Fancy growing spinach?
But you don't have a vegetable garden at home?
No worries, spinach grows easily in pots!
You can grow them on your balcony, on a windowsill in an apartment or even inside the house.
In addition, spinach does not need a lot of sun and grows very well in the shade.
Here are 12 gardening tips to quickly grow potted spinach at home. Watch:
Plant the spinach seeds directly in the pot, about 2 cm deep .
Germination time varies from 5 to 14 days, depending on growing conditions and spinach variety.
You can also germinate seeds in seed trays, like these.
If so, wait until the shoots have 2 or 3 leaves before transplanting them into a pot.
To grow spinach in a pot, choose a pot that is at least 15-20cm deep .
No need to use a very deep pot. The most important thing is that your pot is large .
Thus, you can grow several plants in a planter, a large pot or a recycled container of your choice, for example a wooden box or a crate from the market.
Otherwise, you can use several small pots, putting only one plant in each pot.
As a general rule, allow a space of 5 to 10 cm between each spinach plant.
If you want to harvest large leaves , so space the plants 10 to 15 cm apart.
If you prefer to harvest shoots with small leaves , then you can reduce this space to 5 cm.
A great trick is to create mini squares in your planter or planter.
This way, you can easily see how the spinach plants are reacting, and thin them out if necessary.
Spinach grows quickly and almost all year round.
One precaution:avoid too much sun, which can be complicated in some regions.
–If you sow from mid-August to November for a fall and winter harvest: put your jars of spinach in a sunny spot. Indeed, it is at this time of the year that the days are shorter and the sun less intense.
– If you sow from February until mid-May for a spring and summer harvest: put your spinach pots in a place where the plants can receive some shade, especially in the afternoon.
– For high heat areas: put your pots in a place with little direct exposure to the sun.
To grow spinach in pots, use a quality potting soil, preferably enriched with organic matter such as compost or fertilizer.
Soil texture should be clayey and well-drained.
Thus, avoid soils that drain poorly and remain waterlogged.
Indeed, soil drainage is the most important factor in ensuring the proper growth of potted spinach.
Also check the pH of the soil, which must be neutral.
Spinach is water-intensive, especially when it's hot.
So, water regularly to keep the soil moist, but not too much .
Indeed, if the water stagnates for too long, it can lead to the appearance of rot and fungal diseases.
Also avoid watering the foliage, and do not forget to monitor the good drainage of your pots.
Spinach seedlings grow easily, withstanding temperatures as low as 4°C, but also high temperatures.
The ideal soil temperature for growing spinach is between 10 and 27°C .
However, several varieties of spinach easily tolerate extreme temperatures, between -6°C and 32°C.
When the mercury starts to climb, consider putting your pots in a partially shaded spot.
You don't have a balcony or not enough space on your balcony?
So know that you can easily grow spinach indoors, on a windowsill !
Simply plant your spinach in small pots 15 cm deep.
This is an excellent option if you have little space in your home, because spinach appreciates shady places, especially in summer.
And know that aromatic herbs also grow easily indoors.
For a good harvest of very green spinach, use a soil with a high nitrogen content.
If needed, add a slow-release fertilizer at planting time, like this one.
You can also add manure or well-rotted compost, which also provides a slow release of nutrients.
Once your seedlings have grown well, you can continue to stimulate their growth by enriching the soil with compost, fish fertilizer or nettle manure.
If you have never used a slow release fertilizer, you can also feed your plants at regular intervals with a liquid fertilizer.
For example, use a "balanced" liquid fertilizer (that is, with the same amount of phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium).
To discover: How to Fertilize Your Vegetable Garden's Soil WITHOUT Composting.
Even if you're growing them in pots, it's best to mulch the soil around your spinach.
All you need to do is cover the soil with a layer of organic matter:straw, tree leaves, grass clippings, green waste, etc.
Why mulch the soil of spinach growing in pots?
Because mulching helps to retain moisture and preserve freshness from the ground.
The advantage of growing spinach in pots is that it is a small space that is easy to control.
So when you grow spinach in pots, you don't have to do much to protect your crop from pests.
However, to be able to eliminate them in time, stay alert to attacks by slugs, caterpillars, aphids and other leaf pests.
To avoid yellow blight spots on the leaves, use fresh, humus-rich soil.
Avoid soil that is too compact and wet, as this can rot the leaves and cause melting, due to excessive humidity.
Harvest takes place 37 to 50 days after germination , depending on growing conditions and spinach variety.
Start harvesting when the plants are about 10cm long and that they have formed at least 5-6 healthy leaves.
You can harvest the outer leaves by hand.
Pluck them one by one, WITHOUT cutting off the stalk. Why ? Because the plant will continue to produce new leaves.
Another method, you can also cut the whole stalk using a knife or clean scissors, but without cutting the base and leaving some young leaves intact.
This technique is a little longer, but again new leaves will grow back after harvesting.
When the climate is particularly hot and humid, spinach tends to bolt, and small yellow or green flowers appear.
When going to seed, the spinach leaves thicken and take on a bitter taste, unsuitable for consumption.
So if your spinach starts to go to seed, harvest it as soon as possible, even if the leaves are young.
