When to plant spinach in open ground in spring. Spinach - planting and caring for leaf crops

Spinach is a valuable annual plant that is not afraid of cold and frost. The leaves are used for food. And the number of options for its use is practically unlimited. Spinach is eaten fresh and boiled. This is the basis of dietary cuisine; the plant is useful for any problems with the heart and lungs, and for anemia. The variety of varieties is also surprising, including early ripening and late ripening. Thanks to this, it is possible to sow them throughout the summer and always have fresh greens on hand.

A little about culture

Growing spinach from seeds is a fairly simple task that even novice gardeners can do. Today this culture is gaining popularity again, but at one time it was completely forgotten. Our ancestors understood very well what was healthy, so they ate it centuries ago. This is a wonderful leafy vegetable, nutritional value which cannot be ignored. If one of your relatives is diagnosed with anemia, then recommend that they eat spinach regularly.

What does he look like?

At first glance, the bushes cannot be distinguished from sorrel. But if you look closely, there is a significant difference between them. Spinach leaves are more rounded and slightly lumpy. And sorrel is elongated, elongated, with a light color. Well, you will never confuse them by taste. and the spinach is quite savory. It is tender, with a slight bitterness and sourness. It’s quite difficult to describe, but once you try it, you’ll never forget the taste.

Benefits for the body

We all know the main sources of protein are meat, eggs and legumes. But many people are hearing for the first time that spinach contains almost as much protein as beans. Therefore, if you are interested in sources of plant protein, but have problems digesting legumes, then pay attention to this amazing plant.

In addition, young bushes are a source of vitamins A, C, E, K. A colossal supply of iodine and iron makes spinach ideal for consumption by pregnant and lactating women. It stimulates the intestines and is perfectly absorbed by the body. Be sure to teach your children to eat spinach.

Choosing a landing site

The best predecessors are tomatoes, zucchini and peppers. You need to keep this in mind when planning where to plant your spinach. The seeds have excellent germination. Typically, the appearance of seedlings can be expected on the tenth day, provided that they hit the soil dry. If you want to speed up the process, just soak them in a nutrient solution. Greens grow well in highly fertile soils. Therefore, if sand predominates on the site, then you will need to purchase additional vermicompost and forest humus in order to properly fertilize the bed. Loamy soils are better for planting spinach seeds.

Winter sowing

Do you want with early spring make healthy salads and treat your relatives to the fruits of your garden? Then buy spinach seeds in early autumn. They can be sown before winter. No special conditions are required for this; the greens are unpretentious. However, of all the beds, it is better to choose the one on which vegetables grew and organic fertilizers were applied. The only point: before sowing spinach seeds, you need to stop using fresh manure, as this affects the taste of the leaves. You can sow them before winter, thanks to which friendly shoots will appear in the garden with the first days of spring.

Soil preparation

With the end of the summer season, every experienced gardener begins to prepare beds for spring sowing. If you plan to plant, nothing changes. For spinach, you need to dig up the area well and add humus. Vermicompost and mineral fertilizers are also good. Moreover, depending on preferences, you can take complex ones or add 30 g of superphosphate and 15 g of potassium chloride per 1 m2. At the same time, liming of the soil is carried out, if required. After adding all the substances, the soil is left until spring. Around the beginning of April, it is recommended to add urea.

Planting scheme

The first step is to prepare the bed. To do this, you will need to dig well and loosen the soil. Growing spinach from seeds does not involve any particular difficulties. They are sown to a depth of three centimeters, in rows. The distance between them is at least 20 cm. You don’t have to worry about thickening. As soon as you wait for the first true leaves after germination, you can thin out to 10 cm. At the same time, fertilize. After two weeks the final thinning is carried out. Now a distance of 20 cm is left between the plants. The removed greens can be used for food.

Growing in a greenhouse

This allows you to get the earliest harvest, as well as to engage in farming in northern regions. Since spinach can be grown directly into the ground, you can do without growing seedlings on a windowsill. The only difficulty is that this culture is very light-loving. Therefore, experts recommend sowing it in conditions closed ground, starting at the end of February. If there is additional lighting, then you can start earlier. Consumption 20 g per m².

Spinach seeds are planted dry. This makes it easier to distribute them in the furrow, since the seeds do not stick together. But to speed up and obtain more friendly shoots, it is recommended to soak them for 1-2 days in warm water. To make the process easier, you can dry it slightly before planting. The optimal temperature in the greenhouse is from 10 to 18 degrees.

