Some of you might wonder, Why am i writing a post on spinach. Growing spinach is the easiest thing right? Yes and that is exactly the reason why this post.
Growing spinach is the best way to make your way into gardening. Spinach is very forgiving, quick to grow and mature and we all like to eat it right? right? Ok may be some kids don’t. But we adults like it right? Please don’t say No. I have more to write about spinach.

Anyways, Spinach is a must grow for anyone who are toying with the idea of starting a kitchen garden. The seeds are easily available and quite cheap as well.  For Bangalore weather, it can be grown almost round the year. It can handle partial shade. So if you have a balcony that gets few hours of sunlight in a day. Spinach is the best bet.

Spinach is best grown in trays. Any tray that is 6 inch deep can be used for growing spinach. You can get creative as well. You can use old pet bottles and can grow a spinach plant in each of them.

Pictured below is a tray that is about 8″ deep( but 6″ will just do fine) filled with coco peat.  I sowed couple of seeds in every holes. They were sown in rows. The seeds are spaced at 3-4 inches in a row and rows are separated by 3 inches.  This is one week from the date of sowing. The seedlings are slowly emerging. If multiple seedlings come from the same hole, you can thin them to just one.

MyGarden 974

The above seedlings in just 1 month turn into lush green spinach plant. Imagine! In just one month from the date of sowing you get a good harvest.

I harvest them by cutting the mature leaves using a scissor and leaving the tender growing leaving the plant for the next harvest.  This way you can harvest for 4-5 times. And if you sow Spinach seeds every 10 days, you get to harvest spinach throughout the year. Isn’t that amazing. Look at the picture below. The ones that you get in the store are usually sad looking.

MyGarden 1079

This particular crop was grown using hydroponic nutrients. I used the one that I made for Tomatoes. I have grown Spinach in soil as well and it has come out very well too.

From Pot to Plate.

MyGarden 1080

Share this with your garden buddies:
Category
Tags

126 Responses

  1. Hi G.G,

    wow. what an idea sirjee ! Thanks for the info on growing spinach. Since i am an absolute beginner, please tell me what is coco peat and hydroponic nutrients?
    I am in Nagpur (Maharashtra). I guess soil is mostly used here in nurseries, etc. I can enquire but lets say coco peat and the nutrients are not available, then what is the way fwd? would appreciate your reply. looking fwd to growing spinach soon!
    thanks.
    madhur

    • Hi Madhur,

      Thanks. Cocopeat is actually coir pith. More info is in Coco_Peat. Hydroponic nutrients are the nutrients used in hydroponic growing systems which is nothing but growing plants in water/soilless medium.

      You can contact Ratanshi AgriHortitech in Mumbai for all your needs. They have the fertilizers.

      gg

    • Hello:

      Your enthusiasm is ever growing. I sent sms’ dont know if u got them after first two. You have the same dedication. Lettuce is so amazing. Something so wonderful can grown in a pipe! Really really nice. Keep going!!! All the best.

      Mamtha

  2. hello ,

    first of all a huge thanks to you that u accepted the msg and replied it …..
    thanks for ur response .
    this spinach tray looks very fresh and beautiful…i’ll also try to grow spinach.
    but here the climate is very warm,about 40-43 degrees,can i grow it right now,well i have a balcony
    in my house .It gets full sun only in morning hours.

    thanks
    guddu

    • You are always welcome. Since the place gets full sun only for half a day, it is ok to grow spinach there.

      Try it out

  3. great! the leaves look very fresh. I am sure they would have tasted very good too.

    regards,
    Sumathy

  4. Spinach looks amazing!! From seed to table to 30 days…. I really long for Indian taste spinach, In US spinach seeds yield different looking and tasting spinach. When I am in Mumbai, I’ll try to grow this for sure. Very nice, your posts are very inspiring.

    • Hi Sonali,

      It is surprising that the US spinach tastes different. I didn’t know that. I got around 4-5 harvests from that tray. Put this in your must-try list ;).

      Thanks
      gg

  5. Hi GG,

    Great post !!

    Just want to know how deep you have put the seeds in cocopeat and also after how many days we can start giving the nutrient to the plants.

    If you could also share the recipe of the formula and the schedule of giving the nutrients then that would be a great help.

