Nutritionists unanimously talk about the benefits of spinach. It contains a large amount of vitamins A and K, is a natural bitterness that helps stimulate bile flow, has antitumor properties and is suitable for regular use.
Plus, it quickly reaches technical maturity, which allows you to eat these greens all spring without restrictions.
But spinach has a downside. This crop is often included in the lists of the most polluted plants due to its unecological cultivation. It accumulates harmful chemical compounds and nitrates, which makes this healthy product toxic to our body.
Problems with growing on your own
The best way to provide your family with healthy greens is to grow them yourself. But many people's spinach grows small and quickly bolts, making it difficult to eat.
This plant has several secrets, knowing which you can provide yourself with fresh greens for the entire spring.
Secret number one: fast ripening time
Spinach is ready for consumption in 20-30 days after the shoots appear. It is harvested when 4-5 leaves have formed. After that, it produces a flower stalk.
To use spinach for a long time, it should be sown at intervals of 5-7 days.
Secret two: heat is a signal for flowering
Spinach is a plant that produces large, juicy leaves in cool weather, with short daylight hours and sufficient moisture.
If the leaves are small and the flower stalk forms quickly, then you have sown this plant too late. Spinach should be sown in early spring, as soon as positive temperatures begin to prevail.
Secret three: this is a winter plant
Few people know, but the best time to sow spinach is in the fall. When it goes into winter with 3-4 leaves, in the spring you will be provided with healthy greens about a month earlier than with spring sowing.
In early spring, spinach will "come to life", it will have fleshy, juicy and large leaves. If the winter is snowy, the plant does not need shelter. But in case of a snowless frosty winter, the bed can be covered with spunbond or dry leaves.
You can also sow the seeds in late autumn, then the spinach will sprout in early spring. These will be strong healthy plants with large leaves.
Knowing these subtleties will help you get an excellent harvest. Also, do not forget that much depends on the variety. If you can’t grow large spinach, it may be time to try new varieties.
