Malabar Spinach Planting Guide

May

May is for malabar spinach

malabar spinach rewards gardeners who pay attention to a few basics. Here's what matters in May, wherever you're growing.

Sun full sun

Water high

Days to harvest 55–70

Plant depth 0.5″

Spacing 6″

How to water malabar spinach
Keep the root zone damp for malabar spinach. Drip irrigation or soaker hoses pay for themselves with this plant.
Where to put malabar spinach
South-facing beds are ideal for malabar spinach. Shade from nearby trees or fences costs real production.
Check your local forecast before planting
Your zone determines the exact week to plant malabar spinach. Pick your county below and we'll line everything up against your frost dates.

Get malabar spinach planting dates for your county →

Malabar spinach is a tropical vine with thick, succulent leaves that taste similar to spinach. Unlike true spinach, it thrives in heat and humidity.

Basella alba · Vegetable · Basellaceae family · 55–70 days to maturity

Get Your Personalized Malabar Spinach Planting Dates

Enter your ZIP code to see exact planting dates, soil compatibility, and growing tips specific to your county.

Where Can You Grow Malabar Spinach?

Zone Compatibility for Malabar Spinach Zones 7a – 11b

1a 1b 2a 2b 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b 10a 10b 11a 11b 12a 12b 13a 13b

Ideal (data available) Suitable Marginal Not recommended

Planting Dates by Zone

Zone	Start Indoors	Direct Sow	Transplant	Harvest
Zone 7a	Feb 4	Apr 1	Apr 8	Jun 3 – Jul 1
Zone 7b	Jan 28	Mar 25	Apr 1	May 27 – Jun 24
Zone 8a	Jan 18	Mar 15	Mar 22	May 17 – Jun 14
Zone 8b	Jan 7	Mar 4	Mar 11	May 6 – Jun 3
Zone 9a	Dec 30	Feb 10	Feb 17	Apr 14 – May 12
Zone 9b	Dec 14	Jan 25	Feb 1	Mar 29 – Apr 26
Zone 10a	Nov 20	Jan 1	Jan 8	Mar 5 – Apr 2
Zone 10b	Nov 20	Jan 1	Jan 8	Mar 5 – Apr 2
Zone 11a	Nov 20	Jan 1	Jan 8	Mar 5 – Apr 2
Zone 11b	Nov 20	Jan 1	Jan 8	Mar 5 – Apr 2

How to Plant Malabar Spinach

0.5"

Planting Depth

Between Plants

12"

Between Rows

Growing Conditions

☀️ Sun

Full Sun (6-8+ hours)

💧 Water

High — keep soil consistently moist

Keep soil consistently moist. Mulch heavily to retain moisture.

🧪 Soil pH

6 – 7.5

Prefers neutral to slightly acidic soil — ideal for most garden beds.

🗺️ Hardiness Zones

Zone 7a – 11b

📅 Days to Maturity

55–70 days

Quick-growing crop. Multiple plantings per season are possible.

👪 Plant Family

Basellaceae

Rotate with other families yearly to prevent soil-borne diseases. Don't plant in the same spot where Basellaceae family crops grew last year.

Succession Planting Malabar Spinach

Malabar Spinach matures in just 55–70 days, making it ideal for succession planting. In a typical 180-day growing season, you can get up to 3 successive plantings by sowing every 6.3 weeks.

Your actual succession count depends on your local frost dates. Enter your ZIP code to get personalized succession planting dates for your area.

Companion Planting for Malabar Spinach

✅ Good Companions

Tomatoes Peppers Corn

Check more combinations with our Companion Planting Checker →

Growing Tips for Malabar Spinach

Direct sow after last frost or start indoors. Provide a trellis for the vigorous vines. Harvest young leaves regularly; older leaves become mucilaginous when cooked.

Saving Malabar Spinach Seeds

Recommended for Your Garden

🌱

Seed Starting Trays $8-20

Start seeds indoors with reusable cell trays and humidity domes.

🧪

Soil Test Kit $12-25

Test your soil pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels before planting.

🏷️

Garden Plant Markers $6-12

Keep your garden organized with durable, weather-resistant plant labels.

Reader favourite

Seed Saving & Storage Guide

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Most saved seeds go bad before next season. This shows exactly when to pick, how to dry, and where to store seeds from 200 plants so yours don't.

200 plants, step-by-step: life cycle, pollination type, isolation
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Malabar Spinach by State

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to grow Malabar Spinach?

Malabar Spinach (Basella alba) takes 55 to 70 days from planting to harvest. Exact timing depends on your variety, growing conditions, and USDA zone.

What zones can Malabar Spinach grow in?

Malabar Spinach can be grown in USDA zones 7a through 11b. Use the planting calendar above to find the exact dates for your zone.

How much sun does Malabar Spinach need?

Growing Malabar Spinach requires Full Sun (6-8+ hours), High — keep soil consistently moist, and soil pH of 6 to 7.5.