    Thanks & Regards,
    Deepak

    • Hi Deepak,

      Thanks. I sow the seeds using my index finger as dibber. Make a 0.5 inch hole and put 2 seeds in that. Water them with plain water. After they germinate, you can start giving nutrients( half strength) and gradually as they grow, make it full strength.

      I used the formula mentioned in http://howardresh.com/ under tomatoes. Hope this helps
      gg

  6. Oh yeah! There’s nothing like fresh spinach from your own garden. So fresh and healthy unlike the sickly ones from market. I tried Sirukeerai last year, but lost them all to the rain. I did a mistake of sowing them late – just before rains in September. Your post reminds me that I should try them again this year.

    • Hi Chandramouli,

      Do try it again. Mulakeerai( amaranth) is what I am looking for. There is a variety called Mayil Kan keerai ( with a violet spot in the centre). I dont get it in bangalore. Next month I will come to chennai ( with the seeds I promised you).

      gg

  7. Hi gg,
    Lovely fresh leaves. After having plucked and cooked the spinach from my garden recently, the crispness is fresh in my mind.
    What are the whitish patches on the leaves? Is it because of fertilizer, because I notice these on my rose plants sometimes.
    Sorry, I could not post a picture of the white transparent blobs on the underside of my okra leaves, too windy and now the rains seems to have washed them away (relieved).
    Going through your blog I came across strawberries. Can you give some update/ post regarding those if possible?
    Thanks
    Chitra

    • Hi Chitra,

      The patches you see are sometimes fertilizer , sometimes just water. My water has 500ppm of salt in it.

      The white blobs you saw are the result of a process called Guttation. Excessive pressure causes water droplets to come out and its quite common in Okra. Here is a pic from my garden. http://geekgardener.in/?attachment_id=888

      I will try to post about strawberries soon.

      thanks
      gg

      • Actually there are too many chitra fans for you I think. You have anwered for two of us. I have noticed at least three chitras including me. The strawberry question was not by me

  8. Wow! Amazing GG..I am gonna try growing it this time. Already brought the seeds but have been lazy to sow them…But looking at your harvest, I am all enthused to start the seedlings…:). Is it possible to grow them in say 4 inches tray or do the roots grow deeper than that?
    Regards,
    Shubha

    • I can relate to the laziness you are talking about. There are some seeds sleeping here waiting to see daylight. It is ok to grow them in 4 inch tray. But the thing is you wont fill it all the way right? It is better to have 4 inches of media. If the tray is 4 inches media will be less than that. The roots can coil around but you need to use a good quality soil or water them with nutrients.

  9. Great looking spinach. Is that white spots I am seeing on the leaves or is it something else. The entomologist in me is always to the fore. You should be given an award for creating such passion for home gardening

    • Hi Chitra,
      It is actually the nutrient water when it dries up. For that matter the water I use is it self quite hard.

      Thanks for your words.
      gg

  10. Great writeup. I too am growing spinach on my terrace and can also say that they are very easy to grow. Nothing like really homemade palak paneer.

    • Thanks. Keep us posted of the spinach harvest. We always make Dhal Palak ( being my favorite). Will try Palak paneer sometime.

    • Any idea on how to get seeds of Spinach once the spinach plant grows. every time instead of being dependant on nursery how to get seeds for leafy vegetables

  11. Hi GG,

    I am starting a bit late for growing veggies. Bought some bell peppers, tomato seeds, okra, Eggplant this monday.
    I know i can germinate them in blessed red soil of bangalore.
    Can I please know, where I can get coco peat, as i am intending to germinate petunia and Dianthus seeds in it, and also to mix it with the regular soil as it retains the moisture.
    Thanks

      • Thanks GG
        I planted the seeds on Saturday and I already have okra germinating. This is the first time i am growing okra.
        Quite Big seeds, I have to say.
        The seeds are from lalbagh and its from a company called pocha Seeds from J&K. In-fact I bought Eggplant, Chillies, and couple of flowering plants (petunia, Zinnia) all of Pocha seeds.
        Ill keep you posted.

        • Nice start Krinish. Seed from Pocha are good and I have had great results. Keep us posted.

  12. Hi GG,

    I came to bangalore for some work and want to know where can I get exotic vegetables seeds in bangalore.

    I want cherry tomatoes, zuccini and many more..

    I am in Jayanagar 7th block at this point of time.

