Grow your own spinach

Spinach is a popular crop, but not many people grow it and that is a shame, because spinach grows even in cooler climates – you can start with spinach in early spring or even in autumn. Spinach growing requirements are similar to lettuce, but spinach offers better nutritional balance. You can eat it cooked or raw or add it in light or high-calorie dishes. Compared to lettuce, it has much more iron, calcium and vitamins A, B and C.

When to grow spinach

The growing season usually lasts six weeks. To ensure proper germination, the soil temperature should not exceed 21 °C. If you plant spinach too early in the spring or, too late in the fall, make sure to protect your seedlings, especially if the soil temperature drops below 5 °C. Regular spinach should not be grown during the summer, but there are cultivars known as the summer spinach (for example Malabar) and these are more resistant to heat.

Photo: Pixabay

Where to sow

Choose a location that is exposed to sunlight, but partial shade will do too, and make sure that the soil is well-drained. About a week before planting you should use compost or well-ripened manure and work it into the soil. You can also pre-grow seeds indoors, but in general, this is not recommended because seedlings are difficult to transplant. Sow seeds to a depth of 1 to 2 centimetres and cover lightly with soil.

Fertilization

Fertilization is usually not needed, but if your spinach grows suspiciously slow or if your soil pH is not correct, you may fertilize. When the seeds germinate and seedlings are about 5 cm in size, thin the rows so individual seedlings are 7 to 10 cm apart. You are basically done and no further action is necessary. Let the spinach alone now – the roots are shallow and you can damage them easily if you are “too” caring.What you can do though is to apply a layer of mulch. Water regularly. Some spinach varieties can tolerate cold weather well – some varieties are even frost-resistant and can withstand temperatures down to -9 °C.

Preview photo: Pixabay