Spinach Cultivation Technique Tutorial: A Detailed Explanation of the Latest Growing Methods

Spinach can be divided into 5 types: root-stubble spinach, buried-head spinach, spring spinach, summer spinach and autumn spinach. Spring spinach can be sown once temperatures rise above 5°C in early spring, with March being the suitable sowing period; it is harvested 30-50 days after sowing. Varieties with late bolting and thick, large leaves should be chosen, such as Chunqiu Daye, Shenyang Round Leaf and Liaoning Round Leaf. Now let us take a look at spinach cultivation techniques together!

The Growing Environment for Spinach

1. Temperature: Spinach is a cold-tolerant vegetable. The seeds can germinate at 4°C, with 15-20°C being optimal. The suitable temperature for vegetative growth is 15-20°C; growth is poor above 25°C, and the above-ground parts can withstand low temperatures of minus 6-8°C.

2. Sunlight: Spinach is a long-day crop. Under high temperatures and long daylight, the plants tend to bolt and flower. It is not demanding about light intensity and can be intercropped or relay-cropped with tall-stemmed crops.

3. Water: Spinach has a large leaf area and tender tissues, so it has relatively high water requirements. With sufficient water, growth is vigorous, the leaves are thick, yields are high and quality is good. Under high temperatures, long daylight and drought conditions, vegetative growth is inhibited and reproductive growth accelerates, making premature bolting likely.

4. Soil: Spinach is highly adaptable to soil, but a fertile soil with strong water- and fertilizer-holding capacity is still best. Spinach is not acid-tolerant; the suitable pH is 7.3——8.2. Spinach is a leafy vegetable and needs more nitrogen fertilizer plus appropriate phosphorus and potassium fertilizer.

Spring Spinach Cultivation Techniques

The key to growing spring spinach is to sow early and prevent early bolting.

1. Choosing varieties: For spring spinach, choose round-leaf spinach that bolts late.

2. Seed soaking and sprouting: To speed up emergence, soak the seeds in cool water for 12-24 hours before sowing, and poke them up and down with a bamboo broom to pierce the seed coat. After removing them, place them at 15-20°C to sprout (spread the seeds to a thickness of about 15 cm and cover with a wet burlap sack to keep them moist). After 3-5 days, once the radicles emerge, they can be sown.

3. Sowing: Sow when the average daily temperature reaches 4-5°C. Apply plenty of base fertilizer and use the wet sowing method, with a sowing rate of 5-6 kg per mu.

4. Field management: Early management focuses on preserving soil moisture, with little and light irrigation to prevent temperatures from dropping too low. After 2-3 true leaves appear, the plants enter a period of vigorous growth, and water and fertilizer must keep up to promote growth and prevent early bolting.

Summer Spinach Cultivation Techniques

1. Seed selection and sprouting: Choose varieties such as round-leaf spinach or large-leaf spinach that are relatively heat-tolerant, easy to germinate and highly disease-resistant. First break the shells and soak the seeds for 12-24 hours, then place them in a well or in a cold storage at 2-4°C for low-temperature sprouting. Alternatively, after soaking, spread them in a cool indoor spot to sprout (note: rinse once daily with clean water to wash away the mucilage and prevent mold), turning them frequently and keeping them moist. Generally after 4-5 days they will have sprouted and can be sown.

2. Sowing at the right time: Generally, sowing from mid-May to early June is more suitable. During high-temperature periods, the sowing rate should be appropriately increased to 10-15 kg per mu. To make the seeds emerge at different times, allow harvest over a longer period and extend the supply period, you can also mix 2 parts soaked, sprouted wet seed with 1 part dry seed evenly before sowing. Before sowing, choose a sandy loam with good drainage, then plow and apply plenty of base fertilizer (apply 1500-2000 kg of thoroughly decomposed high-quality manure per mu). The day before sowing, dig furrows and build beds, usually 2 m wide, water the bed thoroughly, and water once each morning and evening before emergence.

3. Careful management. For spinach sown before “White Dew”, it is best to cover the ground with water grass or similar after sowing; if conditions allow, a shade shed can also be built, and the cover should be removed once the seedlings emerge. During the growing period and after each spinach harvest, apply decomposed dilute manure water in several topdressings in a timely manner, adhere to the principle of small fertilizer and plenty of water, irrigate lightly and frequently, and keep the soil moist at all times; in the rainy season, humidity must also be reduced to prevent disease.

Now that we have looked at the cultivation techniques for spring spinach and summer spinach, let us next look at the cultivation techniques for autumn spinach and winter spinach!