Spinach
Spinach is an annual plant with high nutritional value. It is a rich source of vitamins and mineral salts. There is a lot of vitamin C and carotene in spinach leaves, in addition, vitamin B1, B2 i PP, and also a lot of available iron. It is also a source of manganese, magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, arsenic, copper and iodine. The negative effect of oxalate in spinach can be reduced by drinking a glass of milk or consuming a portion of cottage cheese..
Spinach sprouts at a temperature of 2-3 ° C, grows best at 15 ° C, However, it tolerates frosts down to -6 ° C, and some varieties can winter in the ground. However, it is very sensitive to high temperature, lack of water and soil acidification. If the day is long, quickly produces flower shoots. It tolerates light shading well. Due to the short growing period, spinach is grown as a forecrop or aftercrop. He has high nutritional requirements, therefore it should be grown in fertile soil, on spread manure or on plants fertilized with manure (cruciferous). Compost should also be given on weaker soils (4-5 kg/m2). With mineral fertilizers, spinach is used 30-40 g of ammonium sulfate, 20 g superfosfatu i 30-40 g 40% potassium salt per 1 m2. By fertilizing spinach, need caution, so as not to saturate the soil with too much nitrogen (used in the form of ammonium sulfate).
There are three sowing dates for spinach;
– spring, as soon as the soil is cultivable, for harvest by mid-May;
– summer, at the end of July – at the beginning of August, for the harvest in September-October;
– autumn, at the end of August – at the beginning of September, for wintering and for spring harvesting.
Spinach is sown in rows every 20 cm. Sowing depth 1,5-2 cm. On 1 m2 is consumed 2-4 g nasion. If it gets too thick, it should be discontinued, leaving plants co 5-8 cm; best, when the harvested plants can be used up. Winter spinach is supplied with nitrogen (ammonium nitrate in quantity 100 g/m2) early spring, right after the first hoe. Spring and autumn spinach are fed with nitrogen, when it has 2-4 leaves and again after a week, in dose 10 g / m2 of ammonium nitrate. During drought, spinach needs to be watered.
Start cutting the spinach, when the rosette consists of 5-6 grown leaves. WITH 1 m2 can be collected 0,7-1,4 kg of leaves. The spinach is cut below the rosette with a knife.
The Herma variety is used for early spring and autumn cultivation. Half-raised leaf rosette, compact, big (150-300 g). Roundish leaves, karbowane, very dark green. Plants grow fast, they knock out seed shoots quite late.
The Winter Giant is suitable for winter cultivation, because it is a very resistant variety to frost. You can also grow it in the fall. Creates a very large rosette, semi-raised. Large leaves, oval, slightly notched, green, lighter on the bottom. The weight of one plant is 200-400 g.
A universal variety, because it is suitable for spring cultivation, for autumn and winter there is the Matador 30. Slightly susceptible to knocking out seed shoots. Large rosette, spread out, erected. Large leaves, oval, elongated, slightly notched, dark green. The mass of one plant – 200-400 g. Norman is the best variety for spring cultivation due to the very late breakout of seed shoots. The rosette is wide. Broad-oval leaves, almost smooth, dark green. The weight of one plant is approx. 120 g.
A heterotic variety, resistant to mildew, useful for spring cultivation, for autumn and winter there is Prima F,. This variety is characterized by a complete lack of extremely male plants, very good alignment (they are very similar). Plant with an upright habit. Large rosette, blade-shaped leaves, dark green. For spring and autumn cultivation.
The heterotic variety Echo F 'forms a larger rosette' with similar features (masa Primy F, ok. 150 g, Echa F, 210 g).
The newest heterosis varieties bred at the Horticultural Plant Breeding Station in Szymanów are: Kasta F, i Markiza F,. The first one has a slightly elevated habit, blade-shaped leaf, green, with an almost smooth surface. A fertile variety, resistant to knocking out in inflorescence shoots. Marquis F, has a lofty habit, oval-shaped leaf, with a slightly notched surface, dark green in color. Also resistant to knocking out in inflorescence shoots.