Frozen Garlic

History of Spinach Cultivation: As early as 2,000 years ago, spinach was grown in ancient Persia (now Iran), so it is also known as "Persian grass". In the 11th century, it was introduced to Spain. In the 13th century, it was widely cultivated in Germany and then spread to various European countries. When the early colonies were established, it was introduced to the United States. In 1806, spinach began to be widely grown in the United States and was included in the American seed catalog. Spinach spread westward to Arab countries, Europe and Africa, and eastward to India, Nepal and China, and is now widely cultivated around the world.

According to historical records, in the second year of Zhenguan in the Tang Dynasty, spinach seeds were introduced to China from Nepal as a tribute. Both The Old Book of Tang and Tang Huiyao recorded: "During the reign of Emperor Taizong, Nepal presented 'bolengcai' (spinach), whose leaves are similar to those of safflower, and whose fruits are like tribulus. It can enhance the flavor of food when cooked." The Biography of the Western Regions in the Tang Dynasty also recorded: "In the 11th year of Zhenguan (637), Nepal sent envoys to present 'bolengcai'." Spinach has a long cultivation history in China.

Cultivation Techniques

Soil Preparation

Spinach is extremely sensitive to the acidity and alkalinity of the soil, and its root system has very weak tolerance to acidity. Applying more organic fertilizers and phosphate fertilizers, combined with soil plowing, crushing, and bed making, can fully mix the organic fertilizers with the soil, improve soil performance, and prepare for the growth and overwintering of plants after sowing.

Seed Treatment

Spinach uses fruits as sowing materials, and the pericarp is hard. Soaking the seeds can improve the germination rate.

Sowing

Spring sowing or autumn sowing is appropriate, and broadcast sowing is mostly used. The seeds can be sown after being evenly mixed with the topsoil. Select excellent varieties, such as Heima and Sun God.

Field Management

After sowing, seedlings can emerge in 7-10 days. Weeding should be done in time, and proper thinning should be carried out [11]. Spinach has a short growth period and a dense demand for water and fertilizer. Irrigation and fertilization should be carried out at the right time. The first topdressing should be done after thinning when there are 2 true leaves; topdressing once again during the vigorous growth period. After winter sowing of spinach, the soil should be kept moist, and topdressing can be done in combination with watering. If no base fertilizer has been used, topdressing can be done 15 days before harvest. During its growth period, foliar fertilizer should be applied 1-2 times.

Harvesting

Both seedlings and mature plants of spinach are edible, and they can be harvested in stages or all at once. After staged harvesting, attention should be paid to watering and topdressing to promote the growth of unharvested spinach and improve economic benefits.