Quinoa

So since I am in the middle and not really north or south I get to choose from battling leaf miners (quinoa) or being endlessly frustrated by pigweed flea beetles (amaranth)- Oh goody!

Sally-Are those the pest problems that come with these plants?

Hey, Melissa,
If a freeze threatens, just build a PVC hoop over the quinoa patch to protect it. Should do fine in our temps. I'm gonna have'ta try this grain.

Thanks for the recipes.

P.S. Where'd you get your seeds?

Oh yeah, I don't think it'll have a problem with our weather. I may even leave some exposed (the scientist is rubbing her hands gleefully) to see what happens.

P.S. HEB's organic bulk foods aisle. :) So technically out of my pantry, but you can order them from Seeds of Change or Salt Hill Seeds.

1lisac--I'm only saying that because the cousin of quinoa , lambsquarter, tends get miners in my yard, and the red ornamental amaranth that I grow has lots of pigweed flea beetles, that make shotgun holes all over the leaves. I've also had poor results with swiss chard because of flea beetles. If you grow the crops. I'd just say those are things to keep an eye out for, you may be fine.

OK, here in TX (the bug capital of the US. I'll probably have some bug on it.

We all got bugs...^_^

I know I had bugs when I lived In CA too. But TX is unbelievable, right now I'm having scorpion issues. The people who live behind me were Missionaries in Africa. The older man was born in "the Wilds of Africa" he says kind of tongue and cheek, and has lived all over the US but he says the wilds of Africa have nothing on TX. He told me he has never been biten or stung as much as he has here. It makes life exciting.lol

Texas, The piney woods is smack dab in the middle of The Big Thicket, reknown for its massive bug population, as bad as southern Fl for bugs cross breeding, but without the hurricane winds to keep them 'squashed' down. Some years they even get worse, and so far, the only thing I can tell is the love bugs didn this spring, but will probably return this fall. With our freeze it seems to have made them worse instead of better, sigh...ALL of them.

Boy I remember when I lived in Corpus Christi and had never in my life see such big mosquitoes, they even bit me through the thick jeans I was wearing, here we have the no seums which are the ones that are very tiny and you can't see them but know they are there because you itch everywhere. I am also wondering why is it that with the harsh winter we had, how come we have a worst problem with bugs this summer? Shouln't it be the oposite?

Hi Sapphire,

I grew Amaranth a few years ago, which is similar to Quinoa (also got the seed from seeds of change
http://www.seedsofchange.com/garden_center/product_details.aspx?item_no=PS15834).

It was beautiful in the garden, very tall with velvet red seed heads. My only problem was the harvest. I couldn't figure out an easy way to get the seeds separated from the plant. I sifted, etc. It was a LOT of work for about 1 or 2 cups of grain. I planted two rows about 15 feet long. Also, just before I was going to harvest we had a wind/rain storm and a lot of the plants fell over into the mud. So I had a really tough time eating the harvest without out getting some dirt/sand in each bite. I would grow again as an ornamental, but not to harvest.

Good luck with your crop!
Cathie

Name
This crop is known as quinoa in English and, according to Merriam-Webster, the primary pronunciation is with two syllables with the accent on the first (English pronunciation: /ˈkiːnwɑː/) (KEEN-wah).[7] It may also be pronounced with three syllables, with the stress on either the first syllable (/ˈkiːnoʊ.ə/ KEE-noe-ə) or on the second (/kwɨˈnoʊ.ə/ kwi-NOE-ə). In Spanish, the spelling and pronunciation vary by region. The accent may be on the first syllable, in which case it is usually spelled quinua [ˈkinwa], with quínoa [ˈkinoa] being a variant; or on the second syllable: [kiˈnoa]), in which case it is spelled quinoa. The name derives from the Quechua kinwa, pronounced in the standard dialect [ˈkinwa]. There are multiple other native names in South America:


I gotta grow this stuff. How about in my SmartPots or washing machine tubs?

More Quinoa information.

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/quinoa.html

Linda, I know zilch about what the roots do. I'm going to put some seeds in my front sunny flowerbed which is sort of shallow and in the back shadyish bed and see.

Wow guys I just went to my organic store and decided to purchase quinoa for the first time ever, I have never tried it before so I really can't wait to try it and see how it tastes, one thing is for sure I paid $7 for a 16 oz very expensive. My question is could I sprout some of the quinoa from this baggy to grow it?

Stick some in a wet paper towel and see. :) That is my plan for tonight.

Thanks sapphire I will definitely try that.

