How to Grow Spinach from Seed to Harvest

Spinach (Beta vulgaris var. benghalensis Hort.) grows in all seasons. It is rich in vitamin A, C, protein, calcium and iron.

Spinach called with different names in other Indian languages: Palakura, Keerai, Palak, Greens, Pacalaikkirai , pala kura, traigeanella

Weather:

It tolerates high heat and frost and grows well when the temperature is high. Cultivated in cold season in regions with very high temperature (above 35° centigrade). If the temperature is 35°-40° centigrade, the flowering will develop quickly, and the quality of the leaf will suffer.

Soils:

It can be cultivated in all types of soils, but it gives high yielding in sandy red soils. It can also be cultivated in alkaline soils with soil PH levels 10.5. Soils with a Soil PH levels 7.0 are best suited for quality and high yields.

Current Cultivation Problems:

Absence of regionally suitable high yielding varieties
Post-harvest losses and lack of storage facilities

Ways to increase yield:

Grow in drip irrigation system
Adherence to best management practices
Short duration, high yielding vigorous varieties should be developed.

Types-Characteristics:

There are two types of Spinach, depending on the color of the leaf stem and leaves.

Leafs and stems were red in color.
Leafs and stems were green in color

100 grams of seeds Contains approximately 4000 seeds
Spinach Seed Germination time is 4 to 6 Days

Allgreen: Released by Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. It can be harvested once in 15-20 days with uniform tender leaves. In 6-7 harvests the yield is 5 tones per acre. In winter it can be flowered for 75 days.

Arka Anupama: This type of I.I. H.R, Released from Bangalore Research Station. This variety is not only high yielding but also very late ripening. This variety can be cultivated throughout the year under all weather conditions. 16 tones of leaf per acre can be obtained in 4-5 cuttings

Poosapalak : This is also Released from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. It was selected from the Swiss Chard X Deshwali Spinach cross-breeding.

Pusa Jyoti: This variety is selected from plants emerging after sowing the seeds of “Allgreen” variety by keeping them in 2 percent ‘Colchicine’ solution for 24 hours. The leaves are broad, fat and tender. A variety that works as a ‘salad’. Yields up to 20.0 tones per acre in 6-8 crops.

Pusa Harit: This variety was produced by crossing ‘Sugarbeet X Deshwali spinach’, Regional Indian Agricultural Research Station, Katrain, Himachal Pradesh. It is suitable for cold places in mountainous areas. It is also suitable for cultivation in alkaline soils.

Jobner Green: This variety was developed by the Department of Horticulture, University of Udaipur, Rajasthan. Selected from Deshwali variety of Spinach. Produces uniform, large, pale, thick and strongly scented leaves.

Banerjee Giant: This variety was developed by crossing Spinach × beetroot in West Bengal. It has large, thick leaves, smooth stems and fleshy roots.

Planting time:

In south Indian climatic conditions, sowing in the months of November-December gives good yield. In places like Coimbatore it can be harvested throughout the year. In North Indian plains this crop can be sown in June-July and September-October months. In hilly areas it can be sown in April-June.

Soil preparation:

The land should be plowed well 3-4 times. 15-20 tones of cattle manure should be applied in the last push.

Water management:

A watering should be given immediately after sowing. Depending on the moisture content of the soil, after three days of sowing, water should be given once a week for ten days again.

Harvesting and yielding:

The well-grown leaves should be harvested along with the stems. The first cutting should be taken 3-4 weeks after sowing. 4-6 cuttings can be taken with an interval of 7-10 days.