When to plant spinach in USDA Zone 9a

Plan your spinach planting around local frost risk and soil temperature, then work backward from the harvest week your buyers need. The calendar below is a starting point, not a field-level weather forecast.

Gainesville FL, Houston, New Orleans, southern GA coast. Average last spring frost February 25, first fall frost December 1 — a 279-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: good
Cool-season crops bolt fast under Zone 9a heat. Prioritize the fall planting window and use shade cloth for any spring succession.

Key dates

Direct-seed outdoors
January 7 – January 28
Expected first harvest
February 28 – March 28
Fall planting window
September 29 – October 20
Fall harvest window
November 20 – December 18

Windows are calculated from your zone's average frost dates. Adjust ±1 week for microclimates, elevation, and your own frost records.

Spacing and soil

Plant spacing
4″
Row spacing
12″
Seed depth
0.5″
Soil temperature
40–70°F
Frost tolerance
hardy
Days to harvest
45 days

Grower notes for Zone 9a

Germination stalls above 75°F. Direct-seed while soil is still cool for both spring and fall crops.

Plant near: strawberries, radish

Other leafy greens for Zone 9a

Same crop, other zones

Track your own plantings

BAU Farm Intelligence turns these windows into per-field tasks — indoor seed-start reminders, transplant dates, harvest projections — using your farm's actual frost history.