Spinach Matador

Spinacia oleracea - Matador

Spinach originates from the Caucasus, from the area of present-day Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. It grows to a height of 30 cm. The leaves are arranged in a leaf rosette, they are long-stalked, entire-margined, and their shape depends on the variety. The flower stalk is up to 30 cm tall. It has a rich green color. During the summer period, greenish-yellow flowers appear, which are however undesirable in spinach as they reduce its quality.

Spinach can be divided according to planting time into spring, summer, autumn, and winter varieties. Spinach is a rich source of lecithin, spinacin (spinach protein), and saponins, which have a beneficial effect on the function of the peritoneum and gastric mucosa. Consuming spinach positively influences cardiac function, blood formation, strengthens bones and teeth, fortifies hair and nails. The leaves are consumed and contain 2% carbohydrates, 4-5% proteins, 5% fiber; vitamins worth mentioning include high content of vitamins C, A, B1, B2, B6, K, and folacin, and it is a valuable source of potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron. Spinach leaves are consumed fresh, steamed, or boiled. They are excellent as a side dish with meat.

How to Grow Spinach

• We grow spinach in a bright location in a sheltered spot. Spinach has shallow roots, so we hoe it carefully. High temperatures and long days cause plants to bolt. Flowering plants are tough and lose their taste.

• We grow spinach by direct sowing. The optimal temperature for germination is 2-4°C. Sowing depth is 4 cm.

  Overwintering crops for early sowing are sown in a spacing of 15×25 cm in September, leaves are harvested at the beginning of April.

  Early sowings are carried out in February in a spacing of 20-25×20-25 cm, spinach leaves can be harvested as early as the end of April.

  Spinach sown in April can be harvested in June. Autumn varieties sown in August are harvested at the beginning of October.

• Spinach requires loamy-sandy soil that retains water sufficiently with an optimal soil pH of 6-7.5. Plants do not tolerate acidic pH.

• We do not fertilize spinach with nitrogen-containing fertilizers or farmyard manure. We avoid physiologically acidic forms of fertilizers. Chloride forms of fertilizers are not harmful. Fertilizing with well-decomposed compost or calcium ammonium nitrate is suitable. Spinach is not demanding in terms of nutrients.

• On the leaves and growing tips are colonies of black-green to black-brown colored aphids. If you spot these small black beetles, the plants are infested with poppy aphids. Suitable protection is spraying with selective insecticides based on triazamate, pirimicarb, etc.

  Spinach can also be threatened by slugs, especially snails, which feed on its leaves. Effective protection is hand-picking in the crop.

  A significant pest of spinach is the beet leaf miner. Infestation manifests in leaf blades, where initially thin tunnels appear, gradually expanding into flat mines. These mines are initially whitish with visible larvae and frass, later they turn brown and dry out. Leaves often tear due to infestation. A suitable protective product is Sumithion Super.

• Leaves are harvested before flowering. Plants with a minimum of 6 developed leaves are harvested. Spring varieties have a growing period of 52 days. Varieties for autumn harvest 65 days. Varieties intended for spring harvest 240 days.