Prep soil for water spinach and molokhia (Growing chinese water spinach and mulukhiya)
How to grow water spinach and molokhia in open-field culture. (Growing chinese water spinach and mulukhiya.) This time, we are preparing the soil for water spinach (kangkong) and molokhia (jew’s mallow). We use cow manure compost and canola cake for the soil.
Water spinach is also called “kangkong" or “chinese water spinach" and comes from Southeast Asia. Molokhia (mulukhiya, jew’s mallow) comes from India and Egypt and is a very nutritious vegetable.
The size of the plot for growing water spinach and molokhia is about 60cm by 45cm (2 ft by 1.5 ft). We mix compost and fertilizer into the soil to make it good for growing.
Fertilizing and making bed for water spinach and molokhia (Best soil for kangkong and mulukhiya)
Water spinach and molokhia are grown through pesticide-free, organic cultivation, so we use only organic fertilizers for them.
The base fertilizer (applied before planting) consists of 1 liter (1 qt) of fully ripened cattle manure and 50g (1.8 oz) of canola cake. Best organic fertilizer for water spinach (kangkong) and molokhia (mulukhiya).
Cow manure is mainly used as compost, not just as fertilizer. Mixing cow manure compost with clay soil can improve the soil (making it soft and fluffy). The compost is made from cow manure, but it is fully fermented, so it almost doesn’t smell bad.
Canola cake works as the base fertilizer for water spinach (kangkong) and molokhia (mulukhiya). Canola cake is the leftover from pressing soybeans or rapeseed and contains a lot of nitrogen as a fertilizer.
Nitrogen is a nutrient needed for the growth of vegetable stems and leaves. Water spinach and molokhia are leafy vegetables, so they grow well when canola cake is added to the soil.
We spread the cow manure compost and canola cake we prepared in the water spinach and molokhia plot and mix them into the soil.
After adding fertilizer, we make bed for water spinach and molokhia. The trick is to gently mound the soil while allowing air to be incorporated. This increases the “fluffiness" of the soil and creates height in the bed.
Shape the bed with a trowel and wooden boards. Make the top flat and compact the sides for added strength.
Afterward, cover the bed with black polythene mulch, and secure the mulch with mulch pins. The bed for water spinach and molokhia is completed. (The soil preparation for kangkong and mulukhiya is done.)
Following is the video for how-to. English subtitles are available.