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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