Gardening: 5 Steps To Grow Spinach At Home Garden And 2 Things To Remember Before Eating It

Spinach also known as palak is a superfood packed with vitamins and iron that everyone should include in their diet. Growing spinach at home is one of the easiest things to do as you can directly sow the seeds. So, without wasting time, let's see how to grow spinach at home and some of the important things to remember before you add spinach to your diet:

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How to grow spinach?

Spot: Spinach prefers around 5-6 hours of direct sunlight daily.

Soil: To grow spinach, the soil needs to be fertile, so before sowing the seed make sure to add manure or compost to make the soil fertile.

Sowing: Make shallow furrows (? inch deep) about 1 foot apart in the soil bed, then scatter the seeds evenly along the furrows, lightly cover them with soil and gently water them.

Watering: Water regularly especially during germination and hot days to keep the soil moist. Avoid overwatering, as it can lead to root rot.

Pest: if you see pests, use organic methods like neem oil spray or soapy water solution for control.

When to harvest spinach?

You can harvest tender young leaves about 4-6 weeks after planting, and cut the entire plant just above the base when fully grown.

What are the health benefits of spinach?

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1. Spinach is rich in antioxidants, which help fight oxidative stress, known for accelerating ageing, increasing the risk of cancer and diabetes
2. It also contains two components, MGDG and SQDG, which can help slow down cancer growth.
3. Spinach can help control blood pressure levels and reduce the risk of heart diseases, as it is rich in nitrates.
4. Rich in Vitamin K, spinach can help with bone health. It is also rich in vitamin C, known for helping patients with hypertension.
5. It also contains neoxanthin and violaxanthin, which give spinach anti-inflammatory properties.

Important things to remember before consuming spinach:

1. People with a history of developing kidney stones should eat spinach in moderation, as it is rich in calcium and oxalates.
2. Patients with heart problems should consult their doctors before eating spinach because it is high in Vitamin K1 which causes blood clotting and can interfere with blood thinning medication.

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