It is easy to grow spinach, it is only important to follow some rules and technology. With proper care, spinach will grow healthy, healthy, and delicious. What kind of spinach to choose and how to get a rich harvest will be discussed later in the article.
Culture Brief
Spinach, like a garden plant, appeared in Ancient Persia. He received a positive assessment in the Arab world, but Europe and Russia did not immediately appreciate the plant.
Spinach is an annual crop of the hawk family. Its ripening lasts no more than a month. During the flowering period, green flowers form, from which round small fruits ripen after 90 days.
Young spinach leaves are eaten. They are dark green in color, rounded at the top. The smoothness and roughness of the leaf plate, as well as the saturation of the shade, depends on the variety of the garden crop.
Spinach contains many vitamins and minerals, it is rich in fiber. The amount of water in the leaves of the plant is up to 90%. During heat treatment, the quality composition is much worse. Therefore, it is recommended to eat it raw as part of salads, smoothies and other dishes.
Recommended types and varieties of spinach
The variety of spinach is divided into the following groups:
- Spinach leaf.It is characterized by a green rounded leaf plate. Red-brown streaks may be present.
- Strawberry Spinach. It differs from other varieties in that its berries, which resemble strawberries, are eaten. They taste like a nut-strawberry mixture. The leaves of this type of culture are small with sugary notes. They are suitable for use only in small doses due to the presence of toxins in the composition.
- Water spinach. Plant from the Bindweed family. The shape resembles a green onion: the leaves in the outlet have a narrow elongated shape. Both leaves and stems are eaten. It grows on waterlogged soils, near rivers and lakes.
All spinach varieties are divided into three types:
- early ripeness;
- medium ripeness;
- late ripeness.
When choosing seeds, be sure to consider this characteristic and select according to your climate. We give examples for each varietal group:
- Virofle.Suitable for planting by seed in the earliest spring time. General continuous germination appears within a month. In a lush rosette, the leaves are of a bright green hue, not large, and the stems are stiff.
- Gigantic.Shoots appear after 2 weeks of fasting seeds. The quality of the greens is excellent. In warm climates, this variety can be sown 2-3 times per season.
- Uteusha.This hybrid is characterized by frost resistance and early emergence of seedlings. Sowing spinach is allowed at the end of winter. Suitable for supplementation in animal and bird feed to replenish the vitamin and mineral composition in the body.
- Bloomsdelsky.Dutch variety of medium ripeness. A thick rosette consists of elongated leaves. It is afraid of cold weather, so sowing is best done in late April or early May.
- Strong guy. Mid-season frost-resistant variety. Produces a good harvest in the northern regions. Full-fledged leaves suitable for consumption and for preparation for storage are obtained on the 26-27th day.
- Fatty.Late-ripening variety. Rosette leaves do not please with their density, but each of them differs in density and juiciness. Recommended for salad bases.
- Victoria. Late-ripening spinach. Prefers warmth with high humidity. Sowing is recommended in early summer. It is characterized by resistance to attacks of pests and exit to the arrow.
Seeding time
Frost-resistant spinach varieties can be sown in open ground in early spring at a stable temperature of 3-5 degrees Celsius. In each region, depending on the climate, these conditions coincide with the period from early March to June.
If you sow spinach at the end of summer, then the harvest of greens can please you to frost. Frost-resistant seeds can be sown in winter. Having released a couple of leaves, the plant will wait out the cold season under the snow, and after its spring thaw it will actively grow. The first crop can be cut after 14-16 days.
Lunar calendar
Many gardeners take a responsible approach to the process of growing crops, and all work is carried out according to the lunar calendar, which is updated annually. It reflects the connection with gardening and the phases of the moon.
According to the lunar calendar, only unfavorable days for planting can be taken into account, and the rest of the time can be adjusted according to your capabilities. This method is considered the most optimal among summer residents and gardeners. The second option is to follow the exact dates for planting a certain type of cultivated plants.
