How and when to plant spinach

Spinach planting time

Spring spinach can be sown when the temperature in spring is stable at above 5 degrees. March is the appropriate time for sowing. It is advisable to make high ridges in spring and choose loose, fertile, water-retaining and fertilizer-retaining, slightly acidic loam.

Summer spinach can be sown from May to July. Soak the seeds in clean water for 12 hours one week before sowing, then place them in a well or in a refrigerator or freezer at about 4 degrees for 24 hours, then germinate at 20-25 degrees, and they can be sown in about 3-5 days.

Autumn spinach is mainly sown in August and September. After sowing, it should be covered with straw or a small arch shed with a shade net to avoid high temperature and heavy rain. Normally, the soil should be kept slightly moist.

Winter spinach is sown from mid-October to early November. The temperature is relatively low in winter, so you can cover the plastic film after sowing to keep warm, and remove it after the plants emerge.

How to grow spinach

Choose a loose, fertile, water- and fertilizer-retaining, well-drained and slightly acidic loam with a pH value of 5.5-7 to sow spinach. Apply decomposed organic fertilizer and superphosphate when preparing the land, and make it level and fine. Flat ridges can be made in summer and autumn, and raised ridges can be made in winter and spring, with a ridge width of 1.2-1.5 meters.

Spinach can be broadcasted. In summer and autumn, the seeds need to be germinated. In winter and spring, dry or wet seeds can be sown. 3-3.5 kg can be sown per mu. The surface of the bed needs to be watered thoroughly once and covered with a layer of wood ash after sowing.

Common diseases and pests of spinach are aphids, leaf miners, downy mildew, and anthracnose, which require timely prevention and control. The diseased and insect-infested branches and leaves should be removed, and the products should be sprayed with dimethoate, cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos emulsifiable concentrate, trichlorfon powder, ridomil, thiophanate-methyl, thiophanate-methyl, and carbendazim.