You always wanted to grow spinach, but don't know how to do it or what you have to consider? No problem, because we'll tell you how.
Spinach is a truly rewarding vegetable when it comes to growing it. It grows very quickly and can be harvested up to four or five times. I don't even have to mention that children especially love him. ?
Depending on the variety, he althy spinach is one of the annual to biennial vegetables and can usually be planted without any problems in our latitudes. Today, over 40 different types of spinach are available in specialist garden shops. We would like to introduce a few of these spinach varieties to you here.
Introduced some spinach varieties
The types of spinach often offered in specialist shops include:
- Mustard spinach - spicy aroma
- Butter Leaf Spinach - fast growing and very robust
- Tree Spinach - grown in spring, grows up to 2.5 meters tall
- Winter Giants - large-leaved variety, only sown in autumn
- Gamma - very dark leaved variety
- Ceylon spinach - climbing leaves
- Strawberry spinach - with edible fruits
- Water spinach - for greenhouse cultivation
- Lazio - very resistant to powdery mildew, also does not tend to bolt
- Malabar spinach - tropical variety
- New Zealand spinach - only grown in spring, can be harvested until November
- Emila - can also be grown in summer
- Merlin - also suitable for summer cultivation, but slightly susceptible
- Matador spinach - very robust species, new seeds can be obtained from the spring bloom
» Tip:
The deep roots of spinach ensure optimal soil loosening, which is why spinach is a popular preculture for other types of vegetables.
Growing spinach - That's how it's done
Sowing
As a rule, the vitamin-rich and iron-rich spinach is sown in rows twice a year outdoors, in soil that is as nutrient-rich as possible (enrich with compost beforehand) in a sunny to partially shaded location:
- Early spinach: sow from March to May - from April to the beginning of Julyharvest
- Late spinach: sow from August to September - harvest in October
You should always sow the seeds about 1 to 3 centimeters deep and if possible individually in the soil, cover them loosely again and do not step on them. A row spacing of at least 15 centimeters is recommended.
In the first few weeks you should cover the spinach (until the seedlings are relatively robust) with a thin garden film, as this provides optimal protection.
» Tip:
You can also easily grow leaf spinach in the flower box on the balcony. However, you should then give it a little complete fertilizer as soon as possible during growth.
Care
Watering/fertilizing:
You have to make sure that the soil around the spinach is always moderately moist - but never wet! However, you can completely do without fertilizer during growth.
Control pests/diseases:
Slugs like to tamper with the green spinach leaves, which is why spreading slug pellets or placing biological slug traps around the spinach is advisable.
Grow spinach in a greenhouse and mildew can attack it if there is poor ventilation. However, you can quickly get this problem under control by aerating it well for several days.
Harvest
After about 8 weeks, the spinach is ready to harvest for the first time. Now cut the leaves regularly just above the ground, then you can even harvest spinach several times. When harvesting, however, you should make sure that the spinach hearts remain standing. This is the only way you can harvest the spinach up to four times. Don't harvest the spinach once it's in bloom.
You should process the freshly harvested spinach within two to three days. You can also store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. To do this, blanch the spinach beforehand and freeze it when it has cooled down.