Days prohibited for gardening in 2019, depending on the full moon and new moon:
- in January - 6, 21;
- in February - 5, 19;
- in March - 6, 21;
- in April - 5, 19;
- in May - 5, 19;
- in June - 3, 17;
- in July - 2, 16;
- in August - 1, 15, 30;
- in September - 14, 28;
- in October - 14, 28;
- in November - 12, 26;
- in December - 12, 26.
Terms
For spinach to grow actively, ensure that the following conditions are met:
- There should be enough nutrients in the soil.
- Moisten the soil and keep it moist throughout the spinach growth period.
- The daytime amount of light should be enough for the plant for vegetation.
- There should be no weeds in the garden.
- Periodically loosen the soil in the bed.
Seat selection
Choose a plot for sowing spinach not by the amount of free area. Let it be a small bed well warmed by the sun throughout the day. Wetlands and shady areas are not suitable for culture. Please note that the landing is protected from gusts of wind.
Site preparation for planting
Light, non-acidic soils rich in microelements and nutrients are suitable for planting spinach. Therefore, you need to choose and prepare the site responsibly:
- Remove all plant debris in autumn. They may contain fungal spores or be a wintering place for pests. Therefore, the best option for getting rid of grass is burning.
- Dig a plot and fertilize. For acidic soil, chalk, ash, and limestone should be added. During digging, you can add organic matter, such as humus. This will make the soil lighter and more airy, and the flow of food to the future planted crop will be gradual and long.
- If the site is located in a lowland, then it is better to build artificial beds of boards or make an embankment of fertile land, organizing a hill for planting.
Preparatory activities on the site for the autumn planting of spinach are carried out in the spring, and for the spring sowing - in the fall.
Predecessors
The bed for growing cucumbers, potatoes, early varieties of cabbage and beets, and radishes would be optimal for spinach.
The culture does not grow well after carrots and cabbage of late-ripening varieties.
Seed preparation
Spinach seeds can be sown in the ground without preparation, but softening their shell contributes to earlier seedlings, and disinfection will become a preventive measure against diseases.
The following measures will help prepare seed material:
- After sprinkling the seeds on a flat surface, remove damaged and deformed seeds from the total mass. Ideally, there will be a selection for planting the largest material.
- Place several layers of cheesecloth folded into the bottom of a small plate. Sprinkle the seeds on it, spreading them in an even layer. Cover the top with a double gauze layer and fill it with water so that the seed is on a very moistened pillow.
Leave it overnight before planting, changing the water in the saucer every 4-5 hours, and making sure that the upper gauze layer is wet. Dry the seeds a little in the morning.
Water for soaking seeds must be used rain, melt, or tap water, settled for a day.
- To disinfect seeds, place them in a light pink manganese solution for 15-20 minutes. Then rinse with running water and dry until flowability is restored.
Sow the treated seeds in the garden as soon as possible.
Spinach Planting Instructions
Most often, spinach is grown from seed in the open field. But it is possible to prepare seedlings of this culture. It requires caution when transplanting, because the root system of the plant is very delicate and easily injured. Therefore, for growing seedlings, it is recommended to use peat containers or tablets, rather than reusable containers.
Seeds
The planting pattern with seeds depends on the variety of spinach, more precisely on the size of the leaf rosette. Therefore, keep the distance between the seeds from 7 to 20 cm.Leave the row spacing 20-40 cm wide.
Planting process:
- on the selected site, prepare furrows with a depth of not more than 2 cm and spill them well with water;
- arrange the seeds according to the variety and planting scheme;
- fill the furrows with soil, slightly compacting it;
- to accelerate the emergence of seedlings and protect the seeds from the cold, it is recommended to cover the bed with a film.
If the seeds are of good quality and properly prepared, then the first seedlings will appear within a week.
The following video talks about sowing spinach seeds outdoors:
Seedlings
Seedling planting is used for faster harvesting from heat-loving spinach varieties. Seeds are sown in separate containers in February, and with the onset of a favorable period, seedlings are planted in the ground. Before planting seedlings, it must be hardened, gradually lowering the air temperature for 10-14 days.