    Also if you are nearby then I can come and meet you and would like to see your great greenhouse 😉

    Thanks & Regards,

    Deepak

    • Hi Deepak,

      Nice to know you are in bangalore. You can get some seeds in Lalbagh. I stay near bannerghatta road. I will PM you.

      gg

      • I have a question for all your posts. When you buy a packet of seeds how long do you keep and use them coz you may use only a few seeds at one time

        • You can store the seeds for upto 5 years. Mostly it depends on the kind of seed. Most of the veggies do well upto 2 years. My spinach seeds are 2 year old.

  13. Thanks a lot for the spinach post. I had tried in the past ( to grow spinach) but given up due to disappinting results. Will try again. Where can I find coriander seeds? Given the current prices……

    • You are welcome. Coriander seeds are available in all seed shops. Sometimes the store bought coriander seeds are good enough for sowing as well.

  14. Those spinach leaves look so awesome on your table…I am going to cry at the vegetable counter at Spar now! Where can I get spinach seeds in Bangalore? Lalbagh?

  15. Mullai keerai of the desi type is best. The ones we get nowadays in the market is too stiff for my liking. I am looking for mullaikeerai seeds too- the typical ones we get only in small bundles with roots and from the keerai-kari who comes home with the basket. A beautiful red leaved variant is grown in kerala. That softness you dont get now. Also try out sirukeerai (rich in iron).

  16. hiee
    do u kno where do we get tese seeds in mumbai also will tey grow if i dnt use any fertilizers
    thank u

  17. Hi GG,

    My spinach have shot up to a couple of inches but some of them seem to be drooping off.
    I have been watering them using a fine spray not too much and not too less. I’m not sure if its because the seeds were not planted deep enough. Buy anyways I’m wishing for the best. Now here’s my question, in your tray you seemed to have approx. 5×4 seedlings, did you eventually thin them out and reduce the overall number of seedlings in that tray and if you did so, how many did you eventually grow in that tray? Thanks in advance.

    • Hi Pradeep,

      If there are more than 1 seedling per hole. I just thin them to 1 per hole. I think there was around 12 or so.

      For seedlings that drooping off, check if the plants are alive. It could be damping off or simply rainwater that knocked it off.

      Good luck
      gg

  18. Hi GG,

    Do you have any idea about growing roses? It is my dream to have a beautiful rose garden. I have received a lot of healthy growing plants as gifts but their growth slows down drastically once they are here (though they are still in the same pots with the same soil). Is it because these plants are in the northwest region of the house that receives sunlight during late afternoon & hence period of light is insufficient?

  19. Hi,
    Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I would like to know whether you added any type of sand to coco peat or it is just cocopeat in the tray for growing spinach.
    Thanks in advance

  20. Hi ! This is so inspirational. I went and got Spinach seeds today. Just finished sowing them. Hope to get a good yield.
    Got some Coriander seeds too…they are much smaller than the seeds used for cooking. Do I split these before sowing ?
    Thanks…and keep blogging. Soon you’ll a whole lot growing their own veggies.

  21. I didn’t know it was so easy to grow Spinach. Is it possible to grow it in regular potted soil? I have been given a few pots from someone else’s garden and I know absolutely nothing about gardening other than watering my inherited plants regularly. Can I use the soil in these pots to plant spinach or is the coco peat a must?

  22. Hi GG,

    I have just gotten into vege gardening and have started off with spinach and chilli. The spinach has sprouted just yesterday but no true leaves yet. Hopefully will get that within the next few days.

    Just wanted to know… u have used here cocopeat + nutrients. I do not have these nutrients available. However, I do have clay soil, cocopeat, organic compost and perlite. Is there some ratio that I can mix these in so that I get a good medium ?

    Also, is it true that spinach requires a stronger nitrogen based fertilizer ? If so, what should be the dosage for the same ?

    Thanks for your time. Great site.

    Shadab.

    • Hi Shadab,

      You need not use clay. Just use cocopeat + compost in equal proportion. This mix is very good.
      Yes spinach is a leafy vegetable and needs nitrogen for the production of leaves+stem. Any leafy vegetable for that matter needs more nitrogen. Dosage depends on what fertilizer we are using. If you are using NPK, weekly 3g/liter is good enough.

  23. Hi GG,
    Is it harmful to put more nutrients(NPK) than what the plant requires?
    Do you put micro nutrients also when using only cocopeat?

    regards,
    Manu

    • Yes, more fertilizer does more harm. It can burn the roots and the plant will wilt.
      Micronutrients have to be put when using cocopeat. When growing in soil, the soil might contain some and those that are lacking, we have to add.

