How to grow water spinach to achieve high yield?

Water spinach , also known as water spinach, water spinach or vine vegetable in different regions, is an annual herb belonging to the genus Ipomoea of ​​the family Convolvulaceae. In the central and southern regions of our country, water spinach is widely grown. It is not only a common vegetable , but also has medicinal value. Let’s learn together how to grow water spinach to achieve high yields.

1. Suitable planting period for water spinach

Open-air planting of water spinach is usually carried out from April to August, and the harvest must be completed before frost. Water spinach prefers a high temperature and high humidity environment, is suitable for growing in moist soil, and requires plenty of sunlight. It does not have high requirements for soil, but requires a large amount of fertilizer. Therefore, if growers in the north want to grow water spinach outdoors, they need to grasp the planting season. Greenhouse cultivation can achieve year-round production. In order to obtain better economic benefits, it is recommended to plant from October to December and put it on the market from December to March of the following year.

2. Cultivation technology of water spinach

1. Sowing of water spinach

(1) Live broadcast method

First soak the seeds to germinate, then sow them according to the row spacing of 35 cm and the hole spacing of 15-18 cm, sow 3-5 seeds in each hole, and the seed rate per mu is about 2.5-3.0 kg. If seedling transplanting is adopted, sowing can be carried out in combination with seedling removal. After planting, cover with 1 cm of soil. The sowing area per mu is 50-60 square meters, and the seed amount is about 2.0 kg.

(2) Management after sowing

Keep warm and moist after germination. When the seedlings are 3 cm tall, strengthen water and fertilizer management and apply urea, about 5 kg per mu. Avoid drought during the seedling stage. Thinning is carried out at the 2-leaf 1-heart stage, and the seedling height is about 6 cm. During the growth period, spray 20 mg/L of gibberellin solution or Yunda-120 (10 mg to 30 liters of water), once every 10 days, for a total of 2 times. When transplanting, choose strong seedlings with 4 to 5 true leaves.

2. Planting of water spinach

(1) Fertilization and land preparation

Choose high-quality fertile sandy loam, apply about 4,000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer and 50 kg of diammonium phosphate per mu, deep plowing and fine harrowing, and the ridge width is 1.0-1.2 meters.

(2) Colonization

When direct seeding, the sowing spacing is (15-18) cm × 35 cm. When transplanting seedlings, 30 days after sowing, the seedling height is 17-20 cm, and the row spacing is 30 cm × 35 cm. 3-4 plants per hole, or 2 plants per hole with a plant spacing of 18 cm × 35 cm. When planting, first take out the seedlings from the nursery and then cover them with soil to protect the root system.

3. Field management

(1) Fertilizer and water management

After planting water spinach, strengthen fertilizer and water management, apply about 10 kg of quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer per mu, the amount of topdressing should not be too large, and keep the soil moist. When the seedlings are about 30 cm tall, apply 10-15 kg of urea per mu after each harvest to promote the occurrence and growth of new shoots.

(2) Intertillage and weeding

To prevent weeds from competing with seedlings and affecting plant growth, shallow tillage should be carried out when the soil turns white to promote root development and create favorable conditions for the strong growth of plants.

(3) Temperature management

The suitable temperature for the growth of water spinach is relatively high. The temperature in the greenhouse does not exceed 35℃, and the minimum temperature is kept above 15℃. To promote growth, small arch sheds can be added to the greenhouse to increase the temperature during low temperatures.

(4) Pest and disease control

Water spinach is easily attacked by pests such as diamondback moth, red spider mites, aphids, and leaf rollers, and requires timely prevention and control. The main disease is white rust, which can be controlled by spraying 1:1:200 Bordeaux mixture , with an interval of 10 days between each spraying.

To sum up, water spinach is a vegetable widely cultivated in rural areas. It is quite easy to grow as long as you master the planting techniques.