When to Plant Water Spinach? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Planting Times
Water spinach is a vegetable native to tropical rainy regions. It is grown in all regions of our country, is rich in nutrients, and tastes delicious. It is a common dish in the kitchen and has very high market prospects for cultivation. Below, let us take a look at when the planting time for water spinach is!
Planting Time of Water Spinach
Water spinach is usually planted from April to July each year. It likes sufficient light, but is also fairly adaptable to dense planting. It is not strict about soil conditions, but because it likes fertilizer and water, soil that is relatively clayey and has strong water and fertilizer retention is still best. The leaf tips grow abundantly and rapidly, so it requires a large amount of fertilizer and has strong fertilizer tolerance, with an especially large demand for nitrogen fertilizer.
Growing Environment of Water Spinach
Water spinach likes a high-temperature and humid environment. Seed germination requires above 15°C. During the initial stage of axillary bud germination on the planting vines, the temperature must be kept above 30°C so that sprouting is rapid and uniform. The suitable temperature for vine and leaf growth is 25-30°C. When the temperature is higher, vine and leaf growth is vigorous and the harvesting interval is shorter. It can tolerate high temperatures of 35-40°C, and below 15°C vine and leaf growth is slow.
Cultivation Techniques for Water Spinach
1. Land preparation and fertilization: Before sowing water spinach, the soil needs to be deeply plowed. Apply 2500-3000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer per mu, or 1500-2000 kg of human manure and urine, plus 50-100 kg of plant ash. Mix evenly with the soil, then rake it level and fine.
2. Seed treatment: Before sowing water spinach, first treat the seeds, that is, soak them in warm water at 50-60°C for 30 minutes, then soak the seeds in clean water for 20-24 hours. After removing and washing them, place them at about 25°C for germination. During germination, keep them moist and rinse the seeds once a day with clean water. Once the seed coats split and white spots appear, they can be sown. The seeding rate is 6-10 kg per mu.
3. Sowing method: Water spinach is generally sown in drills with dense planting, with a row spacing of 33 cm, and covered with soil after sowing. Broadcast sowing or hole sowing can also be used.
4. Field management: Water spinach is a crop harvested multiple times, so in addition to applying enough basal fertilizer, multiple split topdressings must be carried out to achieve high yield. During the seedling stage, 10-15% dilute human manure and urine can be used for irrigation, with 1000-1500 kg per mu. When the seedlings have 3-4 true leaves, apply a mixture of 15-20 kg of compound fertilizer and 2-4 kg of urea. During the harvest period, apply 5-8 kg of compound fertilizer per mu after each harvest. Water spinach has a relatively large water requirement, so it should be watered frequently to keep the soil surface moist. During the growth period, cultivate and weed in time. After the rows close, there is no need to weed or cultivate.
5. Timely harvest: Water spinach is generally harvested 35-45 days after sowing, when the plants have grown to 35 cm tall. If harvesting all at once, it can be harvested at a plant height of 20-35 cm and brought to market in one harvest. If harvesting multiple times, thin the seedlings when the plant height is 12-15 cm, and the thinned seedlings can be brought to market. When the plant height is 18-21 cm, combine final thinning with pulling and bringing to market, and the remaining seedlings can be harvested multiple times for market. When picking water spinach, pinching it off by hand is more suitable.