Enjoying the spinach delight
SPINACH ranks among the top 10 nutritious vegetables, although it may not be one of the tastiest greens to some.
However, if you know a few tricks in preparing it, bon appétit.
It can be enjoyed in salads or cooked.
This vegetable belongs to the amaranth family and is originally from Persia.
lt has many health benefits, including diabetes management, cancer prevention, lowering blood pressure, promoting bone health and digestive regularity, as well as asthma prevention and the maintenance of healthy skin and hair.
Nutritionally, it is packed with proteins, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, fibre and a couple of vitamins (A, B, K and C).
The common variety in Zimbabwe is ford hook giant. Swiss chard prefers sandy loam soils with good drainage and an optimal pH of six. It will not tolerate acidic soils, so liming would be recommended in such cases. Start your crop in spring or even late summer as it prefers a cool climate. Even though it prefers a cool climate, it can be grown in the middle of summer, although that makes it susceptible to fungal infections.
Sowing your seeds directly assures better results as the crop takes longer if transplanted, especially if the seedlings were not raised in propagation trays.
Sow in 10 to 15cm in rows and 45 to 50cm in-between rows. Plant the seeds two to three centimetres deep, ensuring that the crop is kept moist throughout its growing season, as it has a shallow rooting system.
Well-manured soil is always a good option, but fertiliser can be applied at a rate of 125kg per hectare for nitrogen, phosphorus at 25kg per hectare and potassium at a rate of 125kg per hectare. An additional application of ammonium nitrate can be applied four weeks later at a rate of 200kg per hectare.
Weed management is important during the early weeks of establishment, but avoid digging near the plant as it has shallow roots. Chemical control using the appropriate herbicides is advisable at a larger scale.
The most common pests are aphids, caterpillars, cutworms and leafminer. Harvest spinach when the leaves reach the desired leaf depending on the preferred market, which should be after 40-45 days of growth.
Returns are quick as it is a quick maturing crop. Multiple pickings can be done.
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