Tennessee · zones 7a–8a
When to plant spinach in Tennessee.
Sow between Feb 15 to Mar 29 in a typical year, keyed to Tennessee's median last frost around Apr 8. A second, fall sowing fits Aug 11 to Sep 29. Dates below are state medians; your ZIP code shifts them by days to weeks.
The 2026 windows
Spinach dates for a typical Tennessee season.
Direct sow
Feb 15 to Mar 29
Keyed to the ~Apr 8 last frost. Sow 0.5" deep, 3" apart.
Fall round
Aug 11 to Sep 29
Counted back from the ~Oct 25 first frost.
Harvest
~42 days later
~0.25 lb per plant over ~1 weeks.
Tennessee spans more than one climate: Zone 7 is the most common zone, but the state runs 7a to 8a. 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 Tennessee: watch for
The pests that find spinach here.
A middle-length season, about 200 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: Tennessee gives spinach about 200 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 Tennessee: questions
When should I plant spinach in Tennessee?+
In a typical Tennessee year, sow spinach between Feb 15 to Mar 29, keyed to the state's median last frost around Apr 8. There's also a fall window: Aug 11 to Sep 29. Your exact dates shift with your ZIP code and microclimate.
What USDA zone is Tennessee?+
Tennessee spans zones 7a–8a, 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.