I just met a woman who did her doctoral research in ethno archeology. The focus of her studies was quinoa. Evidently quinoa is a native plant to the US southeast and southwest. It was a primary crop here thousands of years ago but was replaced with corn when it was introduced. it is much more nutritious than corn.


It should not be confused with amaranth.

I grow amaranth, I pull the seed clusters between my thumb and fingers, store in a flat box until dry then sift thru a sieve. We eat quinoa but haven't grown it. I might try this winter. We also grow it as a salad green, both the tri-color and red. It has a good flavor when picked young and used in salads. The bigger leaves are better cooked with a little olive oil and garlic. Lambs Quarters and Spreen do well here all year round, produce more seeds in summer, more greens in winter also delicious in salads.

For leaf miners and to some extent the flea beetles try spinosad. Diatomaceous earth is pretty good for flea beetles but DE will also kill beneficials.

Is this flea beetle damage on my Bell Pepper Leaves? They're peppered with tiny little holes...

This message was edited Aug 18, 2010 1:50 PM

Cala, I got some red amarath seeds and was amazed at how little they are, I mean they are very tiny and so I am even wondering how in the world do you cook something that is so tiny? Also do you think it will do well in my area? And when do you start your seeds?

Tried the quinoa today and really liked it, it has a wonderful nutty flavor and is kind of crunchy, is very expensive in my area though so I can understand why it makes sense to grow it but for what I am reading it does not like very hot weather and not very cold weather either so I am even wondering whether or not it will even do well in my area at all.

The red amaranth seeds we just put on top of breads. I haven't tried grinding them.

For those wondering, the organic quinoa that I bought in the bulk section at HEB can and does sprout, even after a week or so in the freezer. My seedlings were up as of yesterday.

Great-keep us posted, please. I'm wondering how it does in our warmer climate.

Yes, Carmen...I am wondering the same thing, as our winters are long and cold, and the summers are long and hot. Only plants that can tolerate both will do well here...or if they are short season..LOL! How long does it take from seeding to harvest? Are they best seeded in spring or fall? And do they winter over in 20° weather? Can they take 90° heat?

I think Melissa's growing the quinoa from the fall into the cooler temps of the winter months, as the growing habits suggested.

Yup. Ideal soil temps are from 65-75 degrees and the material I read suggested that it liked the cold. Quinoa was originally grown in the Andes Mtns.

I think that would be something to grow in the winter down here. We love quinoa but don't have the space for it right now because of the other things we grow. May have to till up the back lawn!

Two 15' rows for 2 cups of hand-sifted quinoa? Not to totally poo poo the idea, but I doubt that "fresh" quinoa tastes dramatically better than the stuff readily available, and that's a lot of time and effort. For what it's worth, Costco has quinoa for about half of what it goes for anywhere else (or 1/3 of what it costs at Whole Paycheck). Looks like a pretty crop when in full bloom, though.

Anyone ever grow Chia (not the pets, the crop)? Now that's a real superfood, and it's pretty costly. My suspicion is it's the same can of worms as growing quinoa.

SigourneyBeaver,
What's the quinoa sold as at Costco? Wonder if I can get it at our local Sam's Club?

I wanted to try it for the sheer sake of trying it, not because of economics or wanting "fresh". Its in my pantry, I know it can be grown, and its fun. Its easier and more cost effective to buy lemons too at the store, but I still bought a tree anyway. I buy it at the grocery for $3.50 per pound. However, 1/4 teaspoon's worth of seed yielded 10 plants after my stupidity was compensated for. And if I get to eat it after I see the pretty flowers, all is good. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Pretty much sums up my whole attitude about gardening.

Linda, Sam's carries it. My mom gets hers there.

I have seeds for Chia and plan to grow it in the spring, but mostly to sell the plants.

Thanks ya'll!

SigourneyBeaver,
No problem. :) Sometimes I come across snarky and don't mean to either.

I enjoy the whole gardening process and love the fact that I have a laboratory (garden) in my backyard. I'm a scientist and nothing gives me more of a thrill than a good full scale experiment, especially one that has like $2 riding on it, rather than the thousands of dollars that I am used to dealing with at work. (That and the clients are much more forgiving!)

Actually the quinoa that I bought was pretty expensive,it was about $7 for a very small box, and I was only able to find it in my organic store here in Mobile, I will definitely look and see if they have it in Sams Club for cheaper because I really like it. As far as growing it I am not sure jet since my climate is just hot and humid and my space is limited.

My quinoa babies are growing! They have put on their true leaves and are getting big. I'm waiting for the first cool front to arrive and I will put them in their bed. I've had it all ready for them for a while. :)

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR "QEENY BABIES!"

The hot weather finally broke and the quinoa is snuggled into its new bed.