August planting of spinach in Kuban region, with harvest of fresh leaves free from chemicals by October
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In the Krasnodar region, gardeners are given an extended deadline for sowing a second harvest, with September 5th being the cut-off date. This extension offers a final opportunity for Kuban gardeners to cultivate greens like arugula and spinach for an autumn harvest.
A secret life hack for sowing in the evening is to use crushed ice for shock cooling, two hours before the process. This technique, known as shock cooling, stimulates germination due to the sudden day/night temperature changes common in the Kuban region.
When it comes to growing arugula and spinach in August, the use of coffee grounds as a soil barrier and mild organic fertilizer is a recommended technique. To create a physical and chemical barrier against flea beetles, gardeners should make 1 cm deep grooves, sprinkle a layer of dry coffee grounds (100g per 1m²), place seeds of selected varieties, cover with a mixture of soil and sand (1:3), and water in the mornings with 3 liters per m².
Incorporating coffee grounds evenly into the top layer of the soil before sowing improves soil fertility by adding organic matter and nitrogen, which promotes stronger root development and better overall plant growth. For enhanced pest control, some gardeners simmer coffee grounds in water for 15-20 minutes, strain, and apply the cooled liquid as a soil drench near the base of plants every few days or after rain, leveraging caffeine’s toxicity to pests while enriching soil nutrients.
It is important to note that using fresh coffee grounds increases soil acidity. To avoid this, gardeners can mix coffee grounds with garlic (50g/m²) as an alternative for soil salinization. The alkalinity from garlic neutralizes soil salts while protecting against flea beetles.
Natalia Shapovalova, an expert from AgroXXI.ru, recommends sowing spinach in August. Fast-growing varieties like "Rocket" can be sown after August 25th. Spinach is a crop that is valued for its impressive growth rate and high cold resistance, making it one of the priority plants for sowing in August.
However, sowing after 8 am can result in water droplets burning leaves like lenses. To avoid this, it is best to sow in the early morning or evening hours. Deep sowing more than 1.5 cm in compacted black soil is a critical mistake. Instead, seeds should be sown shallowly to ensure optimal germination.
White PET bottles (5-6 liters) can also be used to protect seedlings. Cut off the bottom, leaving the top with an open lid, cover each seed, and remove the caps for ventilation in the morning. This technique can be particularly useful in the Krasnodar region, where temperatures can fluctuate significantly.
Gardeners in the Krasnodar Territory can also benefit from using white plastic to reflect the sun, reducing the temperature under the cover by 5°C. This simple trick can help maintain optimal growing conditions for arugula, spinach, and other greens.
In Kuban conditions, arugula on a coffee barrier yields 50% more leaves. This combined approach of using coffee grounds both as a physical and chemical barrier against flea beetles and as a mild organic fertilizer to improve soil conditions creates an environment conducive to healthy arugula and spinach growth in late summer. Regular replenishment of the mulch is advised to maintain its effectiveness throughout the growing season.
In conclusion, with these late summer gardening tips, Kuban gardeners can enjoy a bountiful harvest of arugula and spinach well into the autumn months.
- By incorporating science, such as shock cooling and using coffee grounds as a soil barrier and organic fertilizer, health-and-wellness can be improved through the cultivation of greens like arugula and spinach.
- For those who indulge in fitness-and-exercise and lifestyle pursuits, home-and-garden activities like gardening can offer a unique blend of physical activity and self-sustainability, as demonstrated by the Kuban gardeners sowing a second harvest.
- In the realm of lifestyle, late summer gardening practices can be considered a form of engineering, as gardening techniques like using White PET bottles or white plastic to reflect the sun are innovative solutions to maintain optimal growing conditions for arugula and spinach.
