SPINACH, NEW ZEALAND

Spinach, New Zealand

Common Name: New Zealand Spinach

Botanical Name: Tetragonia tetragonioides

Family: Tetragoniaceae

Type and Use: Annual vegetable with edible foliage. Not a true spinach

Location: Full sun to partial shade, but best in full sun

Planting Dates: Plant about the same time you plant okra and black-eyed peas. Weather and soil must be warm for germination.

Planting Method: Transplant or seed. Plant 3-4 seed every 12 inches, ½-3/4 inch deep. Seed should be soaked before planting.

Seed Emergence: Seeds are slow to germinate. Best to soak them in seaweed water overnight before planting. Then they will germinate in 7-10 days.

Harvest Time: Any time during the summer growing season. This spinach matures in about 55 days.

Height: 2 feet

Spread: 3 feet

Final Spacing: 12-24 inches

Growth Habits: Grows and produces well in the summer months. Tastes like regular spinach but milder. Very sensitive to frost, but will produce well until the first hard frost.

Culture: This spinach likes more fertilizer than regular spinach. Pinch out the growing tips of plants to encourage wide branching and leaf production.

Troubles and Solutions: Few, if any, pest problems. Slugs and snails can be controlled with hot pepper products. Control aphids with molasses-water spray and the release of lady beetles.

Harvest and Storage: Cut and store in the refrigerator prior to using.

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