Everyone knows that eating healthy involves having lots of veggies ready and available for your meals, but always going to the grocery store for fresh produce can be tedious. Growing spinach and other veggies is a great way to get around that, and the best part is that you don’t need an enormous outdoor garden to take advantage!
As is the case with most veggies, spinach grows just as well indoors as outside. All it takes is water, potting soil (or a hydroponic setup), seeds, containers to put all of the above into, and some know-how!
Read on to learn all of the essential steps for growing spinach indoors, along with helpful tips and tricks to get the most out of this activity.
Growing Spinach Indoors
Growing your own vegetables may seem like a daunting process, especially if you live in an apartment building where having an outdoor garden can be challenging. However, spinach grows exceptionally well indoors and is even the better option than an outdoor garden in many situations.
This delicious and healthy vegetable does not require much space or equipment to grow and is straightforward for beginner gardeners. We will go over the steps needed to grow your own spectacular plants as long as you have a windowsill.
How To Grow Spinach Indoors
All it takes to grow your own spinach from the comfort of your home are some essential items. Go through the following list to learn each of the things needed for growing spinach and the required steps to ensure your plants are healthy and happy.
Select Your Container
The first step in growing your indoor spinach is deciding what kind of container will be its home. Some will prefer a seed tray, while others will prefer a pot, but the vital thing to keep in mind with either option is that its depth should be six inches minimum.
Plant Your Seeds
If you choose to go for the tray, you can put the seed container immediately into the tray and bury the seeds only about half an inch deep. It should only take between five days and two weeks for your spinach to sprout using this option.
If you chose to plant your spinach in a pot, the crucial consideration is how much room you provide. If you plan to harvest your spinach early, then three inches of space between each seed should be sufficient, but if you plan to wait a bit longer for a larger plant, you should provide five inches of space between each one instead.
In terms of the soil you use, potting mix from your local garden center should be fine on its own, but ensure that it has lots of organic matter in it. Additionally, you will want to provide your spinach soil that is loamy and crumbly, with a pH balance that is as close to neutral as possible. Lastly, make sure that the soil drains well by placing a dish underneath the pot or tray to catch the water draining from the earth.
Choosing Your Pots Location
Half of the challenge of growing vegetables indoors is understanding where to place them in your home. Some plants need an abundance of light, while others prefer shady spaces instead.
Spinach requires some shade to grow well, so if you are growing your spinach in the warmer months of the year, you should avoid placing your pot in highly sunny areas. Conversely, if you plant your spinach as winter is approaching, you can leave it in a more sunny location, as the early sunset should keep it from getting scorched.
Keeping Consistent Temperature
Compared to many other vegetables, spinach is a hardy plant, but it is crucial to avoid extreme heat and cold if you want your new plants to thrive.
Technically speaking, seed germination can occur between 40-80 degrees Fahrenheit. However, although spinach can survive low temperatures, it is inadvisable to let your home drop below 50 degrees if you want to give it the best chance of survival.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, any temperature above 90 degrees will likely damage your fledgling spinach plant, so make sure you shade your spinach if the weather gets that hot.
Watering Your Spinach Plant
Everyone knows that plants need water to survive, but if you just dump water on top of it, your spinach will likely die. Water the soil carefully, only letting it get moist instead of soaked.
Ensure that the leaves avoid getting wet and that the soil is draining properly. Either of these situations can lead to the plant rotting and dying before it gets a chance to grow.
Fertilizing Your Soil
As mentioned above, spinach is a hardy vegetable that doesn’t require very much maintenance. Fertilizer should be the only thing you need to do, and it is as easy as mixing in organic matter with your soil whenever you mulch it.
This process will ensure that your spinach gets adequate mineral and nutritional content and maintains the soil’s existing moisture content.
If you have it available, nitrogen-based fertilizer will be the best choice to maximize the growth potential of your spinach. However, tea, compost, fish emulsions, and manure are great options as well.
Only add these fertilizers to grow your spinach more effectively after it has sprouted but before it finishes growing.
Harvesting Your Spinach Plant
Spinach is an easy plant to grow, especially if you follow the above steps, but it does take a while. It can take between a month and 50 days for your spinach to be fully ready.
Check to see if your spinach is ready by measuring and counting its leaves. If the plant has around five or six leaves and has grown to a length of three or four inches, you can harvest your spinach and have a perfect crop ready for plating.
Benefits of Eating Spinach
Spinach famously provides many nutritional benefits, which has made this vegetable a staple of healthy eating in pop culture. Incorporating this nutritious veggie into your daily diet will provide a whole host of nutrients, including vitamins C, E, B6, and B2, calcium, potassium, copper, magnesium, iron, folate, and magnesium.
Some studies show the effects that spinach has in terms of increasing digestive capabilities, keeping blood sugar levels consistent, and fighting against diseases and conditions through those nutrients listed above. Since spinach can be eaten raw or cooked, it is effortless to add to many hot and cold meals. Whether you have it in a salad or sautéd alongside the rest of your home cooked meal, this fantastic veggie will never feel out of place.
Adding to your Indoor Garden
After the success of your indoor spinach crop, you may be tempted to start growing other vegetables as well! Fortunately, many excellent meal additions are easily grown indoors and added to your in-home garden.
Some other fantastic indoor garden choices include the following.
- Lettuce
- Kale
- Arugula
- Ginger
- Tomatoes
- Scallions
- Carrots
It’s vital to remember that these vegetables will have slightly different requirements than spinach does, so don’t forget to read up on the specifics of growing these plants before you add them to your repertoire.
Wrapping Up Spinach
Spinach is a popular vegetable for a reason, and growing your own at home will help foster a deep appreciation for this excellent culinary addition. Knowing that you can have fresh home-grown spinach available whenever you need it will ensure that you’re eating healthy and practicing a sustainable habit at the same time.