Planting spinach seeds in open ground

Deadlines vary by region and climatic features. But spinach is not afraid of frost, so you don’t have to be too careful. As soon as the ground warms up slightly, usually the end of April, you can get down to business. In the southern regions you can start sowing in more early dates. You can also perform the soaking procedure.

Additional information is included on each sachet. Along with the description of the variety, it is usually said how to plant spinach with seeds. To do this, you need previously prepared beds. It takes no more than 5 g per 1 m². If the variety is early, then after 30 days you will be able to prepare fresh salads. Late varieties have to wait longer, up to 50 days.

Early ripening culture

This is its main advantage. Spinach can be sown throughout the summer season, and even grown in a greenhouse all year round. In order to harvest without interruption, you need to sow the plants in small portions at intervals of 1-2 weeks. Then you will be provided with fresh herbs all the time.

The amount of one-time seeding will depend on the consumption of the final product. If you plan to grow spinach for sale, then several large beds are allocated. Two weeks after sowing, the first is taken over the second and so on. If you grow greens only for your family, then you can divide the bed into parts and sow gradually, from one end to the other. Since planting spinach seeds in open ground is not at all difficult, this procedure will not take you much time.

Harvesting

The greens become suitable for harvesting as soon as 5-6 adult leaves appear on the bush. As a rule, this happens one and a half to two months after sowing. You should not wait any longer, as then the leaves become hard and unsuitable for consumption. There are two harvesting techniques. The first is that the bushes are cut off completely. Accordingly, the next batch can be planted in the vacant space. In another case, you can cut off the leaves separately until the plant begins to bolt. If you do not plan to collect seeds, it is better to use the first one.

Diseases and pests

This crop is not very popular with insects, apparently because of its piquant taste. But downy mildew can affect plantings, so it is worth remembering the need for treatment. It’s even better to choose modern varieties that are resistant to this disease. It is useful to study the rule of cultural proximity. At correct placement plants are able to protect each other.

Caring for spinach means that the plants are regularly watered and loosened, weeded and fed with urea. But potash and phosphorus fertilizers are not recommended for the simple reason that spinach quickly goes to waste. In this case, the collection of leaves stops because they become coarse.

Procurement of seed material

Many gardeners are interested in how to collect spinach seeds. There is nothing complicated about it. To obtain seeds, several of the strongest male and female plants are selected in advance. Their leaves are not cut off and watered abundantly. After flowering, male plants can be removed; they have already fulfilled their function. When the leaves of female spinach turn yellow and the lower fruits begin to open, it means the seeds are ripe. Now the bushes are cut and hung for four days. After this, the seeds can be collected and packaged in paper bags. Their germination rate is very good.

Strawberry spinach

This name confuses many gardeners. What kind of mutation is this, how can berries grow on spinach? The plant has already become overgrown with myths in which it is presented as a miracle genetic engineering. In fact, this plant is only a distant relative of modern spinach varieties. It is even closer to wild quinoa.

The leaves have a fairly neutral taste, but are quite suitable as a leaf base for salad. As for the berries, they have absolutely no taste and have nothing to do with strawberries or raspberries. It's more of a sham. Due to this appearance, the plant has gained wide popularity, since, among other things, it also decorates your garden.

This is a mid-season crop. Strawberry spinach seeds ripen as early as July, provided seedling cultivation. It turns out that if you want to get succulent bushes for food, then this variety is the most unsuitable. But for decorative purposes, in order to surprise your family and friends, you can sow a small garden bed.

Obtaining seeds

Get ready for everyone you know to ask you for planting material for this mysterious plant. Spinach seeds (the photo clearly demonstrates the beauty of the fruit) contain exactly those berries that everyone likes so much. Therefore, in mid-July, you will need to collect ripe fruits and mash them with a fork, add water and leave for several days. After this, you will need to rinse the mass using a fine sieve. The seeds, cleared of mucus, are laid out on a paper napkin to dry. After they become free-flowing, you can pour them into a paper bag and put them away for storage.

Self-seeding

If you don’t pick the berries, they will become an excellent material for sowing a garden bed next year. They remain on the bushes for a long time, so if you don’t specifically pick them off, they fall off only by September-October. In this case, they are not only perfectly preserved under the snow, but also undergo stratification. In spring, friendly and strong shoots will appear in the garden bed. The only disadvantage of such planting can be considered the lack of a sowing system. Young plants will come out in bunches and will have to be thinned out well.

