Spinach It has long been known to gardeners and cooks as an excellent source of vitamins, trace elements, fiber and vegetable protein. It retains useful properties not only fresh, but also with different methods of preparation: it is stewed, pickled, frozen. Therefore, those who care about healthy nutrition, grow spinach at home and willingly share their experiences.
Did you know? In Persia, which is considered the birthplace of spinach, it is often included in the composition of drugs.
How to prepare the seeds before planting
Spinach on the windowsill is grown from seeds of early varieties with fleshy, large leaves. Sowing can be done at any time of the year. Experts recommend before planting soak the seeds for a day in warm water, and then for 2-4 hours - in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Before planting, they need to promaknut paper towel and dry a little. If the preparatory work has not been carried out, it is sufficient to pour plenty of soil before sowing.
Soil composition and preparation
For cultivation of culture will suit any soil mixture, commercially available, except for those that include peat, because it oxidizes the earth. Also as a soil for spinach, a mixture of coconut fiber (2 parts) with biohumus (1 part) will do. You can replace coconut fiber with vermiculite or perlite. At 100 cm² enough to add 1-2 tsp. substances. In addition, they retain moisture well and do not rot like coconut fiber.
Important! Before planting spinach at home, at the bottom of the pots should be laid in a layer of 2-3 cm expanded clay or other material that will provide good drainage.
Scheme and depth of planting seeds
For sowing, you need to make grooves about 1.5 cm deep, place the seeds in them, lightly sprinkle them with soil and moisten with a sprayer. Then you need to cover the container with a film or glass before the first shoots. Usually 5-6 days is enough for this. You can dive the seedlings after the appearance of several leaves, or immediately planted in large boxes and pots.
Important! To constantly have fresh green spinach, you need to sow new seeds every 10-14 days.
Care and conditions for growing spinach on the windowsill
Growing spinach from sowing to harvest is not difficult even for beginners.
Location and lighting
The best location for spinach will be the windowsill on the sunny side of the apartment or house. At the same time, plants planted in spring and summer will have enough natural light to form abundant greenery. Autumn-winter plantings will not interfere with the addition of fluorescent lamps to increase the daylight hours by several hours in cloudy weather.
Temperature conditions
The optimum temperature for spinach in the house is 15-18 ° C, however, it normally transfers and decreases to 8-10 ° C on glazed loggias and balconies. The plant feels much worse on hot summer days. At this time, it is desirable to shade it.
Watering and humidity
Moderate but frequent watering of spinach will provide good leaf flavor. Frequent spraying from a sprayer also has a beneficial effect on the plant, which guarantees high humidity. And on the contrary - low humidity of the air leads to the rapid broadening of the plant and the grinding of greenery.
Harvesting
One month after sowing the seeds, when the spinach reaches about 10 cm in height and has 5-6 large leaflets, you can harvest. As a rule, the plant forms new greens for 2-3 months, after which a flower arrow appears. Then it needs to be removed. You can feed the soil and plant new seeds in it.
As well as many other types of greens familiar to us (dill, parsley, basil), everyone can grow spinach on the windowsill to make their family’s diet more varied and useful.
