New Jersey · zones 6b–7b
When to plant spinach in New Jersey.
Sow between Feb 22 to Apr 5 in a typical year, keyed to New Jersey's median last frost around Apr 15. A second, fall sowing fits Aug 14 to Oct 2. Dates below are state medians; your ZIP code shifts them by days to weeks.
The 2026 windows
Spinach dates for a typical New Jersey season.
Direct sow
Feb 22 to Apr 5
Keyed to the ~Apr 15 last frost. Sow 0.5" deep, 3" apart.
Fall round
Aug 14 to Oct 2
Counted back from the ~Oct 28 first frost.
Harvest
~42 days later
~0.25 lb per plant over ~1 weeks.
New Jersey spans more than one climate: Zone 7 is the most common zone, but the state runs 6b to 7b. That's why the planner works from your ZIP code's frost dates, not your zone: mountain and coastal gardens in the same state can be three weeks apart.
In New Jersey: watch for
The pests that find spinach here.
A middle-length season, about 196 frost-free days, means spinach overlaps leaf miners for a stretch each summer. Check plants every week or two and treat early.
Winding pale tunnels or blotches inside the leaves.
Organic fix: Pick and destroy mined leaves; cover the row.
Cercospora leaf spot
Round spots with gray centers and a red-purple rim, oldest leaves worst.
Organic fix: Space wider so leaves dry fast, clear old debris, and pull pigweed and lambsquarters nearby.
Your season math: New Jersey gives spinach about 196 frost-free days, and it needs roughly 42 days to a first harvest. That fits about 23 re-sown rounds across the season, so you can keep it coming instead of picking once.
Planting spinach in New Jersey: questions
When should I plant spinach in New Jersey?+
In a typical New Jersey year, sow spinach between Feb 22 to Apr 5, keyed to the state's median last frost around Apr 15. There's also a fall window: Aug 14 to Oct 2. Your exact dates shift with your ZIP code and microclimate.
What USDA zone is New Jersey?+
New Jersey spans zones 6b–7b, mostly zone 7. But frost dates, not zones, set planting time. The free planner uses your ZIP code's actual frost dates.
How many spinach plants do I need?+
Depends who you're feeding. The crop page has exact counts per household size, or the free planner does the math for your family in about 60 seconds.