How to grow spinach in open ground. Spinach - planting and caring for leaf crops

Thanks to its young leaves, rich in vitamins and minerals, the popularity of spinach has long been steadily growing throughout the world. It is difficult to find a plant as useful and unpretentious as spinach, which even novice summer residents can grow and care for in the open ground.

Spinach is a fast-ripening vegetable crop. From the moment of sowing to the collection of the first batch of leaves, 30–40 days pass. At the same time, the plant tolerates cold well and does not require painstaking care. It is not surprising that during the warm period in most regions of the country you can get not one, but several harvests. This property of the plant is used by both summer residents and large crop farms.

However, when mastering growing spinach in open ground, you need to know that this is a short-day plant. When the daylight hours exceed 14 hours, spinach stops growing leaves and forms a peduncle. Such plants are no longer used for food.

In order to pamper yourself and your loved ones with healthy and tasty greens for as long as possible, you need to choose varieties that are as resistant to flowering as possible and plant spinach in early spring, as well as from the second half of July to obtain an autumn harvest.

Planting and caring for spinach in open ground in spring

You can grow spinach through seedlings obtained at home or by sowing seeds directly into the ground. The second method is used more often, and due to the cold resistance of the plant, the first spinach seeds fall into the soil as soon as it thaws well.

In the middle zone this happens in mid-April. If the spring weather is not warm, the crops can be covered with non-woven material, under which the sprouts can withstand frosts down to –8 °C.

To facilitate pecking and protect against infections, spinach seeds are kept in a warm pink solution of potassium permanganate for 12 to 18 hours before sowing, and then dried until they become free-flowing as before.

Spinach is sown to a depth of 1.5 to 3 cm. To prevent the seeds from being much deeper after watering, the soil in the beds is rolled after planting. Leave at least 30 cm between individual rows, and 5–8 cm between seeds. This will allow the plant to form a lush rosette and make it easier to care for spinach when growing it in open ground.

If the first sowing occurs in April, then the last summer sowing is carried out at the end of June. Conveyor planting at intervals of 3-4 weeks will help you not to lack fresh greens. From the last ten days of July, sowings are resumed and continue until mid-August, and in the southern regions even until mid-September. Even lines of greenery appear in the beds 10–14 days after sowing.

Taking advantage of the frost resistance of the seeds and the early ripening of spinach, it is also planted before winter. The seeds are planted in the ground in October, and in the spring, immediately after the snow melts, friendly shoots of this useful and unpretentious plant will appear in the beds.

Plot for growing spinach in open ground

The success of growing spinach largely depends on the correct site selection and preliminary soil preparation. The plant prefers open, well-lit beds with aerated, slightly acidic soil containing many nutrients.

Autumn treatment of the beds will help increase the impact of planting in open ground and caring for spinach in the spring:

• they are dug deep;
• add, if necessary for deoxidation, dolomite flour;
• the soil is mixed with fertilizers at the rate of 15 grams of potassium salts and 30 grams per meter of area;
• When digging, humus or manure is added.

In the spring, on poor soils, the beds are additionally fertilized by adding 20 grams of urea per meter. Dense soil is mixed with sand and peat. This will simplify the subsequent care of spinach when grown in open ground.

Caring for spinach when grown in open ground

Caring for spinach is not too burdensome and consists of regular watering, weeding and loosening the soil between the rows. While the plants are small, it is important to prevent the formation of a dense crust that interferes with the formation of rosettes and the penetration of moisture.

At the 2–3 leaf stage, the plants are thinned out. If you carefully remove the seedlings, they can be replanted to fill the gaps in other places in the garden bed.

Spinach should be eaten generously and often. In order not to harm the plantings, use. This consumes up to 10 liters of water per meter of area, which allows you to carefully and deeply saturate the soil with moisture.

