My winter spinach! I sowed it in December 2017, the seeds germinated in January the following year and then I started harvesting it in early March.

The information on the seed packet usually tells us to grow spinach in April-June. But don't worry about that! I actually grow winter spinach in my polytunnels, both in beds and pots. The seeds germinate and then the little plants overwinter here. I can guarantee that it works, even here in zone 3 where I live.

Read more: Growing Rubino red-veined spinach

Of course, you don't have to grow spinach in winter. But I wanted to show you an example of when it works really well. You can get great results in just a few months. Check out the pictures below for more inspiration!

Pots! I sometimes grow spinach in them, especially very early or late sowings of winter spinach. Just cut the spinach in spring and use the leaves for a fresh winter salad. Why not!

Use a shallow trough with just an inch (around 3 cm) of soil. Sow the seeds close together to get a lovely little mat of tiny spinach leaves, the perfect size to put on your sandwiches.

You can grow winter spinach in your regular beds in the polytunnel and harvest the leaves after just a few weeks!

This beautiful spinach is the best possible start of the season. All because I decided to grow spinach in winter the previous year. This picture was taken in April.

Spinach is one of the most valuable vegetables we have here in the garden, and it's surprisingly easy to overwinter and grow late or very early in the year. Like I mentioned before, I live in zone 3 and I haven't had any issues at all. I also know of people even further north in Sweden who manage to grow spinach in winter too. It's so lovely to get fresh vegetables in the middle of winter after all! Why not give winter spinach a try yourself?

If you want to know more about growing vegetables in winter, you should definitely check out my articles and videos about winter sowing. Good luck!
/Sara Bäckmo