Leafy Green
Red Tabby Spinach is a vibrant F1 hybrid spinach that brings both ornamental appeal and quick harvests to spring and summer gardens. Its distinctive red-veined leaves deliver a nutritional powerhouse in just 31 days from sowing, thriving across hardiness zones 3 through 10. This compact variety germinates best in cool soil and handles the transition between seasons better than many spinach selections, making it reliable for gardeners willing to time their sowings strategically around temperature swings.
6 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart
Full Sun
High
3-10
?in H x ?in W
Annual
Moderate
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The red-veined foliage isn't just visually striking; it signals a spinach bred for flavor, vigor, and disease resistance under cool-season conditions. Territorial Seed Company selected this variety specifically for the Pacific Northwest's spinach production, prioritizing bolt resistance and downy mildew immunity alongside taste. At 31 days to harvest with just 1-inch spacing between plants, you can achieve dense plantings that reward you with mature greens fast, whether you're harvesting tender baby leaves or full-sized heads.
Red Tabby Spinach is grown as a leafy green for fresh harvesting and immediate consumption. The young leaves work beautifully in salads when picked at 3 to 4 inches, while individual larger leaves can be harvested continuously once the plant reaches maturity. Its quick 31-day timeline and compact habit make it especially suited to succession planting throughout spring and fall, allowing home gardeners to maintain a steady supply of fresh spinach without devoting large garden space.
While direct seeding is more common, some growers transplant spinach using specialized equipment like the Paperpot Transplanter, especially when germination has been difficult due to warm soil or damping off disease. Starting seed indoors gives you control over germination conditions and allows you to time transplants for cooler outdoor temperatures, bypassing the challenge of establishing seed in warm soil.
Once seedlings develop true leaves, harden them off gradually to outdoor conditions before transplanting into the garden. Space transplants 1 inch apart in rows 12 inches apart; the compact growth habit supports tight spacing without crowding.
Direct sow Red Tabby Spinach as soon as spring soil is workable, targeting soil temperatures between 50°F and 70°F for reliable germination. For a fall harvest, sow in mid-to-late summer. Avoid sowing during peak summer heat; if spring sowing happens late and soil temps rise above 85°F, irrigate to cool the soil and improve germination rates.
Begin harvesting baby greens at 3 to 4 inches tall, or wait for full plant maturity at 31 days. Individual leaves can be picked continuously as needed once the plant is established. For best flavor and quality, harvest when plants are cool, then immediately rinse leaves under cold water before storing. The frost-hardy nature of this variety means you can extend harvesting into light frost periods.
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