Whatever the variety of spinach, when grown in open ground, caring for the plantings necessarily includes protecting the plants from the scorching rays of the sun. When the air temperature rises above 26 °C, the beds are hidden under non-woven material or other shading methods are used. If you neglect this measure, the risk of peduncles increases, the leaves lose their juiciness and become coarser.

With proper preparation of the beds and sufficient nutrition, spinach grows quickly and within 2-3 weeks produces the first green leaves for the table. If growth is inhibited, the leaf blades are small, the rosette is poorly formed, it is obvious that the plants need to be fed with nitrogen fertilizer. The granules must be embedded 2–5 cm deep into the soil, and then the beds are watered.

Video about the timing of sowing spinach

Spinach is a healthy low-calorie plant valued for its high content of vitamins and minerals. All benefits are preserved after cutting, cooking and freezing, and this is one of the reasons to plant it on your site. Growing and caring for spinach does not require much physical effort from you. Read the article carefully and you will succeed!

Spinach is the leader among greens and vegetables in terms of the content of useful components. No wonder the French call him “king.”

It contains a large amount of protein, organic fatty acids, fiber, all B vitamins, ascorbic acid, carotene, calcium, iron, zinc, selenium.

Spinach is useful for low hemoglobin, vascular and heart diseases, eye diseases, and diabetes. Indispensable for problems with the digestive tract, which is why it is popularly called “broom for the intestines.”

Improves the condition of gums and teeth, strengthens blood vessels, helps fight asthma and tumors. Spinach normalizes metabolic processes, removes toxins and excess fluid from the body - nutritionists strongly advise including it in the diet of those who want to lose weight and maintain beauty.

Short description

Spinach is an annual herbaceous crop, reaching a height of 30-40 cm. It forms a rosette of 10-12 leaves. The leaves can be wrinkled or smooth, round or oblong - it depends on the variety. There are many varieties. The most popular are “Victoria”, “Gigantic”, “Strawberry”, “Godri”, “Matador”.

The plant is easy to care for and tolerates frost well. It has an original taste. Many people confuse spinach with sorrel. Yes, they look similar, but the taste is completely different. Sorrel has a pronounced, sour taste, spinach has a refined taste, with a slight bitterness and subtle sourness.

Planting spinach correctly

To plant spinach, it is not necessary to have large areas - it will feel great even in a small flowerbed. It is better to plant in open, well-warmed areas, protected from gusts of wind. Preferred predecessors are cabbage, cucumbers, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, beans. Landing time is not particularly important. However, experienced gardeners advise planting it in the fall, provided that the soil is light and the future place of residence is located on a slight hill.

One of the advantages of spinach is its early maturity, which means several planting times are allowed. Do you want to provide yourself with greens throughout the summer? Sow the crop in a conveyor belt manner from March to August. Do you want to get a harvest in early spring? Winter sowing is done in November.

What should the soil be like?

Sandy loam and loam are most suitable for spinach. The soil must be drained and nutritious. Acidity is of great importance. It should correspond to 6.8-7.0. If the soil is heavy, then organic matter should be added. The soil is prepared in advance. It is carefully dug up and fertilized with compost, humus and a phosphorus-potassium mixture. If the soil is too acidic, lime, dolomite flour or chalk will save the situation. When planting in spring, the soil is prepared in the fall; when planting in autumn, in spring or summer.

By seeds or through seedlings?

Spinach can be planted through seedlings or seeds, but the second method is more common. This is explained by the fact that seedlings take root less well in open ground.

If you still decide to use the seedling method, then give preference to heat-loving varieties. Plant spinach seeds in plastic boxes with nutrient soil in late March or early April. Do not deepen them too much - just scatter them over the surface, cover them with earth and compact them slightly. Cover the plantings with glass or film, place them in a warm place and wait for germination. After this has happened, the protective cover is removed and the boxes are placed on the windowsill. Don't forget to water. You can plant seedlings in the soil when the ground has warmed up well. At the initial stage, it is necessary to protect the plantings from intense sunlight and temperature changes using arcs and agrofibre.

