![]() ![]() In case of a sudden or hard freeze (below 28 degrees), old blankets or polypropylene frost blankets can save the day and prolong the harvest. In southern gardens spinach easily tolerates a light frost, especially if it is acclimated. Northern gardeners can plant an early spring crop followed by another in midsummer to mature before the first hard freeze. Spinach thrives in cool weather and short days so it's best to grow it in the fall for most gardeners. Check to see that the raw material used to make the compost is mostly unrecognizable before buying it or better yet, make your own. Commercial compost is sometimes little more than slightly decayed wood chips. Mix at least 2-4 inches of compost in the row before planting. There is no such thing as putting too much compost in garden soil. Be sure to keep fertilizer 4-6 inches from the base of the plants so as not to burn the roots and water thoroughly immediately after fertilizing. Start by working 2-4 pounds of a complete fertilizer per 100 square feet into the soil at planting time and then side-dress every two weeks or as necessary to keep the plants growing vigorously. If your garden soil is sandy and acid, be sure to get a lime recommendation based on a soil test before planting spinach. But to enjoy a bountiful yield, keep all the gardening tips we’ve outlined above in mind.Spinach is one of the few vegetables with beets and chard that prefers a neutral to alkaline soil (pH 7.0 or above). This is called bolting.Īs you can see, growing spinach in pots is surprisingly easy. As the spinach grows flowers, the leaves will thicken and it will develop a bitter taste. The spinach plant will develop an erect stem that sprouts yellow or green flowers. Flowers are likely to sprout when the weather is hot and humid. You want to start harvesting the spinach leaves before the plant starts growing flowers or the leaves will become too bitter to be eaten. ![]() You can also cut the whole plant from the base. Cut the outer leaves first and leave the new inner leaves alone to grow some more. You can harvest the leaves using a pair of scissors. Generally, as long as the spinach has grown at least 4 inches in height and have at least 6 healthy leaves, you can start harvesting. Spinach will grow in different types of soil but it prefers moist, well-draining loamy soil that’s enriched with organic compost.ģ7 to 50 days after germination, the spinach is ready for harvest. This way, you can simply re-plant the spinach seedlings with the rest of your heat-loving hardy crops. We recommend growing spinach from seeds early in the summer season because it is a fast-growing plant. To avoid burning, protect the spinach from the afternoon sun. Spinach loves bright light although it will do well in partial shade too. Once the true leaves have grown, the spinach is ready for transplanting. If you are using a seed tray, you have to wait until 2 to 3 days until the crop’s true leaves grow. However, the time it takes to germinate the spinach seeds will depend on the growing conditions and the variety of the crop. After planting the seeds, they should germinate within 5 to 14 days. You can also use a garden box, wooden box, even a crate as a planter for the spinach. Choose a wide-mouthed pot that is about 6 to 8 inches deep. If you are growing the spinach from seeds, you can either plant the seeds directly into the pot or use a seed tray first. There are two ways to grow spinach, you can sow the seeds or regrow the crop from roots. ![]()
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