The planting scheme for spinach seedlings assumes a distance between the bushes of 20-30 cm, and the width between the rows should be at least 30 cm.
Planting technology for spinach seedlings:
- on the site, dig holes of such a size that a peat container with seedlings or plants with a root ball of soil fits;
- put a unit of seedlings in the hole and sprinkle with soil;
- provide seedlings with root watering;
- when the temperature drops from 5 ° C, cover the bed with a film.
Culture care
Like most garden plants, spinach is dependent on the quality and frequency of agronomic measures.
Fertilizers
Top dressing is applied only when preparing the soil for planting. With the spring-autumn digging of the beds for each square. m is used:
- wood ash - 400-500 g;
- humus - about 5 kg;
- nitrogen fertilizers - 10 g;
- phosphate fertilizers - 15-20 g.
Additional potash and phosphorus fertilizing during the growth of spinach in the open ground lead to an acceleration of the appearance of arrows and flowering.
If there is a lack of minerals for spinach, its leaves will become pale and growth will slow down. In this case, you can water the plants with mullein by mixing it with water in a ratio of 1: 10.
Watering
Spinach is a moisture-loving plant. He especially needs watering when seeds germinate and the first leaves appear. It is important not to overdo it with moisture, otherwise the roots and the aerial part of the stem will begin to rot.
The optimal irrigation scheme for the beds is interconnected with the weather conditions. In dry, hot weather, daily hydration is necessary. In cloudy weather, in cooler periods, watering 3 times a week is enough.
It is advisable to carry out the procedure for moistening the soil in the early morning or after sunset using a watering can. The strong pressure of water from the hose can wash out the root system and lead to the death of the plant.
Weeding and cultivation
When 2-3 permanent leaves appear, in the outlet, carry out, if necessary, the thinning of the planting. This will prevent the appearance of fungal diseases and increase the aeration capacity.
Weed when weeds appear so that they do not interfere with the spinach during the growing season. Otherwise, spinach will wither away from the lack of sunlight, nutrients and the mechanical action of weeds.
Loosening of the soil is a particularly useful measure for the crop, as it allows the soil to be kept moist and increases the penetration of air to the root system of the plant. It must be carried out often so that after watering, an earthen crust of the soil does not form.
When weeding and loosening, you should be extremely careful so as not to pull out the spinach bush with the weeds, and do not cause mechanical damage to delicate plants.
Shelter in the heat
Spinach does not tolerate scorching sunlight, so shade the plantings when the air temperature rises above 27 degrees. This can be done with a nonwoven fabric.
By properly organizing the beds, natural shading can be achieved from trees or taller plants. Spinach, planted in the aisles of peas and beans, feels good.
Shelter of spinach beds in the heat prolongs the formation of the outlet, postponing flowering.
Diseases and pests and their control
To distinguish the deficiency of nutrients and trace elements from spinach diseases, you need to figure out what they are and how they manifest. Only after this, measures of control and prevention are selected and applied.
Spinach Disease:
- Peronosporosis. It manifests itself when the soil is waterlogged by the appearance of light yellow spots on the upper side of the leaf plate. On the back of the leaf, you can see the accumulation of gray fungus spores. The disease affects the culture at any phase of growth. Spread by wind, watering.
- Fusarium.It is considered the most dangerous fungal disease for spinach. It appears at any stage of growth. The leaves of the affected plants turn pale and dry, starting from the lower location. The plant gradually dies.
Affecting the root system, the Fusarium fungus leads to the death of peripheral roots. Spinach at first feeds on the main root shaft, so it is very difficult to notice the disease at an early stage.
Ideal conditions for the spread of Fusarium are moist and well-warmed soil. - Cercosporosis.A fungal disease characterized by the appearance of white-yellow spots of various sizes on the spinach leaves. As the fungus matures and spreads, the spots turn gray and merge.
Spores are spread by insects, watering and rain, wind.
- Anthracnose.Disease caused by the activity of the fungus. Manifested by the appearance on the trunk and leaves of spots of gray color with a darker, slightly swollen mid-mycelium.