Growing spinach from seeds is much easier. The seed does not need preliminary preparation, but experts still recommend soaking it in warm water for 24 hours and then drying it. In the prepared soil, shallow furrows are formed and seeds are planted in them to a depth of 2 cm. The interval between individual seeds is 3 cm, between rows is 30 cm. Seed consumption is 5 g. per 1 m2. Spinach can be sown continuously, from April to August (every 20-25 days).

The best time for spring planting is the first ten days of May. You will be harvesting in early June. Spinach grows fastest in the summer. By the way, it is believed that the summer harvest is the most delicious.

Plants sprout at a rapid pace - don't miss the moment when it's time to collect them. Otherwise, the sprouts will go to waste. It is good to sow spinach in November, when the temperature drops below 0 degrees. This way you are guaranteed to receive fresh greens 2 weeks earlier than usual.

You need to know this!

To obtain uniform seedlings, be sure to compact the soil. If it is dry, water and mulch. Plants actively develop under long daylight hours and high temperatures. If the daylight hours are short and the temperature is low, then the spinach quickly forms an arrow. Take this into account and plant greens in insulated beds or greenhouses.

Never heard of insulated beds? Drive pegs into the ground and lay 4 boards on the sides so that they rise 10 cm above the ground. Plant the seeds. After emergence, provide 10 hours of daylight by covering the spinach with frames for several hours in the morning.

Never plant seeds in soil with high acidity levels - there is a high risk of losing the entire crop.

If the soil is heavy, then the application of organic fertilizers is mandatory. It is advisable to combine the application of fertilizers with digging. In areas without black soil, mineral supplements can be applied immediately before planting. Per square meter you will need potassium (10 g), phosphorus (5 g) and nitrogen (10 g). For effective growth, ammonium nitrate is required in a dosage of 30 g. per 1 m2.

The growing season for spinach is 2 months. To increase this period of time, it is necessary to tear off the tops, stimulating the formation of new leaves and stopping the formation of arrows. After the first leaves appear, the beds are weeded and thinned, leaving a gap of 10 cm between the plants.

How to care?

Caring for spinach is not very difficult. Particular attention should be paid to eliminating weak shoots. Thinning not only increases the flow of oxygen, but also prevents the development of diseases. The second thinning is done when the plants begin to touch. Now the interval should be at least 15 cm.

Remove weeds and water the soil in a timely manner. Spinach is especially susceptible to lack of moisture during seed germination and after the first leaves appear. When watering, follow the golden mean - the ground should not be too wet or very dry. Excess liquid leads to rotting of the root system, too little leads to bolting and deterioration of the taste of spinach.

If the soil was nutritious to begin with, then fertilizer is not required. Constantly inspect plants for pests and disease symptoms. If you find infected ones, delete them. Preventive measures again consist of thinning, proper watering, removing weeds, and maintaining crop rotation (plant spinach in its old place only after 3 years).

Harvesting and storage

Harvesting begins after 6-8 leaves are formed. Do not delay collecting, otherwise the leaves will become tough and insipid. The rosettes are pulled out directly by the roots or cut off under the first leaf. The best time for this is early morning or late evening.

It is important to harvest before dew appears - the spinach must be dry, because wet leaves quickly spoil.

Spinach is stored in different ways. If you plan to eat it as soon as possible, wrap it in a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator. There it can be stored for 7-10 days. Long-term storage involves canning, drying and freezing. In this case, the leaves can be whole or crushed.

If you want to freeze spinach, wash it thoroughly, dry it, place it in a container or bag and put it in the freezer. To dry greens, they should be cut, laid out on paper and left in a dry, dark place. Some housewives prefer to pickle spinach or roll it in jars. In both cases, all useful substances are preserved.

Now you know the benefits of spinach, how to grow and store it correctly, which means you will always have greens rich in vitamins and minerals on your table. Eat spinach, fresh or canned, and stay healthy!

