Experimental quinoa planting.

[grow_my_own]

I planted a small patch of experimental quinoa last year. It sprouts fast, grows fast, and the greens taste really good! Quinoa sprouts are also highly nutrient-dense and tasty, as are the young leaves. I have read in a couple of places that all parts of the quinoa plant are edible. I did find last year, however, that once the plants mature, the leaves are a little fibrous and not as tasty as the young plants but still edible.

I did not harvest the quinoa seeds/grain from the plants & they died last fall. It was just an experiment, just to see if it will grow here. I have a good supply of quinoa seeds, though, so I am going to plant a couple of short rows of it this year and harvest the "grain" this time.

 

[897tgigvib]

Grow, don't be too surprised if you have Quinoa volunteers.

Which variety were they Grow?

 

[grow_my_own]

As far as varieties, some of it was "rainbow quinoa," and the other package just says "Chenopodium quinoa."

Also, I will be checking to see what makes a good companion plant with quinoa before I decide what to plant in that bed this spring, so that whatever I plant will get along well with any quinoa volunteers that do come up, as I do fully expect there will be some before too much longer.

 

[897tgigvib]

Not sure of a good companion plant, but I know a patch of Quinoa fills the ground with a lot of root mass near the surface.

Oh, a good plan is to make sure they have a corral of firm stakes 3 or 4 foot high if you have loose soil, and twine stake to stake. Just to keep a few from doing a lean. The leaners do ok, but get over their neighbor. My soil is very fluffy mainly compost.

 

[hoodat]

Our recent rain produced a lot of new soft growth and the tips started to bend over but they seem to be straightening back up on their own as the saturated ground dries out. Usually the only really strong winds we get here are from Santa Anas and they should be harvested before that season begins. The small flowers in the seed heads are opening now and I am pleasantly surprised that tiny predatory wasps seem to be attracted to them. They are still disease and pest free. Not a single leaf is yellowed or chewed and no sign of aphids.
I feed my rabbits black oil sunflower seeds so I get quite few volunteers, some of which popped up among the quinoa. They seem to enjoy one anothers company and the sunflower stalks give them something to lean on.

 

[897tgigvib]

Hoodat, the coloring of the flower heads will increase, and then will become beautiful. They do put on lush growth. Ya know, those quinoa plants are making edible leaves. Chickens would probably only leave the main stem, and bunnies might not even leave that stem. Goats would probably munch it stem and all. They make a nice profusion of seed, and I can see how Quinoa could be grown as a food source for any of us.

There are going to be more varieties of Quinoa soon. I can hardly wait for red leaved Quinoa. Won't be long and there'll be more recipes for Quinoa salad, or for breads or biscuits or pancakes...Quinoa is new to us...

 

[hoodat]

So far everything has been outstanding. Still not a single leaf with a hole in it and no sign of disease or pests. They are heading up nicely. I had expected only some seed for next years expanded planting but it looks as though I may get a meal or two off them.

 

[RidgebackRanch]

Those look beautiful! Do you vernalize the seeds before sowing or did they go from the seed packet directly in the ground? Also how long did they take to germinate?

 

[vfem]

They are looking quite nice, these are my experiment list as well. Sorghum got that special test spot this year Along with a few new melons... and some stevia....

I need more garden space! LOL

 

[hoodat]

the seed packet said they germinate best in cool soil so I planted right from the packet.
I know what you mean about garden size but all I have is a suburban postage stamp back yard. I still get a lot of food from it though by keeping all the soil busy growing something. As soon as something comes out I give it a good dressing of rabbit manure and something else takes its place. I'd like to permaculture so I don't have to dig but San Diego is cursed with bermuda grass and If I don't keep digging it out it will take over.