  24. Hi there! I am growing spinach for a school project and found this site. I wanted to know what the best amount of water I should be feeding the seedlings/plants per day. I have read that 6mm per day is ideal. But my plants are in about 30cm diameter pots (they are 30cm deep) so what is the volume of water I should be pouring into the pot each day!?

    I can change the containers if you think these are too big/deep!?

    What does 6mm (rainfall gauge) relate to water fed to a pot plant!!?

    Or if you can let me know what you water your spinach (in pots) for ideal growing that would be great! I will take it from there (my experiment is to give much less and much more to other plants in other pots (5 in total) to see the result on the health of the plant after 5-6 weeks!

    BTW, I am starting the seedlings growing inside and then after 2 weeks will take them outside. Is this what you would suggest.

    I am in San Francisco area.

    Thanks so much for your help!

    Regards,
    Jemma

    • Hi Jemma,

      Nice to hear about your school project. Watering frequency and quantity really depends on the environmental factors such as temperature, transpiration through leaf , kind of media (how draining it is, coarse media will need water more often than fine media)etc.
      Ideally, the soil should remain moist all the times. You can water the plant, until the water comes out of the drainage hole provided. Too less water can cause the plant to go through dry-wet cycles and wilt. Too much water can cause leaching of nutrients from the soil.It wont kill the plant as long as the pot has good drainage.

      Ok. The way I water is, ensure the medium in the pot is completely wet and some water drains out. That is when I stop. Next day, I water little less if the medium is till wet otherwise I water till it drains. THe idea is to never let it dry out.

      How many plants you are planting in that container? 30cm(12inch) is not actuall necessary for spinach but won’t harm either. I have grown them in 6-8inch deep trays. I think right now the temp is around 11 C there. It is little cold for spinach. If the temp is suitable in two weeks say 16 C to 25 C (ideal range for spinach) then it is good time to plant.

      Hope this helps. Feel free to revert back.

      Good luck and keep me posted.

      • Thanks a lot for your suggestion GG.

        Sunlight doesnt seem to be problem. Seedlings are in south facing balcony, there is good amount of sunlight. I shall make the soil mounds as suggested by you.

        Shall keep you updated on the developments.

        Regards

        Amit

  25. Hi GG
    Am i glad i found your blog yesterday. I loved the look of the spinach. Can i plant them in 8-9″ hanging pots. Is it OK to use styramin (spelling ???) for spinach and lettuce. I just got some lettuce seedlings and was wondering wht to fertilise them with. hope to get a reply soooooooooon.
    n

  26. Hi GG,

    I have tried to grow both spinach and coriander without much luck. The seeds germinate fast, but true leaves refuse to show up and eventually all little tiny leaves wilt and die. Here’s a pic for spinach:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/59750057@N08/5458127231/

    Any ideas why this happens? May be I need to sow the seeds deeper? May be should use polythene bag trick for these as well? In that case, once the seeds germinate do I have to follow the hardening procedure that you recommended for mint, i.e., gradually remove polythene bag for longer and longer time? Do let me know.

    Thanks,
    Sam

  27. Hi,

    Are these trays readily available somewhere. Do these trays have holes at the bottom to facilitate drainage. I am planning to grow spinach in my balcony and would like to understand this before I go and shop for the tray.

    I have been so inspired by your blog. I can’t thank you enough for setting me off on this journey.

    Looking forward to hearing from you.

    Cheers
    Madhu

  28. Hi GG,
    I need a clarification.
    Is harvesting spinach and sirukeerai are one at the same.My sirukeerai is now 5 days old.Because in the market they sell(sirukeerai)as whole plants with roots on it. Can i keep harvesting from the same plant for months?

  29. Hi GG,

    Impressed by your work, much appreciated.

    Need a suggestion, we (my and my little daughter) planted some seeds in pot and it has come up wel, i think i have puts lots of plants in a single pot, https://picasaweb.google.com/gghegde/Terrace20110318#5586570331553295746.

