spinach is a very difficult crop for most areas. The best way to grow it is over the entire winter. It should do ok for you. it should survive and you crop it in the spring. you plant the seeds probably now and harvest in the spring. there are some web sites discussing growing spinach do a google search. of course the pacific north west is where the seed crop is grown because it does well there. I have given up on it and now grow swiss chard. really tasty if you pick some good varieties. It grows so incredibly easy compared to spinach. you can slice off the stem and eat the leaf portion only just like spinach. of course do not throw away the stem. they are great to eat but you can cook them separate for a different texture. However, I just cook it all together. I am not trying to emulate spinach.

Leave it dry and protected from cold and excess water. Once you see some new growth popping out, you can start watering. You can also trim back but you must INCREASE THE LIGHT. If you trim back and grow in the same conditions, it will continue to look the same at the end of next year. These will take full sun every day in So Cal. I've kept one alive through four Winters (see 'don't water while dormant', above by previous posters). A newly purchased plant bloomed this year and I am officially 'hooked'! I've been watching closely a Cactus & Succulent Guru who trims them down to stumps willy nilly and pots up as bonsai! I recently asked him about cutting my lanky bloomer back and his recommendation was to wait until spring and full growing season. I find with mine after winter dormancy is broken, plenty of water and some fertilizer will pop out those blooms! This adenium is four years old and has never been cut. It is in full sun all year, except for Winter (known as Rainy Season in SoCal) when I move it in and water about three times during it's indoor stay. (Still hasn't bloomed, but I only started working on that this year.) I am getting ready to 'raise' the plant so the fat root (caudex)is exposed, part of the allure to C&S growers for this plant. DISCLAIMER: None of the plants shown in the following are MY plants! They are examples of local-to-my-area C&S enthusiasts and their art. This plant, in 2008 took four men to lift up to the table. This pic was taken in 2006. The proud grower and plant in 2007.

It looks like some type of eryngium - you could check photos on the net for it. At least wait until it blooms before yanking it...

In all honesty I've never sprayed due to these caterpillars I just hand remove them and stomp on the darn things or drop them into soapy water. Normally I only find them in the spring, and once they are all removed I don't have a problem. But I normally catch them early, when they have just starter their damage so at that point there are not many of them. You have to look for them on the underside of the leaves, you normally don't see them on top of the leaves. If you have large plants and you are not getting any progress with Neem you could try Bacilus Thuringiensis. This is a natural bacteria that kills caterpillars but won't harm the beneficial insects. Look for Bonide brand in Lowes or other garden centers.