What are the methods for long-term storage of spinach in winter
Spinach is a relatively popular vegetable, with autumn spinach, spring spinach, and so on. However, with off-season cultivation, it can basically be grown all year round. When growing spinach in winter, if it cannot all be sold after harvest, then we need to do a good job of long-term storage of spinach to prevent it from freeze damage. So how should spinach be stored long-term in winter? Let's take a look together below!
1. Combined-bed frozen storage method
Combined-bed frozen storage first requires selecting soil where spinach grows robustly as well as the combination to be frozen stored together with it, with each combination being about three beds. First, the roots of all the spinach to be frozen stored must be cut off, with the depth kept at about 1.5 cm into the soil. When cutting off the roots, be careful to keep the plants neat. Then cover the left and right beds of the three beds over the middle frozen storage bed. With the leaf parts facing down and the roots facing up, combine the spinach of the three beds into one bed. On the day of storage, cover it tightly with soil and pat it gently firm to ensure it is sealed between top and bottom and prevent drafty wind from entering.
2. Above-ground frozen storage
One week before harvesting the spinach, first level the frozen storage site, then splash water to ensure the soil surface does not thaw. When storing, scatter some vegetable leaves and so on on the ground as a base. Then tie the spinach into bundles and place each bundle close against the others on top. Then cover around the spinach with vegetable leaves, straw, and so on to a thickness of about 10 cm. When the inside of the spinach freezes, cover it with another layer of sand about 10 cm thick to prevent the spinach leaves from losing water and reducing their commercial value.
3. Storage without ventilation channels
In a place with shading, dig trenches level with it, with a trench width of about 30 cm. The depth should be similar to the height of the spinach, not too deep, and the distance between each trench should be kept at more than about 20 cm. Tie the spinach to be stored into bundles, and place them upright in the trench with the roots facing down. Then spread dry soil over the spinach, just enough to cover it. Then as the temperature continues to drop, carry out soil covering in batches. The soil covering must ensure there are no gaps, playing a role in wind protection and moisture retention. Finally, the temperature is best kept at around minus five degrees, leaving the spinach in a slightly frozen state.
4. Ordinary frozen storage
Ordinary frozen storage means harvesting spinach that needs cold storage when the ground freezes at night and thaws at noon. When harvesting, keep the root length at about 1.6 cm, clean off the soil, then sort and tie into bundles. Place them in a cool place to dry off the dew and lower the temperature of the vegetable bodies. Wait until the weather gradually turns cold before carrying out frozen storage; the storage place should have good shading. Level the ground, then dig suitable storage trenches, with the distance between trenches kept at about 12 cm. Place them in the trenches with the roots facing down, with the thickness controlled at about 25 cm, and when deep winter comes add a straw mat covering, with the temperature in the trenches controlled between minus seven degrees and minus six degrees.
The above is a brief introduction to how to store spinach long-term in winter. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!