Tips For Growing Your Own Quinoa

(Before It's News)

Quinoa, pronounced “keen-wah” is a very popular high-protein food source for many people, and its popularity seems to be growing at exponential rates. Did you know you can grow your own quinoa?

Quinoa needs full sun and well-drained and fertile soil. It’s a slow grower and takes around 90-120 days to harvest. Quinoa is quite easy to grow, but it shouldn’t be grown in containers. The crop is too large and will produce a tiny harvest in a container, so it just isn’t worth the effort. Quinoa prefers cooler weather, ideally less than 90 degrees, making it an excellent choice for northern gardeners.

A great benefit of growing quinoa are the beautiful deep red and purple flowers it produces before going to seed. When you harvest quinoa, you are going for the seeds. The seeds can be used like most other grains. You can cook them alone or incorporate them into your recipes. You can also eat the leaves of the plant. They taste delicious in salads!

Quinoa Growing Basics

Quinoa is typically started directly in the soil. You should plant your quinoa crop when the soil has warmed to approximately 60 degrees, usually in very early spring.

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Source: http://www.offthegridnews.com/2013/12/27/tips-for-growing-your-own-quinoa/