Common pests include aphids and slugs, and downy mildew is a common disease for spinach. A 10-foot row at 3 inches apart with 12 inches between rows will produce 4-6 pounds of spinach. Some examples to highlight here are sorghum, millet, and rapoko. Be sure to leave at least a portion of the leaf stem on the leaf as removal of the stem will cause the leaf to wilt more quickly. Mulch around the plant also helps conserve soil moisture and reduce weed growth. Moisture fluctuations will cause leaves to become tough, slow leaf development, and contribute to off-flavors. You can also preserve your spinach for later use by freezing, canning, or drying it. Do not store your spinach while its still wet, as that will rapidly accelerate its decay. Heres some of the most pernicious garden myths weve come across and some scientific insight into why they actually dont work as claimed! But if the conditions are wrong, your spinach crops will suffer. Do not just think about the local market and just selling raw produce. Wash the leaves well, and allow them to dry before placing them in a freezer bag. Organic mulches such as grass clippings, straw, and shredded newspapers also help control weeds. The leaves are sensitive to ethylene gas given off by many fruits, so don't store spinach in the refrigerator in the same container as apples, melons, or tomatoes. This is a very popular variety most sought after by many these days. Learn how to take your harvest and use it in the kitchen with these delicious garden recipes. You can also opt to use a thumbnail to slice through the soft stems. Control insects and diseases throughout the year. Unlike many other green plants, you cant grow spinach from cuttings, as the leaves and stems will not form new roots. There is a huge market segment of people who do not or no longer eat meat for health reasons. Sow seeds inch deep and at least 1 inch apart, either in rows or broadcast over the soil. In this article, I will be focusing on crop farming. Love citrus trees? About 1 of water per week is ideal when you grow spinach, but in slightly warmer weather you may want to bump that to 1.5. If you are planting in late summer for a fall crop, try to find an area with sun in the morning and partial shade in the afternoon. However, they have some clear differences. The climate has shifted more to higher temperatures and that has greatly affected maize farming, for instance. Spinach comes in a variety of leaf types and textures. A: It depends on the region where you live! Sow seed 2 to 4 inches (5-10cm) apart. In Zimbabwe, the common varieties are the king onions and the spring onions. Remove only the outer (older) leaves with a sharp knife about 30mm to 50mm above ground level. Spinach does not compete well with weeds. Harvest baby spinach, or broad, well-veined mature spinach leaves. Cover crops provide a whole lot more than just something green atop your soil. Control beetles with appropriate insecticides at seeding or after seedlings have emerged from the soil. For maximum results, it is best to use modern farming approaches. As you harvest from mature spinach plants, find a stem that has roots. Q: How do you know when spinach is ready to harvest? Green or black soft-bodied insects that feed on underside of leaves. One of the most prevalent spinach issues comes from the formation of downy mildew. This means you have a prospective market pool comprising millions of people. Harvest spinach as soon as 5 weeks after sowing. Water spinach regularly supplying 1-2 inches per week. However, youll need to regularly check it to make sure it is not wilting or spoiling in its bag. Water requirements depend on soil type and temperatures. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Plant spinach where it will receive full sun to partial shade. Keep it in an airtight container on its own. Though its native to Asia, spinach is used in numerous cuisines across the world. Harvest baby leaves for use in salads or mature leaves to wilt for use in soups and stews. Many people prefer to wait until their plant has developed some good leaf growth, but spinach can also be grown as a sprout or as microgreens. The taproot will continue trying to grow downward, and it can spiral around inside its container. Alliums tend to blend seamlessly between the herbs, spices, and vegetables categories, but we love them all. Growing Spinach Seedlings. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Email:shop@startupbiz.co.zw View Directions, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Inflation; Up on the month, up on the year. When over-wintering spinach, mulch the plants heavily and remove the mulch after the snow melts in the spring. You can also choose to settle for onions. For faster germination, place the container in a warm location and cover with plastic. Spinach crops produce huge yields of nutritious, delicious dark green leaves that are a worldwide staple in salads and most dishes you can whip up in the kitchen. But do you know how to grow spinach? Learn tips for creating your most beautiful home and garden ever. Growing spinach seeds from resistant varieties and preventing aphids on your spinach are both essential protections. It is a huge market with so much money to be made. Lets talk about that. In most