Instead of a conclusion

If you have a garden plot, then spinach is simply obliged to grow on it. This is a unique green, rich in vitamins and minerals, protein and iron, a source of health and well-being. If you live in an apartment, then no one is stopping you from making a small garden on the windowsill. To grow spinach you will need boxes 15-20 cm high. For one plant you will need a square of 15*15 cm. In about 30 days you will have mature bushes that can be used for several months until they go into arrows. During this time, you can have time to prepare a replacement for the aging bushes.

Unlike vegetables and berry crops, growing greens is a completely hassle-free and enjoyable activity. And if you know how to plant spinach correctly, you can harvest it almost all year round.

– the crop is resistant to cold and even recovers after slight frosts, so it can be grown not only in summer. Spinach is also a fairly early ripening green and is one of the first to appear on our table in May, and if it is planted as seedlings, then even earlier. In addition, spinach grows well next to most garden plantings, which means there is a place for it in any area.

Spinach is a cold-resistant crop and even recovers after minor frosts.

A short overview of popular varieties:

1. Virofle is early ripening, from germination to harvest it takes up to 20 days. The bushes grow up to 30 cm in diameter, tender, greenish yellow color. Disadvantage: it quickly shoots out the arrow.
2. Godry - the harvest can be harvested after 18 days and within a month. Suitable for both growing in greenhouses and open ground. Rosettes about 25 cm.
3. The robust one is mid-season, the ripening period is from 25 to 30 days. Big harvest can be expected with regular watering, flower steles are released late.
4. Gigantic is an early and very productive variety. Two weeks after the emergence of shoots, you can harvest the first greens, and this despite the fact that the rosettes of such spinach can grow from 15 to 50 cm. An ideal variety for thermal processing and canning.
5. Matador is perhaps the most common variety of spinach due to its early ripening and abundant fatty leafy greens with excellent taste. It is planted both through seedlings and in open ground from spring to late autumn. Blooms late.

It is better to sow spinach in sunny areas. Any soil is suitable, with the exception of clay and with a high level of acidity. As for humidity, regular watering is necessary; the yield of spinach beds often depends on this.

Now, having decided on the basic growing conditions, it is worth considering several methods: planting seedlings, sowing in open ground in early spring or before winter.

Video about properties and cultivation

The seedling method of growing will provide you with early greens. To do this, at the end of March and beginning of April, spinach seeds are sown in boxes, plastic or paper cups filled with prepared soil. The seeds are not deeply buried; it is enough to cover them with 1 cm of damp soil and compact it a little so that it is easier for the emerging roots to gain a foothold in the soil. After this, it is recommended to cover the containers transparent film or a piece of glass and place it in a warm place (for example, on a radiator) so that the “greenhouse” climate accelerates the germination of seedlings.

The seedling method of growing will provide you with early greens

After the first sprouts appear, the shelter is removed and the seedlings are moved to a south or south-east window sill, providing maximum illumination. Given spinach's tolerance to cold, it can be grown on a loggia, balcony or veranda, which is especially convenient if all the windows are already occupied by growing peppers, tomatoes and eggplants. Just remember to water the crops regularly.

Seedlings are planted in open ground when the soil warms up a little and the sun begins to warm up. After transplanting and watering, you can place arcs on top and cover the bed with non-woven agrofibre in order to initially protect the transplanted plants from intense sunlight and somehow “smooth out” night and daytime changes in air temperature.

The best option for obtaining early greens is considered to be sowing spinach seeds in greenhouses. The timing of sowing depends on several indicators, including:

• Depending on the climatic characteristics of your region, including the spring weather of the current year.
• From the quality and arrangement of the greenhouse. Obviously, in heated greenhouses with artificial lighting, you can grow vegetables all year round. On sunny spring days in glass greenhouses, the air warms up faster and maintains its temperature longer at night. They are practically not inferior to them in these indicators and modern designs made of polycarbonate. But the budget version of the film shelter does not retain heat well, especially if there are frequent frosts at night. In an effort to somewhat improve such designs, some gardeners use the thickest film, and cover the roof of the greenhouse with two layers, thus creating an air gap for better heat retention.
• From the varietal characteristics of the seeds.

On sunny spring days in glass greenhouses, the air warms up faster and maintains its temperature longer at night.