Growing spinach became popular in our country not so long ago, but in a very short period of time, it was planted in every second greenhouse. The demand for this crop is growing every day, which means it won’t hurt us to find out how to grow it in the country.

Along with other greens - parsley, dill and lettuce, spinach can be grown in a greenhouse or open ground, it all depends on your own desire and the amount of greens that are needed. An unusual green vegetable crop can be used for business or just for personal consumption - in salads, stir-fries, sauces, and canned form.

How useful is the plant?

Many of us have repeatedly heard about the beneficial properties of the crop and that the plant is full of biologically active substances. It turns out that by eating spinach, even in small portions, we get many elements beneficial to the body. This is precisely what can be considered another reason to grow it in the country.

The culture retains its beneficial properties in any form, although their concentration varies slightly. Thus, all vitamins and other substances are available in raw, boiled, canned and even frozen spinach. In addition to the high content of carotene and ascorbic acid, the plant contains oxalic acid, oleic acid, linolenic acid, manganese, phosphorus, calcium, iodine, copper, iron, sodium, a lot of potassium and vitamins B, P, PP, E, K.

Experts working on the study of the properties of spinach have noted that its juice is useful for anemia, for increasing appetite, normalizing the processes of the gastrointestinal tract, and can also restore and strengthen the nervous system.

But there are also warnings - the product should not be abused in adulthood, in baby food, or with kidney and liver diseases.

Growing spinach

If, after reading the previous paragraph, you understand how important this plant product can be in nutrition, you will be interested in learning how to grow this crop in your own garden or in a small greenhouse in the country.

Choosing the soil

Fertile, organic-rich, well-drained soil is best suited for growing spinach. It is preferable to grow the crop on sandy loam or loam. An important point for the quality of the plant is acidity, where the optimal value is around pH 6.7-7.0. If you plant it in highly acidic soil, you risk losing the plants. Heavy soils for spinach require the addition of organic matter; limestone or carbonate soils are not good enough, as they do not have the required level of iron content.

Fertilizer for crops

Potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are added to high-quality, fertile soil in the fall, as well as 6-7 kg of humus or well-rotted manure for each square meter of future planting. It is recommended to apply fertilizer when digging the soil.

In areas without chernozem, mineral fertilizers are applied immediately before sowing the crop: 10-13 g of potassium, 5-6 g of phosphorus and about 10 g of nitrogen. This dosage of additives is calculated for 1 m2.

It is also worth noting that you should be extremely careful when applying fertilizers, since spinach leaves accumulate nitrates very well. Thus, nitrogen is added to the soil only when absolutely necessary.

Sowing plants

Most often, spinach is grown from seeds, and therefore, now we will talk about this method in more detail.

The soil for garden spinach is prepared in advance, in the autumn. When digging up the soil, certain fertilizers are added to it - potassium, phosphorus, compost. You can also add a third of the standard dose of nitrogen to the soil. In the spring, before planting, the area for sowing is cultivated and the remaining dose of nitrogen is added.

Sowing occurs in several stages, so you can receive fresh greens during the season longer and without interruptions. Closer to autumn, at the end of August or even in the first half of September, the crop is sown in the ground. This is done in order to get greens in early spring.

Spinach planted at the beginning of autumn will show the first rosette of leaves even before the onset of frost, then it will overwinter, and already 12-15 days after the spring snow melts, you will be able to enjoy the first fruits of your work.

Before planting, the seeds must be properly prepared so that they germinate well. Soaking for several hours will not be enough, since the seeds do not absorb moisture well. For preparation, warm water is used, about +25°C, and bubbling is also practiced. After two days in water, the seeds are dried so that they regain their original flowability and sown in the ground.

There are several ways of sowing - on beds and in rows. The first is used if the soil on the site is heavy, the second - for any other soil. The seeds are sown to a shallow depth, about 2-3 cm, and a distance of 25-30 cm is maintained between the rows of future greenery.

