How To Grow Spinach In A Pot? 12 Gardening Tips.
Want to grow spinach?
But you don't have a vegetable garden at home?
No problem, spinach grows easily in pots!
You can grow them on your balcony, on an apartment window sill, or even inside the house.
In addition, spinach does not need a lot of sun and grows very well in the shade.
here is 12 gardener's tips to quickly grow pot spinach at home. Look :
1. Sow the seeds 2 cm deep
Plant the spinach seeds directly in a pot, about 2 cm deep.
Germination time varies from 5 to 14 days, depending on growing conditions and the variety of spinach.
You can also germinate the seeds in seedling trays, like these.
If so, wait until the shoots have 2 or 3 sheets before transplanting them into a pot.
2. Choose a pot 15 cm deep
To grow spinach in a pot, choose a pot of at least 15 to 20 cm deep.
No need to use a very deep pot. The most important thing is that your pot is very wide.
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.
Alternatively, you can use several small pots, putting a single plant in each pot.
3. Space the seedlings at least 5 cm apart
As a general rule, allow a space of 5 to 10 cm between each spinach plant.
If you want to harvest large leaves, then space the plants 10 to 15 cm apart.
If you prefer to harvest shoots with small leaves, then you can reduce this space to 5cm.
A good tip is to create mini squares in your planter or planter.
So you can easily see how the spinach plants are reacting, and thin them out if necessary.
4. Choose a location that is not too sunny
Spinach grows quickly and most of the year.
Only one precaution: prevent it from 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 spinach jars in a sunny spot. Indeed, it is at this time of 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 areas of great heat: put your pots in a place with little direct sunlight.
5. Choose a quality soil
To grow spinach in pots, use a quality potting soil, preferably enriched with organic matter such as compost or fertilizer.
The 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.
6. Water regularly, but not excessively
Spinach is greedy for water, especially in hot weather.
So, water regularly to keep the soil moist, but without excess.
Indeed, if the water is stagnant for too long, it can lead to the development of rot and fungal diseases.
Also avoid watering the foliage, and don't forget to watch your pots for good drainage.
7. Watch the thermometer carefully
Spinach seedlings grow easily, enduring 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 rise, consider putting your pots in a partially shaded area.
8. It also works indoors!
Don't have a balcony or not enough space on your balcony?
So, know that you can easily grow spinach indoors, on a window sill !
You just need to plant your spinach in small pots 15 cm deep.
This is a great option if you have limited space at home, as spinach likes shady places, especially in summer.
And know that aromatic herbs also grow easily indoors.
9. Choose a slow release fertilizer
For a good harvest of green spinach, use soil with a high nitrogen content.
If necessary, add a slow release fertilizer at the time of planting, like this one.
You can also add manure or well-decomposed 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 (ie with the same amount of phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium).
To discover : How To Fertilize The Soil In Your Vegetable Garden WITHOUT Making Compost.
10. Mulch the ground around the spinach
Even if you grow them in pots, it's best to mulch the soil around your spinach.
It suffices to cover the ground with a layer of organic matter: straw, tree leaves, lawn mowing, green waste, etc.
Why mulch the soil of spinach that grows in pots?
Because mulching helps retain moisture and to keep freshness of the ground.
11. Watch out for aphids
The advantage of growing spinach in a pot is that it is a small space that it is easy to control.
So when you grow spinach in a pot, you don't have much to do to protect your crop from pests.
However, to be able to eliminate them in time, stay alert to attacks from slugs, caterpillars, aphids and other leaf pests.
To avoid yellow spots of late blight on the leaves, use cool, humus-rich soil.
Avoid soil that is too compact and wet, as this can rot the leaves and causemelting, due to excessive humidity.
12. Harvest when the spinach is 10 cm long
The harvest takes place 37-50 days after germination, depending on growing conditions and the variety of spinach.
Start harvesting when the plants are about 10 cm long and they have formed at least 5-6 healthy leaves.
You can harvest the outer leaves by hand.
Pick them one by one, WITHOUT cutting off the foot. Why ? Because the plant will continue to produce new leaves.
Alternatively, you can also cut off the entire stalk with a clean knife or scissors, but without cutting the base and leaving a few young leaves intact.
This technique takes a little longer, but again new leaves will grow back after harvest.
When the climate is particularly hot and humid, spinach tends to go to seed, and small yellow or green flowers appear.
As the seeds rise, the leaves of the spinach thicken and take on a bitter taste, unsuitable for consumption.
So if your spinach starts to go to seed, harvest it as quickly as possible, even if the leaves are young.
Your turn...
Have you tried these gardening tips for growing spinach in pots? Tell us in the comments if it worked for you. We can't wait to hear from you!
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Also to discover:
The 20 Easiest Vegetables to Grow IN A POT.
The 13 Easiest (and Fastest) Vegetables to GROW IN A POT.
