When is the best time to plant spinach?

Spinach has a short growth cycle and is suitable for planting almost all year round. As long as the temperature remains above 5℃, you can start sowing. Spinach sown in March can be harvested in about 40 days. Summer sowing is usually scheduled from May to July, autumn from August to September, and winter from October to November. Before sowing, the seeds need to be germinated and then sown after they germinate. At the same time, ensure that the land is properly cultivated and sufficient basal fertilizer is applied to enhance soil fertility. In addition, field management after sowing is equally critical. Let’s take a look at when is the best time to plant spinach?

When is the best time to plant spinach?

The suitable sowing period for autumn spinach is usually from August to September, and harvesting in batches can begin about 30 to 40 days after sowing. Choose heat-resistant, fast-growing early-maturing varieties, such as Huangqiu Big Leaf, Plow Head Spinach, Huabo No. 1, Guangdong Round Leaf, etc., which are ideal choices for autumn spinach planting .

The sowing time for winter spinach is generally from mid-October to early November, and it can be harvested in batches around the Spring Festival. It is appropriate to choose medium and late maturing varieties that are cold-resistant, late bolting, and have strong winter resistance, such as Late Round Leaf Spinach, Round Leaf Spinach, Huapo No. 1, Liaoning Round Leaf Spinach, etc.

The best time to sow spinach in spring is when the temperature rises above 5 degrees Celsius, usually in March, and it can be harvested 30 to 50 days after sowing. For spring spinach, you should choose varieties that sprout late and have larger leaves, such as Chi Round Leaf Spinach, Chunqiu Big Leaf, Shenyang Round Leaf, Liaoning Round Leaf, etc.

The sowing period for summer spinach is usually from May to July, and it can be harvested from late June to mid-September. Summer spinach should choose varieties that are heat-resistant, fast-growing, and not prone to bolting, such as Huabo No. 1, Chunqiu Large Leaf, Guangdong Round Leaf, etc.

Key points of spinach planting technology

1. Land preparation and cultivation

Choose loose, fertile, well-drained and irrigated loam with a slightly acidic pH value between 5.5 and 7. When preparing the land, apply 40 kg of superphosphate and 4,000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer per mu. High ridges are suitable for making in winter and spring, while flat ridges are suitable for making in summer and autumn. The ridge width is usually 1.2 to 1.5 meters.

2. Sowing and raising seedlings

Usually broadcasting is used. In summer and autumn, soak the seeds for 12 hours a week before sowing, then treat them under low temperature (around 4 degrees Celsius) for 24 hours, then germinate at 20 to 25 degrees Celsius, and sow them 3 to 5 days later. Dry seeds or wet seeds can be directly sown in winter and spring, with a sowing rate of 3 to 3.5 kg per acre. Before sowing, make sure the bed surface is moist, use a toothed rake to lightly rake the seeds into the soil, and then cover with wood ash. After sowing in summer and autumn, cover with straw or shade net to prevent high temperature and heavy rain, and use plastic film or shade net to keep warm in winter.

3. Field management

In autumn, after spinach grows true leaves, water it with clear manure water. When it has 2 true leaves, combine thinning and weeding. Apply more well-rotted organic fertilizer in the early stage. Apply top dressing 2 to 3 times during the peak growth period, 5 to 10 kg of urea each time. After sowing spinach in winter, keep the soil moist, control water when it has 3 to 4 true leaves, thin out the seeds when it has 2 to 3 true leaves, and apply water and fertilizer according to the condition of the seedlings and weather conditions. In the early stage of spring, spinach should be covered with plastic film to keep warm. After the seedlings emerge, use a small arch shed. Follow the principle of uncovering when it is sunny and covering when it is rainy. Apply decomposed organic fertilizer lightly in the early stage and apply quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer in the later stage. Continue to use the shade net after the spinach seedlings emerge in the summer, water the seedlings in the morning and evening, and apply quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer twice after 2 to 3 true leaves.

4. Pest and disease control

For aphids, spray with 1000 times diluted 40% dimethoate or 2000 to 3000 times diluted 50% cypermethrin; for leaf miners, spray with 1000 times diluted 50% chlorpyrifos emulsifiable concentrate or 1000 times diluted 80% trichlorfon powder; for downy mildew, spray with 500 times diluted 58% ribociclib or 600 times diluted 75% thiophanate-methyl; for anthracnose, spray with 500 times diluted 50% thiophanate-methyl or 700 times diluted 50% carbendazim.

5. Harvest

When the seedling height exceeds 10 cm, you can start harvesting in batches. Fifteen days before harvest, spray 15 to 20 mg/kg of 920 and add urea or ammonium sulfate to harvest earlier and increase yield.

6. Save seeds

The sowing time for seed spinach is slightly later than that for overwintering spinach, and the row spacing is 20 to 23 cm. After the plants turn green in spring, remove the weeds and early-sprouting male plants, retain the nutritious male plants, and keep the plant spacing about 20 cm. Water less during the bolting period, water and fertilize after flowering, and spray 1% to 2% superphosphate clarified solution to promote seed plumpness. Remove the male plants after they have set seeds to facilitate ventilation and light transmission. Harvest when the stems and leaves turn yellow and the seeds are ripe.

The above is an introduction to the key points of spinach cultivation. Spinach is a vegetable that many people like to eat, and its planting cycle is not long.