Plant care

First of all, it is necessary to monitor and care for the seedlings. They must be clean and growth must not be hampered by weeds or excessive thickening. Water the plants in a timely manner, this will help avoid stemming. Basically, try to keep the soil from drying out during hot weather.

During the growing season, you can also apply fertilizing, immediately after rain or simply during watering. After this, it will be necessary to loosen the soil. During the entire period of spinach growth, you need to do at least 2-3 weedings and light loosening of the rows, also, do not forget to remove new shoots that make the planting dense and unproductive, as well as weak male plants.

Harvesting

Grown spinach can be harvested from the garden or garden bed at the 6-8 leaf stage. The maximum harvesting period is the growth of flower stalks. Greens can be mowed or cut, but many people uproot the plant... this is up to your personal discretion.

The leaves can be stored for almost a week, during which time they need to be prepared or immediately consumed. If longer storage is required, freezing can be used.

Which varieties to choose for the garden

We know of several really good varieties that summer residents most often choose to grow on their own plots:

• Victoria,
• Gaudry,
• Virofle,
• Gigantic,
• Fat-leaved,
• Matador,
• Strawberry.

You can choose any of them for growing in the country or at home. We recommend that you read the material about.

Video about growing spinach

Question answer

• How different is growing spinach? Strawberry or Matador from standard, garden spinach. There are practically no differences, especially when it comes to the technology of growing greenery and caring for it. These varieties differ in their growing season, shape and size of leaves, and taste;
• Is it possible to grow spinach on a windowsill? If you are interested in growing crops at home, you can follow the advice given in our article, install several boxes or other containers with fertile soil on the balcony or windowsill, prepare and sow the seeds. The result will not be long in coming, naturally, with appropriate care;
• How is growing spinach in a greenhouse different from growing it at home? Everything is simple here - speed and quantity. In a greenhouse, under certain conditions, spinach will grow faster and better, and in a greenhouse you will not have to limit yourself in the amount of greens that need to be grown.

Despite the fact that melon is a “purebred southerner,” summer residents grow it not only in the south. And all because this culture is extremely tasty and very healthy. And varieties “for the market” are not always distinguished by high taste qualities, not like fruits from your own garden or greenhouse. True, melon has its own “secrets,” but they are not particularly difficult. Therefore, if you have not yet grown melon on your acres, you should definitely try it at least once!

“Red Sea” salad with squid, crab sticks and red caviar is a light and healthy appetizer that is suitable for a pescetarian menu; it can also be prepared on fasting days, when fish and seafood are allowed on the menu. The salad is simply extremely tasty and easy to prepare. Buy squid freshly frozen. I do not recommend preparing a dish with giant squid fillet; although it looks appetizing and tempting, it has a strong ammonia aftertaste that is difficult to get rid of.

Columnar fruit trees differ from ordinary fruit trees in their compact crown, small height, and lack of lateral branching. With a small habit, these miracle trees are distinguished by their ability to produce large yields of large, tasty and beautiful fruits. On 1-2 acres you can place up to 20-25 columnar trees - varieties of apple trees, pears, plums, peaches, cherries, apricots and other crops of different ripening periods. Our article will tell you about the features of creating a columnar garden.

August can feel a little sad - autumn, followed by a long winter, is already on the doorstep. But the flower beds are still full of colors, and their color scheme creates an atmosphere of warmth and joy. The rich palette of August flower beds mainly consists of yellow, orange, and crimson tones. And it seems as if the garden has become warmer and has more sunny color. What flowers should definitely be planted in flower beds so that they brighten up the inevitable passing of summer with blooms?

