Matador

Family: Amaranthaceae Leafy Green

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Matador to a garden.

Velvety, flat leaves unfurl with a rich, dark-green sheen and a tender, succulent bite—Matador spinach is prized for its smooth texture and clean, balanced flavor.

Ready in about 40 days, it forms an attractive rosette that stays impressively uniform, making it a favorite for fresh salads, quick sautéing, and silky sauces that showcase its gentle depth.

Light: Part SunMaturity: 40 DaysHabit: Rosette

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Matador Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	May 4th	Jun 1st	Jul 11th – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Apr 27th	May 25th	Jul 4th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Apr 17th	May 15th	Jun 24th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Apr 17th	May 15th	Jun 24th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Apr 21st	May 19th	Jun 28th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Apr 17th	May 15th	Jun 24th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Apr 15th	May 13th	Jun 22nd – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Apr 10th	May 8th	Jun 17th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Apr 6th	May 4th	Jun 13th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Apr 3rd	May 1st	Jun 10th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 28th	Apr 25th	Jun 4th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 23rd	Apr 20th	May 30th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Mar 13th	Apr 10th	May 20th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Mar 4th	Apr 1st	May 11th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 23rd	Mar 23rd	May 2nd – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Feb 6th	Mar 6th	Apr 15th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Jan 12th	Feb 9th	Mar 21st – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	40
Sun Requirements	Part Sun
Growth Habit	Rosette
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	65
Min Soil Temp (°F)	45
Min Night Temp (°F)	30
Harden Off (days)	6

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Matador’s flat, velvety leaves give you a smooth collapse in a hot pan without turning ragged, so you can keep the spinach green and silky rather than swampy. The flavor is clean and balanced—built for quick heat, citrus lift, and dairy richness, not heavy, pungent aromatics.

Best Uses

quick sautés where the leaves collapse fast but stay silky
silky wilted-spinach folding into warm pasta or rice
creamy, smooth sauces (blend after quick blanching to keep it green)
fresh salads—use lighter dressing so the leaves don’t get bruised or watery

Flavor Profile

clean, balanced spinach savor tender, succulent bite velvety leaf texture with a gentle, earthy finish mild sweetness that reads more in the pan than in raw leaves

Kitchen Pairings

lemon olive oil parmesan butter ricotta eggs

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease is most likely to hit spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and how can I prevent it?

Spinach commonly suffers from downy mildew (often in cool, humid weather), showing yellow patches on top leaves with gray-purple growth underneath. Remove infected leaves early, improve airflow by spacing plants, and water at the base in the morning so foliage dries quickly; avoid overhead sprinkling. If the problem keeps recurring, rotate out of spinach and related greens for at least a season and consider a labeled fungicide that targets downy mildew for edible greens.

How often should I water spinach during the main growing phase, and what soil moisture level does it need?

During the 30–40 day growth window, keep the soil consistently evenly moist, not soggy—aim for damp topsoil at about 1 inch deep. Water roughly every 2–4 days depending on heat and wind, increasing frequency during dry spells so leaves stay tender and growth doesn’t stall. If soil dries out between waterings, spinach can become bitter and bolt more quickly.

How do I know when Matador spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is ready to harvest?

Harvest when leaves are fully expanded but still tender—typically around 35–40 days for full-size bunches. Pick outer leaves first (leave the center growing) or harvest the whole plant when it has a good rosette and vigorous leaf color. If leaves start looking tough or the plant sends up a flower stalk, harvest immediately because bitterness increases quickly.