Spinach
How and when to sow spinach outdoors?
To grow spinach outdoors, it is best to sow it directly in the garden. Preferably choose a sunny to semi-shady spot with soil rich in organic matter and well-drained. You can sow your spinach seeds from early spring to late summer.
Before sowing, work the soil by weeding and aerating it. Sow the seeds about 2 to 3 centimetres apart, covering them lightly with fine soil. Remember to water well after sowing to encourage germination and keep the soil moist.
Be careful not to let the soil dry out between waterings, especially in hot weather. Once the spinach plants have reached a few centimetres in height, thin them out, leaving just one plant every 10 to 15 centimetres to encourage their development. Protect the plants from slugs and snails by placing natural barriers such as crushed eggshells around them.
How to harvest spinach
Spinach can be harvested in spring and autumn. To obtain an abundant harvest, it is advisable to sow the seeds in rows spaced 30 cm apart and cover them with about 1 cm of soil. Once the leaves are well developed, you can start to harvest them by cutting them off just above ground level. It's best not to pull up the whole plant, as this will allow for faster regrowth.
Harvested spinach can be stored in the fridge for about a week. It is recommended that you eat them quickly to benefit from their nutrients and freshness. If you want to keep it longer, you can freeze it after blanching it for a few minutes in boiling water and allowing it to cool. You can also dry them or use them in cooked dishes to extend their shelf life.
Spinach
- Type : Vegetables
- Subtype : Leafy vegetables
- Botanical Family : Chenopodiaceae
Characteristics
- Lifecycle : Annual
- Exposure : Partial Shade
- Frost Hardiness : Frost Resistant
- Cultivation Difficulty : Medium
- Adult Height : 30 cm
Sowing & Planting
- Greenhouse Growing : Not Required
- Sowing Depth : 1 cm
- Plant Spacing : 10 cm
- Row Spacing : 25 cm
Maintenance
- Maintenance : Low
- Water Requirements : Moderate
Seeds
- Soil Type : Humus-rich
- Soil pH Preference : Acidic
- Pest Sensitivity : Moderate
- Disease Sensitivity : Moderate
- Weed Sensitivity : Moderate
- Pollination : Wind-pollinated
- Propagation : Sowing