- Variety Info
- Sowing Info
- Growing Info
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Variety Info
Days to Maturity: 28–48 days
Family: Amaranthaceae
Native: Southwest Asia
Hardiness: Frost-tolerant annual. Very cold hardy; fall-sown plants may overwinter even in climates with sub-zero temperatures.
Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Plant Dimensions: 6"–8" tall
Variety Info: Dark green, oval-shaped leaves. 'Matador' is cold hardy with sweet flavor; and slow to bolt in warm weather.
Attributes: Good for Containers, Frost Tolerant, Heat Tolerant
Sowing Info
When to Sow Outside: RECOMMENDED. 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is above 40°F; ideally 50°–75°F. Successive Sowings: Every 3 weeks until 4 weeks before your average first fall frost date. If mulched, spinach can overwinter in sub–zero temperatures. Soil temperatures above 85°F halt germination.
When to Start Inside: Not recommended; roots sensitive to disturbance.
Days to Emerge: 5–10 days
Seed Depth: ½"
Seed Spacing: A group of 3 seeds 6"
Row Spacing: 12"
Thinning: When 2" tall thin to 1 every 6"
Your hardiness zone is
Growing Info
Harvesting: Pick individual leaves from outer edges of plant as they become big enough to use or cut the whole plant 1" above the ground; new leaves will be produced. When picking individual leaves, also removing the leaf stem at the same time is best; this reduces vulnerability to disease during die-back and conserves plant energy. Harvest before the plant sends up a flower stalk (bolting). Just prior to bolting, leaves take on an "arrowhead" shape, adding small keel shapes to the base of the leaf.
- Justin M.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars10/8/25My favorite spinach variety
Ever since discovering this variety of spinach i make sure to grow this one every year! I always plant the seed at the beginning of October since our summer heat comes way too soon in spring and holds on for way too long at the end of the year. They always germinate well and continue thriving through winter and all the way until next spring in my zone 7A.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests10/10/25Hey Justin,
Thank you so much for this fantastic 5-star review! "My favorite spinach variety" is exactly what we love to hear about Matador Spinach Seeds - and the fact that you make sure to grow them every year just shows what an incredible garden performer this variety really is!
We absolutely love your smart October planting strategy! There's something so brilliant about timing your planting to work with your zone 7A climate and avoid those challenging summer heat periods. The fact that your Matador spinach consistently germinates well and then thrives all the way through winter into the following spring is exactly the kind of reliable, long-season performance that makes this variety such a garden superstar.
Your success with continuous harvesting from fall through winter and into spring really showcases what makes Matador spinach so special - that incredible ability to handle temperature swings and keep producing fresh, delicious leaves when other varieties would have given up long ago. It's like having your own personal spinach supply that just keeps delivering season after season!
Your experience and timing wisdom will be so inspiring for other gardeners in similar climates who want to discover just how rewarding and dependable Matador Spinach can be for extending their growing season and enjoying homegrown greens year-round!
Keep on growing 🌻️
- Becca W.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars4/25/255 Stars
Love botanical interests seeds!
- grace e.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars12/16/245 Stars
The matador spinach was a great addition to my Fall garden
- Courtney N.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars12/10/245 Stars
Great germination rates and a fast grower.
- Sue L.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars11/30/245 Stars
I love Botanical Interest seeds, and they do exactly as expected. The Ruby Moon Hyacinth Beans were the beauties of the Fall season. I planted them for the pollinators at our community garden and they were still blooming in Early to Mid November!!