Typically, work in greenhouses begins if the air in it warms up enough during the daytime. Such conditions are quite suitable for spinach germination. In addition, before sowing the hole, it is recommended to generously water the hole with hot water, wait until it is completely absorbed, sow the seeds and cover with a 1.5-2 cm layer of soil. The rows are covered on top with a piece of agrofibre, which will help retain heat and the required level of humidity. After the first shoots appear, the shelter is removed. Work in open ground is carried out similarly.

In early spring in the garden, at the same time as planting radishes, lettuce and onions on the greens, spinach seeds are also sown. In this method of cultivation the main condition successful harvest is to provide humidity. Therefore, even during sowing, the grooves or holes are pre-watered, especially if the soil is dry. This will help to quickly soften the rather dense shell of the seed, and subsequently provide the developing plants with moisture. When spinach has already sprung, it needs frequent watering, especially on warm and sunny days.

Spinach usually sprouts quickly and simultaneously, so if you want to extend its harvest period, sow it gradually, at intervals of 7-10 days. This way you will have young greens for a long time. If it is necessary to save space on the site, spinach can be sown as a thickener, for example, between beans, tomatoes, dill, radishes or carrots. Thus, while the main crops are growing, you will already be harvesting spinach.

Video about growing spinach, lettuce and basil

Autumn sowing

Experienced gardeners know how much trouble spring brings, so they try to do some work in the fall. So, many cold-resistant crops can be sown in winter, for example, carrots, garlic, radishes, sorrel and, of course, spinach. The advantages of such plantings are obvious: there is enough time in the fall, there is a lot of free space on the site, and most importantly, the soil is saturated with moisture both during sowing and during the spring growth period.

Many people worry that the green shoots that have emerged may die in the winter, but their fears are in vain - as soon as the snow melts and the April sun warms up in the spring, the spinach plantings will quickly recover and will delight you with the first greens from your own garden.

Spinach is an early ripening plant, which makes it possible to harvest from April to August. This is a cold-resistant annual crop. Optimal temperature for growth the indicator is considered to be 15°C. But this plant can also withstand frost. Spinach began to gain popularity recently, but thanks to the presence in its composition huge amount useful substances and vitamins, the demand for this crop is rapidly increasing.

How to grow spinach? Russian gardeners are increasingly asking this question, since this herbaceous vegetable crop, extremely beloved all over the world, last years is beginning to gain popularity in Russia. It is enjoyed by vegetarians and people who promote the idea of ​​healthy eating.

Spinach, the cultivation of which is not particularly difficult, certainly deserves to take its rightful place in Russian garden beds.

To help gardeners make a good choice, we will give a brief description of spinach varieties that have proven themselves well in the climatic conditions of our latitudes:

New Zealand spinach

It represents not a variety, but a separate variety of this crop. The branched stems of this annual plant, creeping along the ground, can reach a meter in height, and the fleshy, thick leaves, colored dark green, have a triangular shape and jagged edges. Their taste is identical to most varieties of this plant.

This crop needs a lot of sunlight, moisture and heat, so it produces the highest yields when grown in the southern regions of Russia (the first shoots appear 2-3 weeks after sowing the seeds). In the climatic conditions of the middle zone, it is advisable to grow New Zealand spinach through seedlings.

The first cutting of leaves is carried out after 25-35 days; during the season, green harvests are harvested many times.

Variety "Victoria" (German selection)

Having a long (up to 40 days) growing season, it is late-ripening. The timing of planting seeds is from March to mid-May. Mature plant produces small (up to 15 cm in diameter) rosettes pressed to the soil.

The leaves, growing horizontally, have a rounded shape, smooth edges and a dark green color. The great advantage of the variety is its good resistance to powdery mildew and bolting. Victoria spinach grows well in soils that can retain moisture and have normal acidity.

Caring for it consists of thinning, weeding and regular watering. If everything is done correctly, everyone square meter planting will yield up to 3.4 kg of useful greens.

Spinach "Matador" (Czech selection)

Belongs to the category of mid-season varieties, capable of producing the first greens within three weeks after sowing the seeds. Its compact rosettes consist of thick, smooth leaves that are oval in shape and gray-green in color. "Matador" is frost-resistant, not prone to bolting and has high requirements for soil moisture.

All these qualities make this variety of spinach suitable for sowing in autumn and early spring. Productivity – up to 3 kg per square meter. meters.

"Stoic"

An early ripening variety, the growing season of which is no more than 3 weeks. It produces the highest yield (up to 3 kg per m2) in the temperate climatic conditions of central Russia. The rosette consists of leaflets raised above the ground, 19 cm long and 12-14 cm wide. Greens are added to salads and used in canning vegetables.