Peach jam with bananas is aromatic, thick, healthy and, most importantly, it contains half the sugar than regular jam. This is a quick jam with pectin, and pectin powder, as you know, allows you to reduce the sugar content in the jam, or even make it without sugar. Sugar-free jams are fashionable sweets these days; they are very popular among supporters of a healthy lifestyle. Peaches for harvesting can be of any degree of ripeness, bananas too.

Coriander is one of the most popular spices in the world, and its greens are called coriander or coriander. Interestingly, cilantro leaves no one indifferent. Some people adore it and happily use it in any salads and sandwiches, and they love Borodino bread for the special flavor of coriander seeds. Others, citing the smell that evokes associations with forest bugs, hate coriander and flatly refuse to approach bunches of cilantro even at the market, let alone plant it in their own garden.

Saintpaulias are coming back into fashion and turning the idea of ​​cute blooming violets that willingly live on any windowsill. Trends in the “market” for Uzambara violets indicate a rapid increase in interest in plants with unusual leaves. More and more admiring glances are attracted not by the unusual colors of flowers, but by the exotic variegated colors of the leaves. Variegated Saintpaulias are almost no different from all the others in cultivation.

Sweet and sour marinated cherry tomatoes with red onion and basil marinated with balsamic vinegar and mustard. These pickled vegetables will decorate any holiday table; they are very tasty and aromatic. Marinade filling is a completely different story: you get a delicious brine, the only drawback of which is the small quantity. Choose sweet, red onions. Cherries are strong, slightly unripe, and the smallest. Fresh basil will work either green or purple.

My first acquaintance with hydrogel took place a long time ago. Back in the nineties, my husband brought funny multi-colored balls from Japan, which greatly increased in size when filled with water. They were supposed to be used for bouquets or for some other decorative purposes. Of course, at first it was funny, but then I got tired of playing and abandoned them, I don’t even remember where they went. But I recently returned to using hydrogel. I will tell you about my experience in this article.

Watermelon and summer are inseparable concepts. However, you won’t find melons in every area. And all because this African plant takes up a lot of space, is quite demanding of both heat and sun, and also of proper watering. But still, we love watermelon so much that today not only southerners, but much more northern summer residents have learned to grow it. It turns out that you can find an approach to such a capricious plant, and if you want, you can get a decent harvest.

You can make red gooseberry jam in 10 minutes. However, it should be borne in mind that this is the time required to cook the jam without preparing the berries. It takes a lot of time to harvest and prepare the berries for processing. Cruel thorns discourage any desire to harvest, and you still have to cut off the noses and tails. But the result is worth it, the jam turns out excellent, one of the most aromatic, in my opinion, and the taste is such that it is impossible to tear yourself away from the jar.

Monsteras, anthuriums, caladiums, dieffenbachias... Representatives of the Araceae family are considered one of the most popular categories of indoor plants. And not the last factor in their widespread distribution is diversity. Aroids are represented by aquatic plants, epiphytes, semi-epiphytes, tuberous plants and lianas. But despite such diversity, because of which it is sometimes difficult to guess about the relationship of plants, aroids are very similar to each other and require the same care.

Donskoy salad for the winter is a savory appetizer of fresh vegetables in a sweet and sour marinade with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The original recipe calls for regular or apple cider vinegar, but with a combination of wine vinegar and light Balsamico it turns out much tastier. The salad can be prepared without sterilization - bring the vegetables to a boil, put them in sterile jars and wrap them warmly. You can also pasteurize the workpieces at a temperature of 85 degrees, then quickly cool.

The main mushrooms collected are: porcini, obabka, boletus, chanterelles, boletus, moss mushrooms, russula, milk mushrooms, boletus, saffron milk caps, honey mushrooms. Other mushrooms are collected depending on the region. And their name (other mushrooms) is legion. As well as mushroom pickers, of whom there are more and more every year. Therefore, there may not be enough for all known mushrooms. And I know for sure that among the little-known there are very worthy representatives. I’ll tell you about little-known, but tasty and healthy mushrooms in this article.

