How long do spinach seeds need to be soaked before planting?

When growing spinach , proper seed preparation is an important step in ensuring high yield and quality. Among them, soaking in water to accelerate germination is a very critical link, which not only helps the seeds absorb water and swell, but also accelerates the germination process. So how long do spinach seeds need to be soaked before planting? Let’s learn more about it below.

How long do spinach seeds need to be soaked before planting?

The soaking time of spinach seeds is not fixed. It is affected by many factors, including seed variety, ambient temperature, water quality conditions and the composition of the solution used for soaking. Typically, the ideal soaking time for spinach seeds in regular clean water is about 6 to 8 hours. During this period, the seeds can fully absorb water and swell, softening the seed coat, laying a good foundation for subsequent germination.

How to plant spinach seeds?

1. Soil preparation

Choose fertile, loose, well-drained soil and avoid continuous cropping to reduce the occurrence of diseases and insect pests. Before sowing, add well-rotted manure or compound fertilizer to the soil as base fertilizer, deep plow the land and level it to make ridges, with a ridge width of generally 1.2-2 meters.

2. Seed selection

Choose seeds that are large, healthy, plump and within their shelf life. At the same time, choose appropriate varieties based on local planting conditions and market factors.

3. Seed treatment

Soak the seeds in warm water below 30℃ for 6-12 hours, then put them in the refrigerator (around 4℃) for 24 hours, then put them in 20-25℃ for germination, and wait until small white sprouts appear on the seeds before sowing.

4. Sowing time

Spinach can be grown all year round. Spring spinach is usually sown in March, summer spinach is usually sown in May-July, autumn spinach is sown in August-September, and winter spinach is sown in October-November.

5. Sowing method

Generally, row sowing is mainly done by drawing a furrow, scattering seeds along the furrow, and then covering with soil. One acre of land generally requires 3-3.5 kg of seeds, with a planting density of 15-18 cm in row spacing and 6-8 cm in plant spacing.

6. Post-sowing management

Spinach seeds take about 7-14 days to germinate at suitable temperatures. Once the seeds germinate, you can gradually reduce the frequency of watering, but keep the soil moist. When the spinach grows 2-3 true leaves, you can thin out the seedlings and remove the overcrowded seedlings to ensure that the remaining spinach has enough space to grow.

To sum up, the soaking time of spinach seeds is affected by many factors, and the specific time varies depending on the different treatment methods. However, soaking in water to germinate the spinach under suitable conditions can lay a solid foundation for the high yield and high quality of spinach.