    Can you suggested how to handle this, should i move it another container?. I use mud and cow/goat manure (for my flower plants), can i use the same?. when should i start giving it to this spinach.

    thanks and regards,
    GG

  30. Hi GG,
    You’ve got a really great garden! Very much impressed and inspired by your site, I decided to try balcony gardening.I sowed palak seeds and they sprouted within a week. But even after one and a half months,they are only 1.5 inches tall, and are very delicate and look as if they are about to die, some of them bending towards the soil…..I’m thinking if I should do mercy killing or not! 🙁
    Here is a link to the photo–
    https://picasaweb.google.com/113144284666575498675/Mar302011?authkey=Gv1sRgCP6Ou-SZ6oLFQg#

    I water them daiy. The mix is got from the nursery –red soil+coco peat+cowdung.
    my balcony gets less sunlight-only 2 hours in the morning–and this is in bangalore..

    This is my first attempt in gardening, and I need your advice please..

    thanks,
    kj

  31. Hi GG,

    I came across your blog when I was googling for container gardening. I must say your vegetable garden is very impressive and I totally appreciate your dedication and interest. I am an amateur gardener and have few ornamental plants in my balcony. After seeing your posts I was motivated to start a bit of vegetable gardening.

    I tried starting tomato, coriander and chillies from seeds. Seeds were collected from my kitchen and I sowed them in different containers last week. I used a mixture of red soil, cow manure and vermiculite. But the seedlings have not shown up yet :(. Would you have any tips for me?

    PS: I live in Chennai and my balcony gets good sunlight in the afternoon. I am keeping the soil moist as well. Where do you think I am going wrong? Thank You for your time and tips 🙂

  32. Got inpsired by looking @ GG Sir’s Spinach. Bought Cocopeat and containers and spinach seeds to sow. Being a Beginner hope it turns out well.

  33. Hi gg,
    I came across your blog yesterday and I think it will be a guide for me:). I donna anything about gardening, but wish to grow some in pots in my balcony. I reside in a flat and hence no backyard and no real garden 🙁
    I only have a karpooravalli in a pot and I just water it and do nothing else. I plan to grow coriander and I read your post on coriander growing in pots as well. But my question is where can I get such tubs in chennai? Are they readily available? Would you have any idea?

  34. Hi ,
    Super Blog! the same day i read this blog I went to Lalbagh bought the trays , cocopeat and seeds and tried spinach , tomatoes and chillies . It’s been almost a week and they are showing signs of germination. Can you please help me in selecting the Nutrients and also what stages / ration should be used. Sorry I am an absolute beginner

  35. i have a house in vishakapatnam. it is very very hot and i have a terrace which gets sunlight throughout the day. could you suggest some nice perrinial flowering plants that could be grown here? also some edible plants?

  36. hey gg its me again
    i had a question. whenever i buy plants from nurseries they seem very lush and green and seem to always have flowers on them but as soon as i bring them home the amount of flowers on them reduce and their health starts to comparatively deteriorate. do u have any suggestions to make this stop? also do u have any suggestions for me so that i can choose healthier plants from nurseries?
    thanks a lot
    vidur

    • The reason why plants die and wither away after we buy it from the nursery is that we dont take care of the plants that well like the nursery men do. the plants are fed properly with nutrients and pesticides to prevent them from insects and diseaeses.
      The best solution is to water the plants with a water soluble fertilizer.

  37. Wow, lovely, such juicy and fresh looking palak leaves! Amazing, you must love gardening very much to put in such efforts.
    Is this a good time to plant palak seeds? (June – July) I am from Kancheepuram where its still very hot (the day time temperature averages 39 – 41 degrees C), barring a couple of rainstorms.
    If I plant it outside in the shade of the house, would the sunlight be enough?
    What are the micro nutrients to be used (if I use a medium like cocopeat and plant in a pot)?

    Geeta

  38. Hi GG,
    I have spinach sprouting leaves in mix of red soil and compost. Should I use any organic fertilizers ? If yes, which ones? Please suggest.

    Please also suggest organic fertilizers for tomatoes.

    • chinmay, if you have used red soil and compost, there is no need for any fertilizer. you can add at a later stage also. for tomatoes use plenty of compost when it flowers and also add wood ash.

  39. Hi..Its nice to see all the apartment grown fresh vegetables in your website.Recently I brought some spinach seeds from lalbagh and have just sprinkled them on 4″plastic container.It sprouted very fast but after 20 days ,the plants are still 3″ height with small leaves.I have kept them in balcony and they are inclined towards sunlight.I have been watering them regularly.Will they survive or should I replant them again?

