Good King Henry

Good King Henry: plant 30 cm (12 in) apart in the row and 45 cm (18 in) between rows, 2 per square. No known bad neighbours.

Key facts

How it is started	Sown straight into the bed, by dividing a clump
Seeds per hole	3
Plants kept after thinning	1
Seeds per metre of row	10
Sowing depth	1 cm (0.4 in)
Soil temperature	from 4 °C, best 16–21 °C
Days to emerge	14–28 days
Light while germinating	Light makes no difference
Before sowing	Chill moist for a few weeks
When to sow	Indoors 4 weeks before the last frost; outdoors before the last frost; soil at least 5 °C

Pricking out	at 2 true leaves
Takes transplanting	Easily
Hardening off	5–7 days
Life cycle	Perennial
Cold tolerance	Hardy, takes hard frost
Soil	Rich, with compost, stays moist, pH 6–7
In a pot	6 L, 20 cm (7.9 in)
Watering	Water when the soil is dry two fingers down; while leaves grow
Feeding	Moderate; at planting, while growing
Support and training	None needed

Days to first harvest	1–1.1 years, from planting
Ready when	The leaves are big enough to use
Harvest window	Picked again and again, 6–12 weeks
Sow again every	14 days
Typical yield	2–4 kg per m²
Botanical family	Amaranthaceae
Watch out for	Slugs and snails, aphids, downy mildew
First crop after	2 years
Pollination	Fruits on its own

Open the free planner, drop Good King Henry onto a bed and see how many plants fit.

Sow outdoors	Apr–May
Harvest	May–Sep

My country Last spring frost where I live

Give the date once and this page, the sowing calendar and the planner all follow it.

Months for a temperate climate: about a month later in the north and a month earlier in the south. Give your own last frost date for exact dates.

Plants of the Amaranthaceae family share diseases and pests, so they follow each other in the rotation only after a break.

Crops that need about the same room and care, from another family.