Variety "Virofle" (French selection)

It has a growing season of up to 25 days. Its large (up to 35 cm in diameter) rosettes contain a large number of fleshy and very tender oval-shaped leaves. A feature of the variety is the rapid appearance of stems and seeds. The plant tolerates cold and low temperatures at night, so it can be planted in early spring.

Variety "Godri"

The growing season, which ranges from 18 to 30 days, is classified as early ripening. The first leaves can be collected in 2-3 weeks. Spinach of this variety, characterized by high frost resistance, is intended for growing in open ground. Sowing of seeds is carried out either in early spring or at the very end of summer. The diameter of the leaf rosettes is 25 cm.

When to plant?

Spinach is a cold-resistant plant, so you can start sowing seeds in the garden soon after the surface layer of soil has thawed: once saturated with moisture, they will sprout vigorously.

Dates:

1. In the middle zone, spinach can be sown as early as mid-April, but this will require temporary shelter.
2. Most often, spinach is planted in late April-early May. During this period, the soil temperature at a depth of 10 cm is at least 5 degrees.
3. Repeated sowings (up to the first week of June) are carried out every 14 days, since it is moderately warm (from 10 to 24 degrees) temperatures and short (no more than 10 hours) daylight hours that contribute to the good development of this green crop.
4. At the end of summer (from August to September), when the heat subsides, spinach sowing is resumed. If for some reason it was not possible to harvest the harvest from the September plantings, frost-resistant spinach will overwinter well, and by the twentieth of April its juicy leaves can be eaten.
5. Pre-winter sowing of spinach is carried out when the soil temperature drops below five degrees. In central Russia this period occurs at the end of October.
6. There is another method of winter sowing, according to which furrows are cut in advance in the bed intended for growing spinach. The seeds are laid out in them after the soil freezes. To sprinkle them, use soil stored in a warm room. Pre-winter sowings have a number of advantages: the seeds do not lack moisture, the seedlings receive excellent hardening and produce especially strong and lush leaf rosettes.

Choosing a landing site

The best place to plant spinach is in well-lit areas that eliminate the possibility of stagnant water. To obtain early greenery, a bed of spinach should be placed on a southern slope, protected from the penetration of cold winds.

If the garden plot is in a lowland, you can plant spinach in a bed fenced with boards. Because the root system spinach is not particularly long, the bed may not be very high.

Spinach sown in early spring can be used as a precursor to heat-loving crops. vegetable crops more late date maturation. In small garden plots it can be planted as a compactor (most often between rows of other vegetables).

Soil preparation

Spinach is one of the plants that places high demands on soil fertility, so its ideal predecessors are vegetable crops, under which sufficient quantity organic fertilizers were applied.

Spinach will grow well in cultivated areas with fertile, enriched with plenty of organic matter, soils with normal acidity and good water-holding capacity. Light loamy soils meet all these conditions.

Before you grow spinach, you need to prepare the area in the fall:

1. The soil is carefully dug up to the depth of a spade bayonet and potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are added to it. For example, for each square meter of area you can add a mixture consisting of potassium chloride (15 g) and superphosphate (30 g).
2. At the same moment, liming of soils characterized by high acidity is carried out.
3. If desired, you can enrich the soil with a half dose of nitrogen fertilizers; the remaining dose is applied to the ground in early spring.
4. An excellent substitute for store-bought fertilizers can be organic matter: rotted manure or compost. They are added at the rate of 6-7 kg per 1 m2.

In early spring, immediately after the soil thaws, urea is scattered over its surface (20 g per square meter), and then harrowed with a rake. Too poor soil can be enriched right before sowing spinach by adding complex fertilizer. For each square meter you will need: 10 g of potassium, 6 g of phosphorus and 7 g of nitrogen.

Landing

There are two ways to grow spinach: from seeds and seedlings. The nuances of planting them in open ground will be discussed in this section.

Seed preparation

Since spinach seeds are covered with a very thick and hard shell, which does not allow moisture to pass through well and makes it difficult for them to germinate, they require pre-sowing preparation, which includes:

1. Calibrations During this procedure, the seeds are sorted, discarding damaged and defective ones. High-quality seeds are sorted by size.
2. Soaking. Wrap the seeds in a piece of cotton cloth, place them on the bottom of the plate and pour in a small amount of warm (no more than 25 degrees) water so that it only slightly covers the cloth. The plate with planting material is placed in a dark, warm place for a day, not forgetting to periodically change the water and strictly ensuring that the seeds always remain moist. After 24 hours, the seeds are removed from the water and slightly dried.
3. Disinfection. The planting material is kept for ten minutes in a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate, prepared from 1 g of powder and 0.2 liters of water. Drain the disinfectant solution, wash the seeds clean water and dried, returning them to their former flowability, after which they are sown in open ground.