  40. HI gg – I really love ur experience – i am in bangalore for the last 7 yrs and planting flowers and veggies in my balconies – can you suggest some flowering plants – that grow upto 5 feet max and can will survive in less sunlight – one of my balconies get less sunlight – indirect sunlight ( may be proper sunlight that too weak for an hr or so )

  41. Also GG suggest places in south bangalore where i can buy pots and garden equpiments at fair prices – lalbaugh i am not too happy with the designs and quality

  42. GG
    I stumbled upon a google search for a roof garden. We are in Chennai, and I am trying to setup a roof garden for my mom. Your thoughts will be very helpful.
    On the question of roses, one tip I learnt, once the flowers bloom and dry, make sure trim them as it get black. Dont leave it at that black stage for a long time, as it makes the plan to think, that its blooming period is over.
    Hope that is helpful.
    Thanks for your time and effort in educating many folks and keep the interest on home gardens grow.
    regds.

  43. Hi GG,

    i have tomato plant at home, the leaves have white lines & the leaves look infected. pls suggest a natureal remedy for it.

  44. i am just a beginner…
    your post is great… but can you please tell me about pest problems and how to prevent them??
    thank you!

  45. Dear GG,

    Can you please suggest me some good organic fertizers and pesticides. My Tulsi plant was infected by tiny red dot-like incests and very small green color insects. Also red ants had begun to attack the plant. I bought an organic pesticide from a nearby store named Gau Ganga samrudhi and was asked to mix with water and spray on the plants. I did so and though the infestation seems to be reduced but the color of the leaves have turned to brownish black.

    Please advice.
    Rgds,
    Sundeep

  46. Hi thats a great article . I have just entered the world of roof top kitchen gardens and have a healthy crop of cabbage and spinach growing. Okra has been planted and now thinking of tinda and zucchini.
    Any suggestions on cocopeat and good organic fertilizers in Delhi

  47. Hi! Thanks for all the info in this site! just came across it today and am waiting for the weekend to go buy spinach seeds now! 🙂

    One question: You have said you have grown the spinach in cocopeat. Is that all? Only coco-peat or does it require anything else? Also, can you tell me about what kind of drainage the tray should have and how much water the plant needs?

    Thank you!

  48. Dear gg,
    I just need to get facts right.shall I plant the spinach seeds in a medium which will be an equal proportion of coco peat and organic compost.in case of watering ,water morning and evening till water comes out of drainage holes.after germination and approximately after 2 weeks add NPK Fertilisers about 3gm /litreand to b repeated weekly.pls do reply fast .

  49. HI GG

    THIS IS BHARATH FROM HYDERABAD I WANNA GROW SPINACH IN AIR COOLER TRAY WHICH IS 8″ DEPTH. IS IT OK TO DO THAT. WE HAVE RED SOIL HERE, TELL ME WAT TO MIX IN IT FOR GOOD RESULTS.

    THANKS
    BHARATH

  50. Hey, glad to finally come across an Indian garden blog! Regarding spinach – can I plant spinach in containers now in June (rains)? Not a great deal of sun though… Also, if i plant in a plastic container, do i need to make holes in the bottom for drainage? I’m not using peat etc, just homemade compost and soil from the garden. Thanks.

  51. Sir: When I grow Spinach/Palak/Methi or Corriander in a tray with filled Coco-peat, what sort of nutrients should I add alongwith the Cocopeat. Suppose I mix Vermicompost, will it be enough. Sorry I am asking question on your 2010 posting. I leisurely go through your postings and hence the delay. Shall be obliged for your suggestion.

  52. Dear gg,
    At what stage should I start adding fertilisers.my local nursery man told me to put urea at abiut 4 leaf stage as he said spinach and amaranth thrive on urea.bht when I sprinkled it in dose of 25gm/ l, thd leaves looked bit droopy.kindly advise me as tk what to put. should I use liquid fertilisers. Pls reply fast .looking for it

  53. I think as u clearly mentioned, the simplest way to foray into kitchen / terrace gardening is growing spinach
    What are the things to be wary off?
    1) Caterpillars? other worms? – how to prevent them?

  54. My spinach seeds germinated pretty fast though after that they have been very lanky and leggy. I added organic manure but the rate of growth is extremely slow. I do not get direct sunlight in my balcony, it is always indirect. Can I leave the pots on the terrace and see? I sowed the seeds on 6th april and even now can not see true leaves 🙁 please suggest solution since I am a novice gardener 🙂

  55. will palak plant will generate seeds when matured so that i can use same seeds to plant again without buying the seeds. How many months will a single palak plant will live. where can i get good palak seeds to cultivate at terrace through online purchase. I am from Hyderabad.

