How to grow Spinach at home

Growing spinach is as easy as it gets. From sowing seeds to fresh produce, the whole process takes just 60 days

Growing Spinach: Basic Requirements

Sowing Season -All year round except Dec-Feb

Soil Type and Prep – well-drained soil rich in organic matter like compost or composted manure; pH of 6.5 to 7.

Germination Temperature -10°C – 22°C.

Sunlight – Sun to partial shade.

Water – Since spinach grows best in weather , avoid over-watering.

Pests and Diseases – Diseases like false mildew , Anthracnose, Cladosporium Leaf spot, Stemphylium leaf spot, Damping-off, Root Rot, and pests like Cutworms, Flea Beetles, Slugs or Snails, Aphids, Leaf Miners. 

Varieties of Spinach – Savoy Spinach, Bloomsdale, Tyee, Regiment, Indian summer , Catalina, Space Spinach, Red Carnival, New Zealand, Malabar Spinach. 

Companion Plants -Asparagus, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Celery, Dill, Eggplant, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Peppers, Radishes, Strawberries, Tomatoes.

How to Grow Spinach

The below steps for growing Spinach within the garden would work equivalently if you’re growing it in your balcony or containers:

First, gather your spinach seeds, gardening tools and let’s head out into the garden. 

Ensure that the area where you’re getting to plant the seeds may be a balance of sunshine and shade. Also, confirm that the soil is well-drained with a pH level of 6.5 to 7. you’ll also make the soil extra rich by additional nutrients within the sort of compost or manure. 

Pre-prep the soil with aged manure a minimum of every week before planting the seeds. 

It is advisable to sow the seeds half an in. deep into the soil with a minimum of 3” – 4” of space between each seed. this may give the plants room to grow and expand their roots. 

During the germination process, make sure that the soil is moist to accelerate the method .

As soon because the seedlings reach a height of 2”, thin the plants to about 2” – 3”.

Always monitor the quantity of water you’re giving your plants. you’ve got to make sure that the soil remains moist. don’t overwater them. it’s advisable to water early within the morning in order that the plants can absorb the water throughout the day. 

Keep an eye fixed on the expansion of your plants. You don’t want pests and diseases affecting them. 

Besides pests and diseases, bolting is another common problem with spinach plants. If your spinach plants are getting to seed, they’re bolting. This might occur thanks to insufficient water, an excessive amount of sun, or an excessive amount of heat during the ultimate stages of the expansion process. to beat bolting, you’ll either pull out the plants immediately otherwise the leaves will become bitter and inedible. Or better yet, you’ll let your spinach plants to flower, enjoy the gorgeous spring blooms and collect the seeds for subsequent season. 

If maintained properly, your spinach should be ready for the primary harvest in about 60 days 45-50 days.

Growing anything reception requires taking care of it as you look after your personal belongings. Growing spinach is not any different. You don’t want to plant the seeds and ditch them. Pay your plants a visit a minimum of once each day . 

Fertilization is extremely important within the growth process of any plant. This ensures that you simply get an honest yield by harvest season. AllThatGrows recommends using natural fertilizers like food scraps from your household. 

To get obviate the nasty pests like Cutworms, Flea Beetles, Slugs or Snails, Aphids and Leaf Miners, you’ll use natural solutions like Neem Oil to urge obviate them. Then, simply trim the affected a part of the leaf to form sure the pests don’t mature and spread to the remainder of the plant. 

How to Harvest Spinach

Most sorts of spinach get mature enough to be harvested within 45 days. However, in some cases, it’s going to take up to 60 days. Don’t be disheartened; patience is bitter, but its fruit is usually sweet. you’d be ready to tell that your crop is prepared for harvest as soon as there are 5-6 leaves on each plant which will be fully-formed. Don’t wait at this stage. Harvest your crop within every week from the maturity of the plants. There are a couple of ways by which you’ll harvest these scrumptious, leafy greens.

One way is to start out from the surface and cut your way inwards employing a pair of scissors, towards the core of the plant. This method is typically preferred once you need only alittle amount of leaves. as an example , around 60 spinach plants are going to be required to feed a family of 4. 

Another way would be to require a pair of scissors and cut off the whole plant from the basis up, leaving an in. from the roots. this may make sure that the plants resprout and provides you more spinach to enjoy.