Spinach is the world’s most famous green leafy vegetable. And though most of the credit for spinach’s popularity goes to one rugged, heroic sailor with anchor tattoos on his humungous forearms, the immense nutritional value of spinach does play a noticeable part as well! Growing spinach isn’t too hard either. Here are a few simple tips for growing spinach from seed.
- Pick the right site for planting spinach seeds. Spinach plants do well in locations that get full sun for a major part of the day. Moist, fertile soil, with a ph of 6.0-7.0 is perfect for growing spinach.
- Rid the site of all weeds and debris and incorporate plenty of rotten manure or compost. This will ensure the seeds get all the nutrients that they require for growth.
- You can plant spinach seeds directly in the garden as early as 4-8 weeks from the final frost date for your region. For information regarding the right planting depth and spacing, refer to the instructions on the seed packet. If you’ve procured the seeds from a friend or some other source, I’d recommend you sow them at a depth of ½ inch, at least 2 inches apart from one another.
- Once the plants grow 4-5 inches tall, thin them, making sure there’s a separation of at least 6 inches between them. This will provide for good circulation and good yields.
- Irrigate spinach plants regularly, keeping the soil moist throughout the growing season.
- Mulching the plants is one of the simplest ways of repelling weeds and insects. Use straw, chopped leaves, and other organic materials to provide a 2-3 inch layer around your plants.
- Spinach can be harvested within a couple of weeks from planting. Remove any diseased leaves that you come across and dispose of. Also, make sure to harvest spinach before the plants begin to flower.