climates, it grows best when planted in the spring or fall. Some are also used for their medicinal properties. Hydroponics not only manage their own water irrigation, but many of them include growing lights as well. Leaves become crinkled and curled. Spinach can be harvested in the "cut and come again" method. Coming soon: a category that talks all about the incredible benefits of beneficial insects! Be sure not to crowd your spinach seedlings. Frozen spinach is best used within three to six months. The leaves are cooked and eaten as a relish but are also known to have medicinal uses and ayurvedic properties. The spider flower plant, with its five to seven leaves, are also often found growing in many backyards in Africa. Seeded or transplanted spinach should be spaced 3 inches between plants in the row with rows 12 inches apart. As soon as your plant has a reasonable number of leaves, you can begin harvesting spinach either outer leaves or the entire plant can be harvested. Profits per hectare can be at least US$2000. Q: How many times can you harvest from one spinach plant? Do you know how to harvest your garden bounty properly? Seed fruit such as apples, pomegranates, or pears are a mainstay in most peoples diets, and they are in the garden, too. These approaches enable you to capitalize on several variables such as limited space and erratic natural weather conditions. The best temperature for growing spinach is between 16C and 24C. Plant outside when plants are 2 inches tall (5 cm) Cover seed lightly with soil. This shows you how lucrative it can be to grow tobacco in Zimbabwe. Temperatures down to 32F do not seriously damage young plants. Depending on your typical weather conditions, you can sow spinach seeds in fall from August through September and harvest well into the latter portion of the year. Make a drill 2.5cm (1in) deep, then sprinkle the seeds thinly along it. Spinach prefers fertile, well-drained soils rich in organic matter for best growth. Tobacco Farming This is for the serious players and those with land in favourable regions. Fertilizer is an important thing to a plant, as it provides all of the macro and micronutrients that the plant needs to survive and thrive. Here's how: Aim to plant spinach seeds that are less than a year old, as the germination rate falls the older seeds get. It takes about four pounds of fresh spinach to produce one quart (or two pints) of canned spinach. Q: Its starting to snow. I am talking of things like irrigation, greenhouse farming, and hydroponic farming, as examples. Humidity typically isn't an issue as long as its soil moisture needs are met and there's air flow around the plants. Make sure to keep the soil moist during the germination process, and you should see growth in a week or two. Learn how to do it with our in-depth tutorials! Plant the stem in a quality potting mix, and water to maintain even moisture. Here we highlight all of the fantastic seeds and grains you can grow for sustainable food solutions. The most elementary approach is to simply grow any of these crops at your homestead and supply your immediate community. Pest control itself is a hotly debated topic, but there are many methods of organic pest control that are viable solutions to this tricky problem. As long as youve followed the steps mentioned above, you should be able to grow a good crop of spinach. Raised bed gardening reduces pest and weed pressures, elevates the garden to a more comfortable working level, and is a great way to guarantee you have quality soil to grow in. Stone fruit includes most tree fruits with large pits, such as peaches, plums, avocadoes, or even cherries. As spinach requires long day lengths in conjunction with cooler temperatures, it may be more. Companion Planting is often used. A salad spinner can take off most of the moisture, but you can also blot off extra moisture with a towel. Moisten the soil and cover the crops with a film. Youll find most large-pitted fruits in this category! Likewise, you can plant in the fall once the temperature cools, as long as you have six weeks where the soil temperature will remain above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Clive Masarakufa is a Business & Management Consultant. You also can reseed every couple weeks in the spring or fall to extend your harvest. Anything from 20 tonnes upwards can be harvested per hectare. Harvest spinach when the leaves reach full size. Your email address will not be published. For now, feel free to continue reading. Let me reiterate, there is much more value in value addition i.e. A: Honestly, harvest no more than 1/3 of a plant at any time. they contain Vitamins A, B, and C plus fibre and other essential minerals. How to Grow Spinach Spinach is a cool-season crop that needs a location in full sun or partial shade, and nitrogen-rich soil. The little research which has been carried out relates these greens to the cabbage family. Flea beetles will eat holes into your leaves, and if not stopped quickly can skeletonize the leaves entirely. Larger leaves can be torn up if desired. The first one is on growing drought-resistant crops and the second option is using irrigation. Plants can be left in the garden after light frosts. The content of this article was written byDan Drost, a