The same spinach cultivation, why are the harvests different?

Spinach is a cold-tolerant vegetable and a long-day plant. In northern China, there is also winter sowing with harvest the following spring, commonly known as "maitou spinach" (buried-head spinach). Below, let's learn about the cultivation methods for spinach, as follows:

I. Sowing period. Spinach is a cold-tolerant vegetable that prefers cool conditions. In seasons with short daylight and cool temperatures, it favors leaf rosette growth. In the arch-shed cultivation areas around Shouguang in our province, most sowing is done around October 1.

II. Sowing generally does not require raising seedlings; direct sowing is mostly used. Mainly drilled sowing or dibbling. Before sowing, the seeds must be crushed so the fruits separate. Under high-temperature conditions, seeds sprout slowly, so early-sown seeds need soaking and pregermination: soak in clean water for 12 hours, then place in the refrigerator's cold-storage compartment or at a well 20-30 cm above the water surface to pregerminate. Once about 80% of the seeds have sprouted, they can be sown.

For large-area planting, this pregermination method is not suitable. Nowadays in Shouguang, Qingzhou and other places, most use a seeder for drilled sowing of dry seed.

III. Fertilizer and water management. When preparing the land, apply sufficient base fertilizer, with 2000-2500 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer per mu, mix thoroughly so the soil has good water- and fertilizer-retention capacity. For topdressing, mainly use water-soluble fertilizer, applying frequently and lightly, with human excrement and urine, biogas slurry or compound fertilizer mixed and flushed on. For field production, harvest in batches by thinning, and topdress promptly after each harvest.

IV. HarvestingTied small bunches with roots: this harvesting method mainly uses the "three-six bunch" or "four-six bunch", that is, 18 plants or 24 plants per bunch. The market it faces is generally the vegetable wholesale markets of various cities or supermarkets, etc.

Leaf harvesting: the specific harvesting requirement is to harvest only the leaves, with 5 cm of stalk attached. This harvesting method is mainly aimed at the processing-type market. Growers can harvest according to the processing factory's specifications, and the price is often 0.20-0.50 yuan higher than bunch harvesting.

Whole-plant with roots removed: the specific harvesting requirement is to harvest the whole plant, remove the roots, with the root portion as small as possible, provided the plant does not fall apart, then pack them separately into boxes.

The above harvesting methods are determined according to different market requirements. No matter which harvesting method is used and which market it faces, the quality requirements for spinach are basically the same (the requirements are thick leaves, dark leaf color, solid stalks, etc.).

Through the same cultivation method described above, spinach then uses three harvesting methods, and there are different harvest results. Everyone can give it a try.