  56. Hi,

    I have planted spinach in my home pots and the seeds have germinated. They are 1 inch tall small germinations but bending towards the ground and eventually dying. I water them regularly and have kept in shade since the area gets heavy sunshine for 5-6 hours.please advice.

  57. I just wanted to know if the potting mix you used for the spinach is 100% coco peat? Can i make it a mix of normal soil, compost and cocopeat?

  58. Wow!! Geekgardener… Kuddos to your effort and the way you answer most of the queries !!
    I just bought spinach seeds, kept my cocopeat ready and was unsure that whether is it a right medium to grow plants or not! Uff.. you post has made my day!
    – I read somewhere that 30% compost +60% cocopeat is a right mixture. Please correct me if it will not support Spinach.
    – Vermi compost & Compost(you mentioned) are they same?
    – My containers has a good depth; so will it do if I use compost just 2 inch from top?

    Thanks in advance

    • Hi sreelakshmi,

      It is always the right time to start gardening :D. Dont wait, just sow the seeds. Worst case you will lose some seeds.. big deal.

      Regarding the ratio, I have always used 50:50 and have had good results. if 30 is compost and 60 is coco where is the 10% coming from? . Also, compost is a generic word, is it from vegetable waste ( less nutrition) or from animal waste ( more nutrition).

      Compost is decomposed vegetable waste or animal waste. Vermicompost is waste( animal/vegetable) converted to compost using earthworms.

      I always make a homogenous mix of the potting mix.

  59. Hi GG,
    Great work. Surprised to see the post active from 5 years.
    I have recently moved from US to india and i dont find the green spinach in the market which got me sad and i thought of growing it myself and in the course of reasearching found your post. Thank you very much for this.
    Do you have any information on where I can find the suplies for this project in Hyderabad.

    Thank you and I appreciate you for a great job!

  60. Hi,

    Thanks GG for inspiring us to grow garden in our limited space !!! Great Work !!!

    I started to grow Paalak/Spinach. I just put them in pot which contained coco peat + sand + Kitche waste. spinach germinated soon .
    Only problem I face while watering all plants are dying/falling. They are very small plant and I always water them very carefully. So after each watering I am loosing few small plants .Same thing is happening with Methi and corianders
    Do you think I should buy water can or sprayers ?
    Is it not required to water them daily ?
    also I dint sow them in a line as you suggested.

  61. hello

    i am growing tomato and coriander plz give me some tips for watering and fertilizing .i have used coco peat +red siol+compose in my container.

  62. Hi GG
    Thanks for all the posts in your site, they are informative and inspiring.
    Have a question growing spinach. Before reading this post I started the process, hence randomly sprayed the seeds instead of sowing them in rows and well spaced. Now, they have germinated but in bunches (like 10-12 in a spot! 🙁 )! How do I Thin them, can I just pluck away some of them, or just let them all to grow as they are? In case I pluck them, guess I will not be able to transplant them to another pot? Thanks in advance for the replies.

    Regards
    Mei

  63. This is Chitra the fourth on your blog site:) Just an observation that I wanted to share. My palak seems to grow vety well in regular red soil. But in cocopeat or a compost,cocopeat and soil mixture, it only germinates and grows to a 5-6 cm height. This has happened at least 2 times. Has anyone else seen the same thing? BTW, I live in Bangalore.

  64. Hello,

    Way back I tried growing spinach in rectangular pots with normal soil. They would sprout and grow to small sapling and wither out. So your suggestion is that coco peat is better and also sowing a single seed at a distance is useful option to avoid overcrowding. In fact coco peat is good overall. We are definitely facing a big time problem with soil procured from nursery.

  65. I have planted Severus keerai it is growing well, but lot insects is spoiling it, so I cannot harvest him.

    How to protect from insects and what herbal pesticides I can use.

    Thanks
    Ganga

  66. Hi,
    I live in Kansas City USA. I’m planning to plant sirukeerai etc in these containers.

    Any suggestions? Should I just follow your 3 inch rule and leave out the outer covering?
    Thanks

Leave a Reply to Madhur Maheshwary Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hydroponics Starter Kit For Sale