High-yield and high-quality cultivation techniques of water spinach

Water spinach likes warm and humid environment and is not cold-resistant. It is highly adaptable, grows quickly, and is not very demanding on soil, but grows better in fertile, moist soil. Let’s learn together about the high-yield and high-quality cultivation techniques of water spinach.

1. Planting time

Water spinach prefers a warm and humid environment. The optimal temperature for the growth of its stems and leaves is 27°C. It can tolerate high temperatures of 35-40°C, but its growth will slow down below 10°C. It is not cold-resistant, and frost will cause the stems and leaves to wither. Seeds can only germinate in an environment above 15℃, and it is difficult to germinate below 10℃. Therefore, the best time for spring sowing should be in mid-April, and avoid sowing too early. Sowing too early may cause the seedlings to suffer frost damage in unstable temperatures, affecting their subsequent healthy growth. For temperature-sensitive vegetables such as water spinach, delaying the sowing date appropriately can help increase yields.

2. Soil fertilization

In order to ensure vigorous growth of water spinach stems and leaves, thereby increasing yield, soil fertility is essential. Ideal soil conditions are deep and rich in organic matter. Therefore, the land needs to be deeply plowed before planting, and sufficient organic fertilizers and compound fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium need to be applied. It is generally recommended to apply more than 3 cubic meters of organic fertilizer per mu, as well as 30 kilograms of compound fertilizer and 10 kilograms of urea.

3. Sowing Techniques

The seed coat of water spinach is thick and its water absorption is not strong. Direct sowing will result in slow germination. In order to speed up germination, the seeds should be soaked in warm water at 50-60℃ for 13-30 minutes before sowing, and stirred constantly to avoid scalding the seeds. Then soak them in water for 12 hours, and then place them in an environment of 25℃ for germination. Rinse them once a day until 60-70% of the seeds show white buds, then they can be sown.

There are two methods of sowing: broadcast sowing and row sowing. Broadcasting is to spread the seeds evenly on the pre-watered seedbed, and then cover with about 1 cm of fine soil. Row sowing is done in furrows spaced 33 to 35 centimeters apart. The seeds are spread evenly in the furrows, covered with soil and raked flat.

4. Field Management

1. Thinning and transplanting: To avoid overcrowding and excessive growth of seedlings, thinning should be carried out when the seedlings have 2 true leaves. The spacing between plants should be maintained at about 10 cm for broadcast sowing and 5 to 8 cm for row sowing. When the seedlings have 4 true leaves, the spacing between plants should be 10 to 15 cm for broadcast sowing and 15 cm for row sowing.

2. Cultivate and loosen the soil : After transplanting the seedlings, water and loosen the soil to maintain soil moisture, promote the roots to penetrate deep into the soil, and lay the foundation for the growth of stems and leaves. The seedling period should not be too long, usually about 7 days, during which no watering or fertilization is required.

3. Watering: Avoid watering before transplanting, but water thoroughly after transplanting. As the temperature rises and the plants grow, the water requirement increases and the frequency of watering should be increased to keep the soil moist. After the temperature drops in autumn, reduce watering frequency, but prevent drought.

4. Fertilization: Water spinach needs to be harvested continuously, so it needs more nutrients, especially nitrogen fertilizer. Fertilization starts after the seedlings are grown, with 5 to 10 kg of urea applied for the first time and 5 kg of compound fertilizer applied after the first harvest. After that, top dressing should be done after each harvest, alternating between the above fertilizers. Combine fertilization with watering. When the autumn is cool, fertilize and water again after tilling.

5. Harvest

When the plant grows to 30 cm in height, you can start harvesting, focusing on the tender stems, and retaining 2 to 3 nodes at the base of the stem to promote the germination of new buds and the growth of side branches. After several harvests, the plants are re-harvested, retaining only 1 to 2 nodes to promote the healthy growth of side branches.

In short, the cultivation of water spinach requires attention to conditions such as temperature, water, and fertilization. It has high temperature requirements, and the most suitable growth temperature is 20-28℃. During the cultivation process, temperature and humidity need to be reasonably controlled.