Growing
Water Spinach, Kang Kung
 Water spinach is a frost sensitive plant. Optimal temperatures for growth are
between 75° and 85° F and chilling injury can occur below 50° F. The cultivar
Ching Quat is grown in moist soils, often in beds. Direct seed or transplants
may be used. Many Asian growers in Massachusetts will soak the seed until
germination to ensure the seed is viable. Growers plant in beds with 6 – 10
seeds per foot in rows that are 6 – 8 inches wide. Plant stems are not strong,
but plants grown in beds support each other and produce longer stems with less
branching, which is what the market prefers.
Water spinach needs much more water than most other vegetable crops. This
increased irrigation can leach out readily available nutrients, so it is
recommended to use slow-release forms of fertility. Harvest of the entire plant
can be made 50 to 60 days after planting. Plants are harvested by cutting the
stem close to the ground and then nitrogen is applied to encourage re-growth.
Shoots regrow readily and in Massachusetts, growers will get two to three
cuttings of water spinach before frost.
The cultivar Pak Quat requires the same aquatic environment as paddy rice,
meaning it can’t be grown viably in New England. |
