Quinoa

[Dottie]

Anyone grown and harvested quinoa over the last few years?

Didn't know we could grow it here, but someone up the lottie is giving it a go. It was planted late and as it's the first year, they have no idea if they will still get a good crop, it's only about 2ft tall at the mo.

The Real Seed company sell it, but no mention of where it fits into crop rotation. Anyone know?

I'm definitely interested in giving it a go as I eat loads, so full of protein. Seems a much better use of space than spuds and a great wind breaker too.

[Lavenderblue]

I tried this year but the plants got battered and broke in a torrent of rain. I will try again next year, I intend to sow the seed direct into a bed instead of starting them off in trays. It would be good if we can get some growing.

[zazen999]

Crop rotation....hmm...wherever they grow sweetcorn?

I grew it last year; if it is only 2ft has it flowered yet? It takes a while between flowering and harvesting as the flowers have to dry out and the seeds form after and these have to dry out.

They grew to about 6ft; needed staking, and I got about a bagful that you would get in the shops - but I couldn't eat them as their little eyes just freaked me out [I'm a veggie].......and Mr Z hated them so they were throw out.

If you like them, then you'll need a fair few if you eat alot of it....I grew about 10/12 for a sugar bag ish full of the finished article if that helps.

[Dottie]

I tried this year but the plants got battered and broke in a torrent of rain. I will try again next year, I intend to sow the seed direct into a bed instead of starting them off in trays. It would be good if we can get some growing.

Sorry to hear they didn't do well in the rain, as that's a regular feature we have to contend with. The folks who are growing it this up the lottie had said it was trouble free and would be great as a windbreaker.

I'm all for sowing direct, but what's your reason?

Did you get the seed from Real Seed or is it available elsewhere?

[Dottie]

Crop rotation....hmm...wherever they grow sweetcorn?

I grew it last year; if it is only 2ft has it flowered yet? It takes a while between flowering and harvesting as the flowers have to dry out and the seeds form after and these have to dry out.

They grew to about 6ft; needed staking, and I got about a bagful that you would get in the shops - but I couldn't eat them as their little eyes just freaked me out [I'm a veggie].......and Mr Z hated them so they were throw out.

If you like them, then you'll need a fair few if you eat alot of it....I grew about 10/12 for a sugar bag ish full of the finished article if that helps.

Comes under the sweetcorn family? Well I never, but that's good as I can try them out wherever.

Yep I think it's flowering, as it's got lots of seed heads. So maybe it's not going to grow any taller this year and they just have to harvest short crops? They only 4 plants.

Needs staking. So they are not really a natural windbreaker without lots help and sounds like they don't like the rain either.

I'll definitely going to give them a try, rainbow quinoa sounds good. Just because I like to have lots of colours. But if it becomes a yearly crop it will have a lot to do with how well it produces and then how much effort is required to get a bags worth.

[Lavenderblue]

Sowing direct - well we are really short of time and its a massive faff to transplant. Also I just sowed them in a seed tray outside this year and they germinated fine so I don't see why they need it. Our garden is tiny - really tiny, so its better we start tenders here rather than me tripping over seed trays that don't need lots of TLC. We have a massive allotment (sorry to brag) and sometimes we struggle to fill it so space isn't really an issue.

As for them surviving the rain - well it was the night after I planted them in their final position so they weren't well established anyway. They were all floppy and rubbish so I am not surprised they were done for. I might plant them in my tomato house next year actually (bits of corrugated plastic and wood to shelter them from the wind) - i lost all the lottie toms to blight so it would be a good use for it - give them a better start. I am just thinking as I type now. I will stop!

[zazen999]

Comes under the sweetcorn family? Well I never, but that's good as I can try them out wherever.

Yep I think it's flowering, as it's got lots of seed heads. So maybe it's not going to grow any taller this year and they just have to harvest short crops? They only 4 plants.

Needs staking. So they are not really a natural windbreaker without lots help and sounds like they don't like the rain either.

I'll definitely going to give them a try, rainbow quinoa sounds good. Just because I like to have lots of colours. But if it becomes a yearly crop it will have a lot to do with how well it produces and then how much effort is required to get a bags worth.

I don't KNOW that - but sweetcorn are maize and that's the closest to Quinoa in my opinion

Rainbow - these were the ones that grew tall and definitely needed staking - perhaps the shorter ones won't.

The rainbow only lasts for a few days - and they didn't colour up on the same few days lol.

[weekendwellies]

I love using quinoa, and never thought of growing it here.
I will give it a go next year.
When is the best time to sow it and do you have to get it from seed suppliers or can you use supermarket stuff as well?

[zazen999]

I love using quinoa, and never thought of growing it here.
I will give it a go next year.
When is the best time to sow it and do you have to get it from seed suppliers or can you use supermarket stuff as well?

I got mine from Real Seeds; but try a little shop bought stuff in damp kitchen roll and see if it germinates [there's no reason why it wouldn't]

[Dottie]

I got mine from Real Seeds; but try a little shop bought stuff in damp kitchen roll and see if it germinates [there's no reason why it wouldn't]

I have some in the cupboard so could try and yes it may well germinate, but it's highly likely to be a variety that was not grown in the UK. At least with buying them from Real Seeds you know they have tested different varieties and selected the most suitable for UK conditions.

I love a freebie like most, but not sure I'd be saving by using stuff in the cupboard?

[zazen999]

I have some in the cupboard so could try and yes it may well germinate, but it's highly likely to be a variety that was not grown in the UK. At least with buying them from Real Seeds you know they have tested different varieties and selected the most suitable for UK conditions.

I love a freebie like most, but not sure I'd be saving by using stuff in the cupboard?

I thought that with my Pinto Beans from the cupboard, but I'm now shelling the beans grown from the beans grown from the cupboard ones......it all depends on how much of a 'chancer' you are I suppose.

[Dottie]

Yeah I don't mind taking a chance on a few things and things not working out, but as I'm very keen on quinoa then I want to know that I will get results.

So turns out I'm only a chancer when I don't care about the outcome. Learn something new everyday!

[Lavenderblue]

Mine were from the real seed company, hard to give a precise germination rate but I had loads of plants from not many seeds!

[bluemoon]

I direct sowed it last year and the slugs scoffed almost the lot before it was 2 inches tall, though I did get just about enough to stuff a couple of very small (tennis ball sized) pumpkins last Hallowe'en, this year I sowed in cell trays, it's done much better. I have a bed for 'miscellaneous' items such as sweetcorn, pumpkins and tomatoes and it went in there both years. I don't know what the crop will be like this time, but the plants certainly look healthier and all have survived.

[Dottie]

I direct sowed it last year and the slugs scoffed almost the lot before it was 2 inches tall, though I did get just about enough to stuff a couple of very small (tennis ball sized) pumpkins last Hallowe'en, this year I sowed in cell trays, it's done much better. I have a bed for 'miscellaneous' items such as sweetcorn, pumpkins and tomatoes and it went in there both years. I don't know what the crop will be like this time, but the plants certainly look healthier and all have survived.

The slugs ate all my direct sowings this year, so now everything is started off in modules.

Do you need to stake all plants?

How did you get on harvesting last year, is it a hugh faff.

Which variety are you growing?