Which month is best for sowing water spinach?

Water spinach , also known as kiwi fruit, is a vegetable with high nutritional value and medicinal value. It is widely grown in central and southern China. Water spinach generally prefers a warm and humid environment, is not frost-resistant, and is adaptable to both dry and water land cultivation. It grows rapidly, has strong resistance to diseases and pests, and can be harvested multiple times during the growing season, so it is nicknamed "lazy man's vegetable". Let’s learn below which month is best for sowing water spinach?

1. Suitable sowing period

Water spinach can be propagated by seeds or stem cuttings, with seeds being the main method. The seeds germinate above 15℃, the most suitable temperature during the growing period is 25-35℃, they are heat-resistant, and grow slowly below 18℃. After Grain Rain, the average daily temperature stabilizes at above 15℃, and the suitable sowing period is from mid-April to the end of August. Planting too early may cause the seeds to rot. You can use a small arch shed for early sowing, and sow 20 days in advance.

2. Sowing method

Choose soil that is rich in organic matter and easy to irrigate, and apply 5 to 8 kilograms of decomposed farmyard manure and 50 grams of triple compound fertilizer per square meter. Water spinach can be sown directly or transplanted from seedlings. Direct seeding is the main method for home cultivation, with a seed rate of 15 to 20 grams per square meter. When transplanting from seedlings, seedlings are transplanted at a height of 15 cm, and the row and plant spacing is 15 cm and 25 cm respectively.

Live broadcast is mainly in the form of strip broadcasting or hole broadcasting. The row spacing for row sowing is 30 cm, the furrow depth is 5 cm, cover with 1 cm of soil, and water thoroughly; the spacing for hole sowing is 15 cm, with 2 to 3 seeds in each hole, cover with soil and water thoroughly. The seeds have thick seed coat and need to be soaked in cold water for 12 hours, wrapped in wet gauze to accelerate germination, and sown when 70% of the seeds are white. When the temperature is low, cover the plants with film or wood ash to keep them warm, and remove the film in time 5 to 7 days after the seedlings emerge.

3. Water and fertilizer management

Water spinach likes nitrogen fertilizer. 7 days after the seedlings emerge, water it with decomposed dilute manure. The concentration should increase as the seedlings grow. 15 days after the seedlings emerge, apply 20 kg of urea per mu and water after applying fertilizer. Water with manure after every harvest and apply urea twice after every harvest to promote growth. Water spinach likes moist soil. Water it every 2 to 3 days during the seedling stage. After it grows to 5 cm, water it again in the morning and evening. It can be harvested in 40 days.

Water spinach can be harvested many times. Harvest when the seedlings are 30 cm tall. Break off the tender stems and allow the side branches to continue growing. If there is sufficient water and fertilizer, it can be harvested continuously until frost, and the yield will be high. When harvesting, leave 2 to 3 nodes to promote the sprouting of new branches.

In general, water spinach has high nutritional and medicinal value, strong growth ability, short cycle, can be harvested multiple times, and has high economic benefits. By mastering the appropriate sowing period, doing a good job of land preparation, soaking seeds to germinate, and fertilizing and watering frequently during the growing period, you can grow high-yield, high-quality water spinach.