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Pick two or three seeds to see how they grow, side by side: sprouting, spacing, sun, water, frost and pet safety in one table.

Comparing Spinach vs. Acorn Squash vs. Asparagus

The comparison

Spinach vs. Acorn Squash vs. Asparagus

Units
Growing facts for Spinach, Acorn Squash and Asparagus, side by side
Fact
SpinachSpinacia oleracea
Acorn SquashCucurbita pepo
AsparagusAsparagus officinalis
DifficultyEasyEasyModerate
Life cycleAnnualAnnualPerennial
Germination time7–10 daysNot yet verifiedNot yet verified
Germination temperatureNot yet verifiedNot yet verified18–27 °C64–81 °F
Sowing depthNot yet verifiedNot yet verified1.5–2 cm½–¾ in
Spacing between plantsNot yet verifiedNot yet verified30–46 cm12–18 in
Days to maturity28–55 days from sowingNot yet verifiedNot yet verified
SunFull sun, partial shadeFull sunFull sun
WaterNot yet verifiedModerateNot yet verified
ContainersYesNot yet verifiedNot yet verified
Frost toleranceHardyNot yet verifiedHardy
Soil pHpH 6.0–7.0pH 6.0–8.0pH 6.0–8.0
Toxicity to catsNot yet verifiedNon-toxicNot yet verified
Toxicity to dogsNot yet verifiedNon-toxicNot yet verified
Links
How to grow spinachRemove spinach
How to grow acorn squashRemove acorn squash
How to grow asparagusRemove asparagus

Up close

Meet the seeds

What each one is, in a few lines, with the full growing guide one click away.

  • Spinach plants growing in a row in a garden bed beside grassVegetables

    Spinach

    Spinacia oleracea

    Difficulty: EasyGrows in pots

    A hardy, fast-growing leafy green for spring and fall. Sow it early in cool soil and keep it moist, because long days and summer heat make it bolt.

    How to grow spinach
  • Acorn squash growing on the vine among large leaves and a yellow flower in a garden bedVegetables

    Acorn Squash

    Cucurbita pepo

    Difficulty: Easy

    Acorn squash is a sprawling annual vine that prefers full sun and moderately moist soil. It is easy to sow from seed when the soil is warm, and it is non-toxic to cats and dogs.

    How to grow acorn squash
  • Rows of asparagus ferns growing in a field beside a dirt pathVegetables

    Asparagus

    Asparagus officinalis

    Difficulty: Moderate

    Asparagus is a long-lived perennial vegetable that most gardeners start from crowns. Growing it from seed adds a year or more before the first harvest, and the plant needs full sun.

    How to grow asparagus

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The table, row by row

How to read a comparison

Every row is a fact from each seed's own profile, lined up so the differences stand out.

  1. Sprouting

    Germination time and temperature

    How many days the seeds take to sprout, and the temperature range they sprout in.

  2. Sowing

    Sowing depth and spacing

    How deep to sow each seed and how far apart the plants should grow. “On the surface” means the seed isn't covered.

  3. Timing

    Days to maturity and life cycle

    How long until the plant is ready, counted from sowing or from transplanting (each value says which). Annuals live one year, biennials two, perennials longer.

  4. Light and water

    Sun and water

    Full sun means 6 or more hours of direct sun a day, partial shade a few hours. Water needs are rated low, moderate or high.

  5. Space and weather

    Containers, frost tolerance and soil pH

    Whether it grows in a pot, with the smallest pot when it's known. Frost tolerance runs from tender (no frost) to hardy. Soil pH 7 is neutral.

  6. Pets

    Toxicity to cats and dogs

    Whether the plant is toxic to cats and dogs.

Quick wins

Fastest to sprout

Days from sowing until the first shoots appear, in good conditions.

Pet friendly

Safe around cats and dogs

Listed as non-toxic to both cats and dogs. Each seed's page has the details.

Not safe for pets: borage, buckwheat, caraway, carnation and 14 more.

Comparing

Questions about comparing

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Where do the facts come from?
From each seed's profile. Every fact there is researched and reviewed by our editors before it goes live.
Can I see metric or imperial units?
Both. The table picks the units that match your browser's language, and the switch above it changes them. Your choice is remembered in this browser.
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Each seed's page explains how to grow it from seed, with facts researched and reviewed by our editors.

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