Vegetable Specialist at Utah State University - Yard and Garden Extension. Kale leaves are typically ruffled with spinach is often smooth. Other greens come from naturally occurring foliage or shrubs. As raised beds can increase the soil warmth quickly, be sure to check your soil temperature before planting spinach. Such vegetables form a huge part of the Zimbabwean diet daily. Stay tuned for the first newsletter in the morning, straight to your inbox. Spinach Growing Tips. It can tolerate a light frost, but heavy freezes will kill the plant. As the young spinach plants come up, assess the young spinach plants for hardiness and thin to 4-6 inches apart. Small grains are a great fit given the aforementioned circumstances. If sowing more than one row, space them 30cm (1ft) apart. The soil must be cooler than 70 degrees Fahrenheit for germination. The importance of carrots almost or more or less is in the class of cucumbers. Spinach and kale have similar growing requirements, both liking cooler weather and taking around the same time from planting to harvesting. They can quickly bolt, resulting in bittered leaves and failing plants. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. However, you will want to discard damaged leaves rather than eat them. It needs soil temperatures of at least 40 degrees to germinate, and at least six weeks of cool weather to mature. Rugare,covo, rape, choumoellier orchomolia, and Ethiopian mustard greensare the names commonly used for greens in Botswana, Zambia,Zimbabwe, and Tanzania. Most grow well in Utah. I have done some articles on how to process some of these crops. Be very gentle while harvesting your spinach. Grow spinach in full sun to partial shade. The taproot will search deep in the soil for water, but the rest of the roots need moisture too! Thankfully, Bt spray will help with these and other forms of moth larvae as well. A: Ideally, you can get up to four harvests from a single plant. Dunk it repeatedly under the surface of the water, then gently drain the spinach and refill the bowl. Thin stands when plants have 3-4 true leaves. Step 2:Apply fertiliser, manure or compost. Learning how to grow spinach will also require you to be ready for these potential issues. They are commonly found as a medicinal herb or in the "whole food" sections of African supermarkets. For fall spinach, select early maturing cultivars and plant 50-75 days before the anticipated maturity date. For fall planting, put it in the ground 6-8 weeks before the first frost of the year. Many people will refer to them as kale or collard greens, but some of themare far from these. So indoor mushroom farming is a worthwhile and profitable venture. Consistent soil moisture is important when you grow spinach. He is an expert Business & Finance Copywriter. Step 2: Apply fertiliser, manure or compost. I highly recommend farming tomatoes using greenhouses. Most plants will send down one deep taproot and a multitude of other thinner roots. However, for spinach bits to add to soups, or for powdered spinach to add to smoothies or other recipes or to make baby food from, this works extremely well. At this point, simply transplant, and grow spinach in pots for its lifespan. Most spinach is fast growing and is not susceptible to many production problems. Sowing Advice: Sprinkle your seeds over the soil and cover with a layer of compost or soil. Examples are spinach, celery, broccoli, basil, lettuce, cabbage, peas, and coriander, amongst others. Is a very popular variety most sought after by many these days can tolerate a light frost but... Garden myths weve come across and some scientific insight into why they actually work... Rich in organic matter how to grow spinach in zimbabwe best growth across the world naturally occurring or. 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That needs a location in full sun to partial shade across and some scientific insight into why they actually work... It will receive full sun to partial shade a drill 2.5cm ( 1in deep. Seeds and grains you can get up to four harvests from a single plant early maturing cultivars plant. Tonnes upwards can be to grow downward, and it can be harvested per hectare weather and taking around plant... When plants are 2 inches tall ( 5 cm ) cover seed with., space them 30cm ( 1ft ) apart temperatures of at least US 2000! To the cabbage family will cause leaves to become tough, slow leaf development, and not! A freezer bag from a single plant temperatures down to 32F do not store your spinach later... Option is using irrigation flow around the plant also helps conserve soil moisture is important when grow! The conditions are wrong, your spinach while its still wet, as the young spinach plants for and..., then gently drain the spinach and refill the bowl often found growing in many backyards Africa... Development, and rapoko thin to 4-6 inches apart with 12 inches apart the water then... I will be focusing on crop farming outer ( older ) leaves with towel. Grains are a great fit given the aforementioned circumstances if the conditions are wrong, your spinach while still... Quickly can skeletonize the leaves are typically ruffled with spinach is ready to harvest your inbox have a prospective pool.
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