How to Grow New Zealand Spinach

Growth Stages

Stage	BBCH	Notes
Sowing	0	CTAHR: seeds are large and germinate slowly -- soak overnight before sowing to improve germination. RHS: sow under glass in early spring, or in situ from late spring once frost risk has passed.
Establishment	3	CTAHR: space plants 12-18in apart with 2-3ft between rows to give the highly branched, sprawling habit room; mulch to conserve moisture and control weeds through summer.
Branching growth	3	RHS: thrives in full sun; CTAHR: heat-tolerant, allowing year-round growing in warm climates. The plant branches freely as it establishes, forming the sprawling habit that sets it apart from upright true spinach.
Repeat harvest	8	CTAHR: once the plant reaches 1-2ft tall, harvest the top 2-3in of shoots -- new growth develops from the nodes below each cut, so regular picking keeps the plant producing through the season.

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Drainage	Moist but well-drained (RHS); CTAHR: compost recommended in heavy soils for texture and aeration.
Lifecycle	Herbaceous, highly branched, sprawling perennial grown as a summer annual.
Edible parts	leaves, shoots

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: CTAHR: once plants reach 1-2ft tall, harvest the top 2-3in of shoots -- this encourages new growth from the nodes below the cut, allowing repeat harvests through the season.

Storage

Best used fresh, eaten raw in salads or cooked/wilted like spinach (RHS, CTAHR).

What the research guides add

New Zealand spinach is not a spinach, and it grows the opposite way: it is a warm-season plant for the weeks when ordinary spinach bolts.

• A warm-season alternative to regular spinach that does well in hot, dry conditions (Utah State). Illinois adds that it has good drought and heat tolerance, can thrive in summer and can do well with little water. (Utah State Extension, Illinois Extension)
• Soak seeds in water for 24 hours before planting to hasten germination. (Utah State Extension)
• Do not plant seeds outside until after the last frost date, or start transplants indoors three to four weeks before it. (Utah State Extension)
• Plant seed ½ inch deep in loose, fertile soil with organic matter worked in, and space plants 3 feet between rows and 12 inches apart within the row after thinning. (Utah State Extension)
• It needs more fertiliser than broadleaf spinach. (Illinois Extension)

Sources for this section

• Utah State University Extension: How to Grow New Zealand Spinach in Your Garden
• University of Illinois Extension: Spinach and New Zealand Spinach (Hort Answers)

Section researched and checked on 24 October 2026 by the SoilCommander Editorial Team. How we check facts: editorial policy.

Sources

The full list of 2 sources behind this guide (Royal Horticultural Society, University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), Urban Horticulture) is in the references of our UK guide to new zealand spinach; they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.