Step-by-step instruction

It is most convenient to grow spinach in beds fenced with boards or improvised material.

How to grow:

1. Having thoroughly loosened and leveled the surface of the ridges with a rake, they begin to make parallel rows (it’s most convenient to do them using wooden plank or garden trowel).
2. For planting spinach, the optimal scheme is considered to be one in which the distance between rows is 15-20 cm, and between neighboring plants - 7-10 cm. With such a sowing density per square meter. meter of planting will require 4-5 g of seed material.
3. The depth of seed placement depends on the quality of the soil: in clay soils it should be less, in sandy ones it should be more. On average it should be at least 2 cm.
4. The prepared rows are carefully shed a little warm water and begin to lay out the seeds, trying to maintain a 5-7 cm interval between them. Only in this case the plants will not stretch, and the leaf rosettes will be quite dense.
5. In order to increase the contact of the planting material with the soil, the seeds are lightly pressed to the ground.
6. Armed with a rake, the spinach crops are carefully covered and the soil is slightly compacted.
7. You can prevent the appearance of weeds and significantly reduce the evaporation of moisture from the surface of the beds by mulching them. Chopped straw, hay or dry leaves can be used as mulching material.
8. If there are favorable weather conditions, the appearance of the first shoots should be expected in 10-14 days. Some gardeners speed up their appearance by covering the bed with plastic wrap.

Planting seedlings

In the middle zone, spinach is most often grown in seedlings. Depending on what container was used to grow seedlings, there are two options for replanting them in open ground.

This option is intended for seedlings grown in peat tablets or cups:

1. Planting holes are made in the prepared beds, the size of which corresponds to the dimensions of the peat containers with seedlings, not forgetting to observe the recommended interval between plants.
2. The pot with the plant is carefully placed in the planting hole and sprinkled with a little soil.
3. The planted seedlings are watered at the root.

The following technique involves the need to transplant seedlings, which can be grown in boxes or plastic containers. Experienced gardeners use the transshipment method for this.

Instructions:

1. A few days before planting seedlings in open ground, stop watering the plants to allow the soil in the pots to dry out.
2. In the formed beds, holes are dug corresponding to the size of the individual container in which the spinach was grown.
3. After turning the container over, the plant is carefully removed from it along with a lump of soil, placed in a prepared hole and sprinkled with earth. Watering the sprout is done at the root.

When there is a threat of cold weather (down to 0 degrees and below), the plantings are hidden under temporary shelter.

Care

Caring for spinach requires:

• timely weeding;
• regular generous watering;
• thinning thickened plantings;
• applying fertilizers.

Watering and fertilizing

Spinach, which has a powerful root system, needs frequent and abundant (at least 10 liters per square meter) watering, which promotes the active growth of fleshy and juicy leaves.

They should be especially frequent in hot and dry weather. Lack of moisture provokes the formation of flower stalks and a deterioration in the taste and nutritional value of the resulting greens.

During extreme heat, spinach should be watered every three days, using at least 15 liters of water per square meter. landing meter. At the same time, it is necessary to prevent overwatering of plants, which can cause root rot.

Spinach needs nutrients no less high:

1. If they are deficient, plants stop developing, wither, and leaves may change their original color. The situation can be corrected by combining watering and fertilizing. To achieve this goal, you can prepare a nutrient solution (1 kg of mullein per 10 liters of water) and water the plants.
2. The best fertilizer for this early ripening crop is humus or well-rotted manure applied to the soil before sowing the seeds. Their use is especially important in beds with thickened crops.
3. Application mineral fertilizers under already formed leaf rosettes is extremely undesirable, since spinach is endowed with the ability to accumulate nitrates. That is why the entire complex of useful substances is added to the site at the stage of soil preparation. Feeding seedlings with nitrogen is allowed only in the most extreme cases.
4. It is equally undesirable to feed grown spinach bushes with fresh organic matter (manure or slurry), since it significantly worsens the taste of the leaves.

Further agricultural technology involves regular loosening of row spacing and thinning of crops, preventing their thickening.

