Today this culture is very popular among gardeners. This is due to the fact that the culture is classified as greenery enriched with vitamins. The foliage of the plant is actively used in cooking and salads are prepared with it. Spinach is kept fresh, can be frozen, fully retains its qualities even in hot food. The possibility of long-term storage and simple growing of the crop made it so common among gardeners. With proper care, it can even be grown on a windowsill.
Is it possible to grow spinach at home on a windowsill
Plant loves light very much... And if it is reduced artificially, then it becomes possible to postpone the transition to the flowering phase.
Resistant to cold, able to germinate at four degrees of heat. Optimal temperature regime for normal development - 15 degrees heat at home or on the balcony. Increased temperature will cause shooing, reducing product quality.
A high level of early maturity creates all the possibilities for harvesting in a month and a half from the moment the first shoots from seeds appear.
In order for spinach to grow and develop well, you need a fertile soil composition with a neutral or low acidity level.
Culture loves moisture, does not tolerate drying out of the soil and stagnant moisture. The level of humidity in the surrounding air is also of great importance. Considering all the factors, it is quite possible to grow spinach on a windowsill.
Useful properties for the body
The plant contains:
- sugar;
- fiber;
- fats;
- proteins;
- carbohydrates;
- carotene;
- vitamins;
- mineral components - selenium, calcium, manganese, copper, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.
Due to its low calorie content, only 23 kcal per hundred grams of plant, spinach is recommended for weight loss.
The combination of vitamins and other elements is so successful that spinach can have a beneficial effect on the human body. With it you can remove toxins and slag accumulations.
It is recommended to use the plant for preventive purposes and in the treatment of many diseases.
It is useful for people suffering from problems with teeth and gums, has an excellent effect on blood vessels, stabilizes the digestive tract and pancreas, and has an anti-cancer effect. Recommended for children and pregnant women, people with depleted organisms.
In addition, the following properties are attributed to spinach:
- tonic;
- diuretic;
- anti-inflammatory;
- laxative;
- calming.
Greens are recommended to improve performance thyroid gland, because it contains a sufficient amount of iodine.
Separately, it should be said that the content of lutein in spinach helps to improve the functioning of the eyes, prevents retinal degeneration... It is recommended for people who spend a lot of time at the computer.
You can get more benefits from spinach when consumed fresh.
Choosing a container for sowing and preparing the soil
It doesn't take much effort to grow spinach on a windowsill, as it grows well indoors.
Sowing a plant in spring or summer, there is no need for additional lighting. But for crops carried out in the autumn-winter period, it will be necessary to turn on the lamps after sunset to extend daylight hours to 10 hours... Plants will also have to be illuminated in cloudy weather.
You can grow spinach in simple flower containers or wood and plastic boxes. The height of the planting tank should be 15 to 20 centimeters... And the area of nutrition for one plant should be allocated in the amount of 8 by 8 - 10 by 10 cm. But if you plan to collect young spinach, then planting can be done denser.
You can fill the planting boxes with ready-made potting mix intended for flowers. It does not contain peat that acidifies the soil.
You can prepare the mixture yourself using biohumus and coconut fiber in a ratio of 1 to 2... The fibers perfectly retain moisture, preventing the soil from drying out, and preventing water from stagnating. A prerequisite is drainage from several layers of expanded clay, arranged at the bottom of the boxes.
If there is no coconut fiber, you can only do with biohumus. In this case, add a couple of tablespoons of perlite or vermiculite to one hundred centimeters of square soil.
Sowing seeds at home
For the cultivation of leaf spinach at home on the windowsill, it is recommended to plant early maturing varieties:
- Godry;
- Stoic;
- Gigantic;
- Virofle.
In order for the seeds to germinate quickly, they should soak for 24 hours in heated water, then hold for a couple of hours in a manganese solution.
In the planting tank, furrows are arranged, the depth of which is one to one and a half centimeters. Seed material is sprinkled with earth, spilled from a small spray bottle. The container is covered with plastic wrap, which is removed after the sprouts appear.
Typically, the plant emerges five to seven days after planting. Plants are left in the boxes until they form two to three leaves. Then the plant follows dive somewhere.
Care rules
It is necessary to carry out regular watering and spraying... This can be done in the morning and evening, when the sun's rays do not hit the foliage. Some people install a container of water near the box so that the moisture gradually evaporates and humidifies the air.
Young sprouts do not need additional feeding. But if your soil is not fertile enough, then during watering it is allowed to add organic matter.
Harvesting and further use
Mass harvest begins as soon as spinach grows up to 7-8 centimeters and will form five to six large, dense leaves. You can pick off the foliage as needed for two to three months until the plant forms a flower arrow. Now it should be removed and a new seeding should be carried out.
Spinach leaves are consumed fresh, frozen for storage, added to almost every hot dish.
Spinach is a unique plant capable of producing good yields with minimal maintenance. Its foliage contains so many vitamins and useful components that your body will constantly work fully.