The word "ampel" comes from the German word "ampel", meaning a hanging container for flowers. The fashion for hanging flower beds came to us from Europe. And today it is very difficult to imagine a garden where there is not at least one hanging basket. In response to the growing popularity of container floriculture, a large number of hanging plants have appeared on sale, whose shoots easily fall outside the pots. Let's talk about those that are valued for their beautiful flowers.

Spinach is an annual vegetable plant that resembles quinoa in its beneficial properties. Due to its high content of vitamins, protein, fiber and other microelements, it is widely used in cooking. Many gourmets prefer this dietary product. You can eat fresh leaves, preserve them or boil them. Spinach is very popular in Western countries; it is used to prepare dishes for children. Spinach puree is a source of restoration of physical strength and has a healing effect on the body. Today, spinach is often consumed by many vegetarians and healthy eating supporters in Russia.

Features of growth and development

Spinach is part of the long-day plant group. This means that it requires prolonged and intense lighting for full development and flowering.

It can easily tolerate low temperatures. Seeds can germinate at temperatures as low as 4 degrees. In hot climates, the plant enters the flowering phase. Overripe leaves already have an unpleasant taste.

Spinach is distinguished by its high yield, which is achieved in a short period of time. 40 days after the appearance of the first shoots, you can receive a batch of finished high-quality products.

Good yield is ensured when the crop is grown on fertile soil that has a slightly alkaline or neutral environment.

This plant needs constant soil moisture, but too much water can have a detrimental effect. When growing spinach at home, you need to observe certain air humidity parameters in the room.

A window sill is an excellent place to grow spinach in a room. Housewives do not have to spend a lot of time and effort to grow it.

In the summer and spring months, when planting seeds, you do not need to resort to an artificial light source, but in the autumn-winter period you need to additionally turn on the lamps. The duration of daylight in the cold season should be at least 10 hours. On cloudy days, it is also necessary to turn on artificial light for the growth of young shoots.

Plastic or wooden flowerpots 15-20 cm high can be used as containers for sowing seeds. Seeds must be planted at some distance from each other. Make shallow furrows in the prepared soil and water them with water.

Ready-made soil mixtures used for flower crops can act as a nutrient substrate. They do not contain peat, which oxidizes the soil. However, the best option would be to prepare the soil yourself. To do this, you need to mix one part of vermicompost and two parts of coconut fiber, which protects the soil from drying out and prevents stagnation of water. It is necessary to pour a small layer of expanded clay into the planting container, which will act as a kind of drainage. If you have difficulties purchasing coconut fiber, you can only use vermicompost. Periodically you need to add 1-2 teaspoons of perlite or vermiculite, which have the same properties as coconut fiber. These additives ensure the preservation of the soil mixture and protect it from rotting.

Before planting, seeds must first be soaked in water at room temperature for a day. Unlike lettuce, spinach seeds look a little larger. The sowing depth is 10-15 mm. The prepared flowerpots are covered with plastic film on top to prevent the soil from drying out. Within a week the first green shoots appear.

Glazed balconies or loggias are considered an ideal place for growing spinach. In such rooms constant air humidity is maintained. If it is not possible to place a container with seedlings on the balcony, then you can use a window sill for this purpose. However, you should remember the fact that spinach is a moisture-loving plant, and in winter, apartment air is extremely dry. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly spray young leaves with a spray bottle. Above the flowerpots, you can install a structure like a greenhouse, which will be a frame with stretched plastic film and will make it possible to maintain a constant microclimate in the room.

The spinach crop is harvested over a period of 2-3 months, and then the plant undergoes morphological changes and enters the bolting phase. With proper planting and harvesting, this green crop can be eaten all year round.

The soil used for growing spinach can be reused provided it is regularly fertilized with complex additives. The plant is considered fully formed and ready for harvesting when it reaches a height of 7-10 cm and has 5-7 leaves in the rosette.

Growing spinach on a windowsill (video)