

Variety	Product Type	Hybrid Status	Cold Hardy	Days to Maturity	Lifecycle	Color
Beaujolais Organic	seeds	open pollinated		30 days	annual	green
Space Organic	seeds	F-1 hybrid	Yes	37 days	annual	dark green
Space	seeds	F-1 hybrid	Yes	37 days	annual	dark green
Olympia	seeds	F-1 hybrid	Yes	38 days	annual	green
Highcountry	seeds	F-1 hybrid		25 days to baby leaf, 45 days to mature	annual	dark green
Tundra Organic	seeds	F-1 hybrid	Yes	25 days to baby leaf, 45 days to mature	annual	green
Oceanside	seeds	F-1 hybrid	Yes	25-30 days to baby leaf, 45 days mature	annual	very dark green
Bloomsdale	seeds	open pollinated	Yes	42 days	annual	green
Bloomsdale Organic	seeds	open pollinated	Yes	42 days	annual	green
Giant Winter	seeds	open pollinated	Yes	45 days	annual	medium green
Winter Bloomsdale Organic	seeds	open pollinated	Yes	47 days	annual	dark green

Spinach

• 1,500–2,800 seeds/oz.
• Days to maturity are from date of direct seeding.

Culture: Very hardy, spinach prefers cool temperatures. Planted as soon as the ground can be worked in spring to avoid early bolting. Minimum germination temperature 35°, optimal range 45–65°. Spinach seed will not germinate in soil temperatures above 85°. For fall crop try late July–Aug. sowing; to overwinter, sow late Aug.–Sept. Heavy nitrogen requirements, but avoid applying high-nitrogen fertilizers shortly before harvest to prevent high nitrate levels in the leaves.

Pick large leaves often for heavier production. Smooth-leaved spinach is easier to wash than the semi-savoyed type and is increasingly preferred. Heat, crowding and long day-length (over 14 hours) trigger premature bolting. To retard bolting, avoid hot-weather planting, use wider spacing and irrigate or use shade cloth.

The use of disease-resistant and hardy varieties, cold frames, row covers and hoophouses has made spinach into a nearly year-round crop. Growers should rely on Space or Oceanside for winter production.

See also New Zealand Spinach and Caucasian Mountain Spinach.

Diseases:

• BM: Blue Mold
• CLS: Cladosporium Leaf Spot
• CMV: Cucumber Mosaic Virus
• DM: Downy Mildew

Downy Mildew (DM) is caused in spinach by Peronospora farinosa f. sp. spinaciae. This pathogen evolves new races at a fast clip, challenging breeders and growers worldwide to keep up. Resistant varieties are the main management tool. While formerly considered Somebody Else’s Problem, spinach DM has popped up here and there in the Northeast on a seemingly random cross section of spinach varieties. Most cases have been in protected winter crops. Researchers such as Dr. Meg McGrath of Cornell, along with regional seed companies, are tracking these occurrences with hopes of more knowledge before it becomes a major problem.

Germination Testing

For the latest results of our germination tests, please see the germination page.

Our Seeds are Non-GMO

From early May through mid-December, items shipping from our garden seeds warehouse ship twice a week, usually Tuesday and Thursday. For quickest turnaround time order online by noon Monday or Wednesday.