Spinach is among the most popular leafy vegetables available. It is relatively easier to grow in your home garden and is definitely beneficial as it contains iron, vitamin C, vitamin A and other important vitamins that are good for health. Spinach is among the very few vegetables that can be eaten without cooking as long as it is tender. Most people who have spinach gardens at home prefer freshly plucked for cooking.
Growing spinach also increases the beauty of your garden provided you plant the seeds along the border. It does not take more than six whole weeks to harvest it too so that’s a decent amount of time invested for a healthy result like spinach. If you are planning on growing spinach in your garden then some compost and organic seeds are good enough to start with. Spinach is best grown in temperatures less than 60 degrees F and early spring should offer you the ideal conditions. As long as the patch is well-drained and receives decent amount of sunlight, growing spinach is not at all an issue. If you are new to growing spinach, try any variety. Big leaves or small leaves – any spinach more or less requires the same amount of care and maintenance to get a fine harvest.
In terms of soil, the temperature needs to be 45 degrees F and experts believe that six weeks from last frost date is the perfect time to sow the seeds. Soaking the seeds in water overnight and keeping it covered before sowing can be extremely beneficial too. In the morning, drain out the water and check if the soil has any stones or pebbles. Smoothen and level the soil’s surface by using an inch deep of compost.
For ideal results, there must be a distance of at least two inches between each seed. Also, every seed needs to be at least half an inch into the soil. Between any two rows, it is ideal to have a gap of at least two feet. You can also grow spinach under the shade of big trees if space is a concern. If you are looking for a long term periodical harvest, you may want to sow seeds every fortnight. Growing spinach is easy, fun and definitely worthwhile.
Tags: Growing Spinach