Harvest and storage

1. The first collection of leaves is usually carried out 4 weeks after sowing the seeds. At this point, the spinach rosettes have at least six well-developed leaves.
2. During the final harvest, the rosettes should be cut off under the very first leaf: the greenery is practically not contaminated, and the root system remaining in the soil does not cease its beneficial effect on it.
3. The average yield of this crop is 1.5-2 kg per 1 sq. m.
4. The best time to harvest is in the morning, but on rainy days or immediately after watering, it is better not to touch the spinach leaves, as at this time they become extremely fragile and brittle.
5. If you delay harvesting, peduncles will form on the spinach rosettes, and the leaves will become coarse and unsuitable for eating.
6. Harvested greens should be transported and stored only in a well-dried condition.
7. If you put collected leaves in a bag and place them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, you can keep them fresh for a week.
8. The best way to prepare spinach, allowing you to preserve all its beneficial properties, is freezing.

Diseases and pests of spinach

The main pests of spinach are: aphids, snails, slugs and beet leaf miner larvae, which readily eat its juicy leaves. Crops intended for seed production are sprayed with solutions of insecticidal preparations “Phosfamide” (0.2%) and “Anabasine sulfate”.

Spraying food crops with pesticides is strictly prohibited.

Spinach is quite resistant to most viral and fungal infections, however, if the plantings are very thick, its leaves can suffer from powdery mildew and all kinds of spots.

Since the use of toxic preparations for the treatment of leafy vegetable crops is extremely undesirable, the prevention of the occurrence of the above-mentioned diseases, consisting of strict adherence to agricultural practices and timely removal of plant residues, becomes of key importance.

Spinach seedlings and young bushes are often affected by root rot.

Its occurrence can be prevented by timely thinning and loosening of plantings.

How to grow spinach on a windowsill?

Spinach lovers grow it not only in the country, but also in apartments: this allows them to enjoy fresh greens throughout the winter.

People who do not have garden plots can grow spinach on glazed loggias and window sills located on the south side for a whole year, using flower pots. In an apartment whose windows face north, you will have to use lighting.

Since spinach is suitable for consumption for no more than 8 weeks (then it bolts), new seeds are sown every month. Thanks to this technique, it is possible to establish uninterrupted production of fresh herbs. Mature plants that have undergone several prunings and have sprung shoots are pulled out along with the roots.

When growing spinach on a windowsill, you need to give preference to its early ripening varieties.

To plant spinach, you need to take a two-liter pot and place a thick layer of drainage on its bottom (you can use river pebbles or expanded clay for this purpose).

Soil can be brought from garden plot or buy in a specialized store (soil mixture is suitable for indoor plants).

The sown seeds (their depth should not exceed 1 cm) are well watered and create a greenhouse effect by covering the pot with a piece of plastic film. When shoots appear, it is removed (as a rule, this happens after 7 days).

For normal development of spinach grown on a windowsill and tolerating drafts well, a temperature of 15 to 18 degrees is sufficient.

Caring for spinach growing in an apartment consists of regular watering and fertilizing (you can use complex fertilizer for indoor flowers), applied every ten days.

To prevent spinach from wilting for as long as possible, experienced gardeners regularly spray it with a spray bottle or wash it twice a week with a soft stream from the shower.

Thyme or thyme? Or maybe thyme or Bogorodskaya grass? Which is correct? And it’s correct in every way, because these names “pass” the same plant, more precisely, one genus of plants from the Lamiaceae family. There are many other popular names associated with the amazing property of this subshrub to release large amounts of aromatic substances. The cultivation of thyme and its use in garden design and cooking will be discussed in this article.

Favorite Saintpaulias have not only a special appearance, but also a very specific character. Growing this plant bears little resemblance to classical care for indoor crops. And even the relatives of Uzambara violets from among the Gesnerievs require a slightly different approach. Watering is often called the most “strange” point in caring for violets, which prefer non-standard watering to the classical method. But the approach will also have to be changed when it comes to fertilizing.

Useful, hardy, unpretentious and easy to grow, marigolds are irreplaceable. These summer gardens have long since moved from city flower beds and classic flower beds to original compositions, decorating beds and potted gardens. Marigolds, with their easily recognizable yellow-orange-brown colors and even more inimitable aromas, today can pleasantly surprise with their diversity. Firstly, among marigolds there are both tall and miniature plants.

