Calling all Quinoa Growers!!

[MrsHippo]

Good evening I'm growing quinoa for the first time this year and I'm sick of people telling me the seedlings aren't quinoa - they're saying its fat hen or similar. I know they're members of the same family and do look similar, but want to double check I'm growing the right thing! There seems to be little info on quinoa online ...

So those who are growing it or have grown it in the past and have photos, would you mind sharing them with me please

I'll add my own in. Let me know what you think ... And please please don't tell me it's one of the other things unless you've grown it yourself or can be 100%!!



Thanks
MrsH

[Greenleaves]

I have found this picture online....they look just like yours

[veggiechicken]

I've not grown it so I'm risking my life replying to you.............
If you sowed it in rows, and these seedlings are coming up in rows, in the same place, it probably is quinoa.
There are lots of images of quinoa seedlings on the net - what do you think?

[MrsHippo]

Haha you don't need to feel that way 🙈

Well the issue I have is that the seeds have moved via rain or wind or whatever so most have lost their 'rows' .. A few a still lined up and are all the same plant. So I am fairly confident. It's just comments from others saying it isn't quinoa ... :/

Next year I'll be doing a DIY seed tape jobby on them. Not having a repeat of this mess. Weeding is a nightmare.

Thank you greenleaves. I've looked online at photos too and find that they all look different! 😩

[veggiechicken]

OK, let's approach it another way! Do you have fat hen elsewhere on your plot?
If not, then its almost certainly quinoa!
There are different varieties though, so maybe the leaves vary a bit.
At worst, fat hen is edible

[MrsHippo]

No I don't!!! So it HAS to be quinoa .. Unless the seed supplier sent me something else haha

I guess I'll find out in a couple of months ☺️

[Ovce domácí]

Thinking of growing this next year as we currently buy it from the shop. I could live on the stuff.

Be nice if you could let us know how it goes.

[Martin H]

I thought about growing quinoa, it seems like such an easy, productive crop.

Then I remembered I don't like the stuff.

Maybe I'll work on acquiring the taste first.

[WendyC]

I wouldn't presume to attempt to identify your plant as I am not an experienced quinoa grower but have a suggestion. If you have a few spare seeds could you sow them indoors in a pot of sterile compost and compare the end results.

[planetologist]

I've been growing quinoa for several years, but I've never been able to tell the difference until they become about 6 inches and fat hen starts to flower and quinoa keeps growing until it's about a meter high and then flowers. I tend to sow them indoors, mostly because quinoa is frost sensitive and slow to start, so I like to give them that month extra, but if you use sterile soil it does also help with the identification problem.

[Martin H]

Apologies in advance:

Middle Class Food Emergency! | The Poke

[snakeshack]

Looks like quinoa to me, last time I grew it I removed as weeds by mistake twice and then restored indoors,it is virtually indistinguishable from fat hen as stated above.
It's also a bit of a bugger to thresh and winnow as well ,you also need to remove the saponin based coating prior to eating g,this has been done to the shop bought quinoa and will result in an unpleasant soapy surprise if not done.

[Jay-ell]

I got seeds then forgot to sow it. On the packet it states "Don't worry if it looks like fat hen when young"

[MrsHippo]

Lambs quarter or quinoa ... Help!

**merged with older post** Hi everyone! I have a slight dilemma. I sowed quinoa in a bed and I've noticed two different plants growing. One I believe is lambsquarter and the other will be quinoa. However, I have NO idea which is which. They are very different in terms of leaf shape and one has already gone to seed which I think is lambsquarter .. I need a second opinion!! X

[veggiechicken]

I've merged your threads since some answers have been given already.