- Ramulariasis.Hitting the plant, forms mycelium on the leaves. From which you can see light red-brown spots on them. Spinach stops growing, weakens and can die.
- Powdery mildew.Its appearance is determined by a white coating on the surface of the bush. As it ripens, the color changes to gray. Spinach withers and dies. Fungal spores are transmitted by watering and wind.
Peronosporosis of spinach
Fusarium Spinach
Spinach cercosporosis
Spinach anthracnose
Spinach Ramulariosis
Powdery mildew of spinach
Control methods
To combat spinach diseases, do not use chemistry, because the plant accumulates hazardous substances in its leaves. Therefore, use folk recipes and pay attention to preventative measures.
The main enemies of spinach are snails and aphids. To fight insects, use one of the popular recipes:
- Ash infusion.Mix the ash and hot water in a 1:20 ratio. Let it brew for 2-4 hours, periodically stirring the composition. Spray the plants with the resulting solution, filtering it through several layers of gauze.
- Wormwood tincture.Collect wormwood and cut into small fractions. 250 g of grass pour 3 liters of water. Insist a day, and then use it for foliar processing of spinach.
- Solution of laundry soap. Grind 2 bars of soap with a grater. Dissolve in 5 l of water. Treat the plants with a ready-made solution. Ash can be added to the composition.
To save landings from snails, traps or special preparations are used that destroy pests:
- Fence landing with rings of cut across the plastic bottles. Snails are unable to climb over the sharp edges of the fence.
- Remove the bottom of the plastic bottle. Place it next to the spinach and pour some beer inside. Snails attracted by aroma will gather in containers, and you just have to destroy them.
- Use the preparation "Thunderstorm". Scatter it around the perimeter of the garden bed. The action of the drug begins instantly when the snail touches it. She dies.
- Get a snail and slug repellent at a specialty store. It is sprayed over the garden and with its smell prevents the attacks of these pests.
Combination with other plants on the site
Spinach happily coexists with:
- eggplant;
- various types of cabbage;
- onions;
- legumes;
- salad;
- dill;
- tomatoes.
Doesn't get along with:
- zucchini;
- asparagus;
- beets;
- celery;
- watercress.
Harvesting
Start harvesting with 6-7 spinach leaves. Do not delay the process in order to avoid over-ripening of the culture and the start of shooting. The leaves of the plant will become tough and lose their pleasant characteristic taste.
There are 2 types of harvesting:
- Solid.It is necessary to cut the bush under the first sheet, or tearing it out of the ground with a complete root system. With this harvest, the crop is well stored.
- Selective. Only large leaves are torn off as they ripen. This collection method is better in composition and volume, but long-lasting.
continuous spinach harvest
selective harvest of spinach
It is advisable to carry out the collection procedure early in the morning or in the evening. It is important that the dew has not yet settled down - the spinach bush must remain dry.
Storage, appointment, processing and transportation
To store the plant for a couple of weeks, it is enough to place it without rinsing in a plastic bag and send it to the refrigerator. For long-term storage, the following processing methods are used:
- FreezingRinse the spinach leaves and dry well. Pack greens in bags or containers and put them in the freezer. It is possible to puree spinach leaves and freeze it. Shelf life is 7-9 months.
- Drying.Wash the plant and cut it into large fractions. Spread the paper and sprinkle the chopped spinach evenly over the surface. Store in a well-ventilated area out of direct sunlight. When the leaves are dry, put them in containers or cloth bags.
- Canning.Chop clean spinach leaves and add salt to glass jars. The second method involves sterilizing chopped greens in jars and pouring boiling water over it.
You can use the harvested greens in cooking and for preparing recipes for traditional medicine for various diseases.
It is necessary to transport freshly cut spinach greens in a covered container, standing on an ice substrate. This maximizes the shelf life of the culture.
Spinach can be grown with little effort. It is only important to follow the technology of seed preparation, planting and plant care. A rich harvest is preserved for several months in various ways. Thus, the beneficial properties of spinach greens become available year-round.