The system of protection of fruit and berry plantings is based mainly on the use of pesticides. However, if in the protection of seed orchards pesticides can be used during almost the entire growing season, taking into account the waiting period for each preparation, then in the protection of berry crops they can be used only before the beginning of flowering and after harvesting. In this regard, the question arises of what drugs should be used during this period to suppress pests and pathogens.

Our grandmothers, growing garden strawberries, or strawberries, as we used to call them, did not particularly worry about mulching. But today this agricultural technique has become fundamental in achieving High Quality berries and reducing crop losses. Some might say it's a hassle. But practice shows that labor costs in this case pay off handsomely. In this article we invite you to get acquainted with the nine the best materials for mulching garden strawberries.

Succulents are very diverse. Despite the fact that “little ones” have always been considered more fashionable, it’s worth taking a closer look at the range of succulents with which you can decorate a modern interior. After all, colors, sizes, patterns, degree of prickliness, impact on the interior are just a few of the parameters by which you can choose them. In this article we will tell you about the five most fashionable succulents that amazingly transform modern interiors.

Sponge cake with chocolate cream - light, fluffy and airy, with delicate fudge cream based on milk powder, cocoa and cream. It takes very little time to prepare this dessert, and the ingredients are simple, inexpensive and accessible. Homemade cakes for evening tea are pleasant and cozy moments in life that any housewife can organize for her family or friends. coconut flakes You can substitute toasted walnuts in this recipe.

It often happens that chemical insecticides, especially those that have been on the market for a long time, cease to act on pests due to the development of resistance (resistance) to active substance, and then biological drugs can come to the rescue, which, by the way, have a number of advantages. In this article you will learn how Lepidocid will protect vegetable, berry, ornamental and fruit crops from leaf-eating pests.

The Egyptians used mint as early as 1.5 thousand years BC. It has a strong aroma due to great content various essential oils with high volatility. Today, mint is used in medicine, perfumery, cosmetology, winemaking, cooking, ornamental gardening, and the confectionery industry. In this article we will look at the most interesting varieties mint, and also tell you about the features of growing this plant in open ground.

People began growing crocuses 500 years before our era. Although the presence of these flowers in the garden is fleeting, we always look forward to the return of the harbingers of spring to next year. Crocuses are one of the earliest primroses, whose flowering begins as soon as the snow melts. However, flowering times may vary depending on the species and varieties. This article is dedicated to the earliest varieties of crocuses, which bloom in late March and early April.

Cabbage soup made from early young cabbage in beef broth is hearty, aromatic and easy to prepare. In this recipe you will learn how to cook delicious beef broth and cook light cabbage soup with this broth. Early cabbage It cooks quickly, so it is placed in the pan at the same time as other vegetables, unlike autumn cabbage, which takes a little longer to cook. Ready cabbage soup can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. Real cabbage soup turns out tastier than freshly prepared cabbage soup.

Blueberry – a rare and promising berry crop in the gardens. Blueberries are a source of biologically active substances and vitamins and have antiscorbutic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and tonic properties. The berries contain vitamins C, E, A, flavonoids, anthocyanins, trace elements - zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, as well as plant hormones - phytoestrogens. Blueberries taste like a mixture of grapes and blueberries.

Looking at the variety of tomato varieties, it’s hard not to get confused - the choice is very wide today. Even experienced gardeners are sometimes confused by it! However, understanding the basics of selecting varieties “for yourself” is not so difficult. The main thing is to delve into the peculiarities of the culture and start experimenting. One of the easiest groups of tomatoes to grow are varieties and hybrids with limited growth. They have always been valued by those gardeners who do not have much energy and time to care for their beds.

Once very popular under the name of indoor nettle, and then forgotten by everyone, coleus today is one of the most colorful garden and indoor plants. It is not for nothing that they are considered stars of the first magnitude for those who are primarily looking for non-standard colors. Easy to grow, but not so undemanding as to suit everyone, coleus require constant monitoring. But if you take care of them, bushes made of velvety unique leaves will easily outshine any competitor.

Salmon backbone baked in Provençal herbs provides tasty pieces of fish pulp for a light salad with fresh wild garlic leaves. The champignons are lightly fried in olive oil and then sprinkled with apple cider vinegar. These mushrooms are tastier than regular pickled ones, and they are better suited for baked fish. Wild garlic and fresh dill get along well in one salad, highlighting each other’s aroma. The garlicky pungency of wild garlic will permeate both the salmon flesh and mushroom pieces.