How to grow nutrient-rich spinach? Introduction to planting methods and harvest time

Spinach is one of the most common vegetables. Because it is rich in nutrients, it is known as the “model of nutrition”; it can be used to make soup, served cold, stir-fried on its own, or stir-fried with meat dishes. Its texture is relatively smooth and delicate, and its taste is excellent, so many people like it. So, how do you grow spinach? Below is an introduction to spinach cultivation methods.

I. Brief introduction to spinach!

1. What else is spinach called?

Spinach is also called Persian vegetable, Persian grass, red-root vegetable, parrot vegetable, spinach shrub, red-root greens, flying dragon vegetable, etc. It originated in Iran and was introduced to China from Nepal as tribute during the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang. It can grow up to 1 m tall, its root is conical and reddish, and its leaves are halberd-shaped to ovate and bright green.

2. Can spinach be eaten raw?

Spinach cannot be eaten raw because it contains a relatively large amount of oxalic acid, which in the intestinal tract combines with calcium to form poorly soluble calcium oxalate and interferes with the human body's absorption of calcium; even when served cold, it must first be blanched in boiling water, and eating it raw is neither hygienic nor good in taste.

3. What dietary restrictions are there for spinach?

Spinach cannot be eaten together with foods such as cucumber, luffa, tofu, milk, pork liver, soybean, calcium tablets, eel, hairtail, honey, Chinese chives, pork, beef, etc., as they are incompatible foods; in addition, people with conditions such as urinary tract stones, cold-deficiency of the stomach and intestines, loose and thin stools, weak spleen and stomach, weak kidney function, nephritis, kidney stones, etc. cannot eat spinach, as it will affect their health.

II. How do you grow spinach?

1. Time

Spinach is a cold-tolerant vegetable. Its seeds can germinate at 4°C, and the suitable temperature during the growing period is 15-20°C. It grows poorly above 25°C. Therefore, it can be sown in all four seasons; it is best to sow in March in spring, in early May, late June, and early July in summer, and from August to September in autumn, while mid-October to early November in winter is also suitable for sowing.

2. Soil

Spinach has strong adaptability to soil but is not acid-tolerant. The soil should preferably be loose, fertile, moisture- and fertilizer-retentive, well-drained and irrigated slightly acidic loam, with a pH value between 5.5-7.

3. Sowing

Before sowing spinach, the land must first be prepared. The land should be leveled and finely worked, and decomposed organic fertilizer should be applied during land preparation. Then make beds: make flat beds in summer and autumn, and raised beds in winter and spring, with a bed width of 1.2-1.5 m; water the bed surface sufficiently with bottom water, broadcast the seeds, lightly rake the surface soil with a toothed rake so that the seeds enter the soil, then cover the bed surface with a layer of plant ash, and then cover the bed with plastic film or a shade net.

4. Management

After sowing spinach, the soil should be kept moist at all times, and full seedlings can appear in 6-7 days; after emergence, a shade net should still be used. If it is spring, uncover it during the day and cover it at night, uncover it on sunny days and cover it on rainy days; if it is summer, cover it on sunny days and uncover it on cloudy days, cover it late and uncover it early; thin out seedlings and weed in time, and once 3-4 true leaves have grown, a once-off diluted fertilizer solution can be applied. Quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer should be applied as a top dressing 15 days before harvest; its diseases include downy mildew and anthracnose, and its pests include aphids and leafminers, which can be controlled by spraying pesticides.

III. How long until spinach can be harvested?

The harvest time of spinach varies depending on the sowing time. If sown in March in spring, it generally takes 30-50 days to harvest, that is, harvest from April to May; if sown from May to July in summer, it generally takes 40-45 days to harvest, that is, harvest from late June to mid-September; if sown from August to September in autumn, it generally takes 30-40 days to harvest, that is, harvest from September to October; if sown in winter, it generally takes 60-70 days to harvest, that is, harvest before the Spring Festival.

The above is an introduction to spinach cultivation methods and harvest time. We hope it is useful to everyone.