Grow Spinach: How to do it the right way?

Aside from adding beautiful greens to your garden, spinach is good for your health. It is rich in iron, calcium, and vitamins A, B, C, and K. As this edible plant gives you food, harvesting provides a sense of fulfillment. It inspires you to grow spinach and take care of it with a lesser burden.

Reminders before planting:

• Spinach grows in partial to full sun exposure. To grow spinach, select a site that has at least 4 hours of exposure to the sun.
• Prepare the soil for planting. Spinach prefers a pH level of 6.5 to 7. It loves to grow in healthy and well-drained soil. Add compost or fertilizer to the soil.  
• Pick a spinach variety. Yes. There are lots of spinach varieties you can choose from. Different kinds have different harvest-waiting days to give. For instance, an Indian Summer Spinach needs you to wait 39 days before harvesting. This type is resistant to some diseases. Other kinds are the Bloomsdale long-standing, winter Bloomsdale, Melody, Tyee, and Vienna.
• Spinach is a cool-season plant and is frost tolerant. Most gardeners prefer to sow seeds in the fall or 4-8 weeks before the first frost. If you are in a warm climate, grown spinach in a shady area like a corn’s shade to spare it from the heat.
• Buy a fresh seed of spinach.

Planting

• Moisten the soil, but don’t make it soggy.
• Sow the seeds in the site, pot, or container. Make sure that it does not overlap to encourage growth and avoid overcrowding.
• Add a fine and thin potting soil or mix at the top of the seeds. Sowing the seeds too shallow will result in failing germination or no germination at all.
• Moisten the pot again. Spinach needs consistent moisture but not overwatering.
• Direct planting is safer than transplanting the sprouts later.
• If you have pets like rabbits who love to munch on spinach, grow the spinach in containers. Growing spinach in containers suggests more frequent watering as it dries out fast.
• Stop cats and dogs from peeing in your vegetables.

After a week, you’ll see sprouts of the spinach.

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Maintaining

• Fertilize if needed to grow spinach as it is a heavy feeder. I prefer natural fertilizers and choices like soy meal and fish emulsion. A soil that lacks nitrogen will result in yellow leaves. Meanwhile, soil that has too much nitrogen will give a more bitter taste.
• Though pests don’t live in cold weather, beware of slugs, flies, and fungus in your crop. Chewed leaves suggest snail and slug presence. Fungal diseases like blue mold and fusarium are cause problems to spinach. Stop fungi and disease from spreading all over the crops by cutting them off. If your problem is poor drainage, put up a mound where you can plant the spinach. Grow spinach and let it breathe by thinning to give space.
• Problems like drying up of the seeds or sprouts are likely to occur in warmer climates. Also, if a white thread shows up, remove the infected leaves.
• If insects like aphids are showing up on your leaves, hose them away with water. 
• The soil needs to stay moist and cool, so put some mulch.
• The roots of spinach are shallow, and if not handled with care, it will damage fast.
• Spinach can grow from 8-12 inches in height. If overcrowded, thin your spinach to aid in air circulation and allow proper growth.

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Harvesting

• Wait for 28-45 days, depending on the variety. Also, one can harvest at their desired size. More mature spinach will give off a bitter taste.
• Use shears to cut off leaves, not the crown. Cutting the crown will stop the re-growing of the plant. 
• It is better to pick up the older or outer leaves first. By doing so, you allow the younger leaves to stay and ready for another harvest.
• Sowing every after ten days will give you a continuous supply of young leaves.
• You can cut down the whole spinach. Do not worry about your spinach because it will grow back.
• Wash the leaves well before cooking and eating.

Storing

• Refrigerate spinach for later use. It can last for about 3 to 6 months.
• Avoid storing spinach with fruits that produce ethylene gas. Apples and tomatoes are examples of fruits that give off that gas. Store it in a separate resealable bag or container.

Enjoy searching out for meals that include this nutritious Spinach. Smart planning will help grow spinach that is low-maintenance and fast growers. Planning includes the season planted, sun exposure, soil type, and maintaining your garden in good condition.