Tips For Growing Spinach At Home
Posted by Knowledge Guy in Home Decor and Beauty, tags: Abundant Harvest, Blood Cells, Blue Mold, Carotenoids, Flavor Loss, Fungal Disease, growing spinach, Harvest Time, Healthy Cardiovascular System, Hot Sun, Hot Weather, how to grow spinach, Leafy Vegetable, Low Sun, Mildew, Partial Shade, Peat Pots, Production Of Blood, Second Harvest, Seedlings, Shallow Roots, Sowing The Seeds, Spinach, Vegetable GardeningRich in nutrients and a favorite of many, growing spinach to use in recipes or enjoy raw has become more popular in recent years. This dark green leafy vegetable is full of carotenoids for healthy eyes, vitamins A and C that are important to a healthy cardiovascular system and folic acid, essential for healthy production of blood cells.
A crop that prefers cooler weather, spring planting will prevent bolt from occurring. Bolt happens when the plant is exposed to too much heat and sunshine. This process causes the plant to produce flowers which then turn to seed and will cause flavor loss when harvested. Spinach takes between 30 and 45 days to fully mature. In some areas it is possible to begin planting as early as February to ensure adequate harvest time before the hot weather settles in.
Alternatively, sowing the seeds indoors is also recommended, especially in locations where the ground is still frozen in February. By choosing individual pots made of peat and planting the seeds roughly three weeks before planting outside, you can easily transplant the seedlings outside. Peat pots can be placed into the ground making the job of transplanting simple.
To ensure an abundant harvest, provide your new plants with plenty of nitrogen. Use a nitrogen rich fertilizer before planting and then feed the plants on a regular basis. When cultivating them, keep in mind that they grow with very shallow roots so care should be taken. Gently remove any weeds that will be competing with the plants for water and nutrients.
Ideal for a second harvest each season, planting early in the fall in an area of low sun to partial shade will protect the plants from the hot sun while allowing them to produce a second crop. Certain breeds, such as Tyree, have been manufactured to be hardy in the fall months.
Blue mold, also known as downy mildew can adversely affect the crop. This is a fungal disease that can first be identified by the odd shaped yellow lesions that it leaves on the foliage. Allowing for air circulation and taking care watering the ground and not the plants themselves are the most effective measures to ensure that the risk of this disease is limited.
Growing spinach in containers can work to keep rabbits, deer, and other animals out of the crop. It can also be planted with flowers and herbs to add to the landscape design. With several varieties available, there are many flavors to choose from.
Read Vegetable Gardens Made Easy for more in-depth advice on how to grow vegetables.