Growing Quinoa

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Quinoa is an edible plant with broad leaves. His homeland is considered to be South America.

Quinoa is defined as a cereal. On the other hand, it is a close relative of spinach, beets and quinoa. Due to its excellent nutritional qualities, this plant is gaining more and more popularity. This is mainly due to the advantage that it is completely edible - not only the seeds but also the leaves of quinoa are eaten. Some call her the "queen of cereals."

Quinoa has a rich nutritional composition and a light nutty taste. The young and couscous-like seeds are a favorite food of vegetarians and raw foodists. Consumption is a good prerequisite for a healthy and balanced diet.

The cultivation of quinoa dates back more than 5,000 years. Its planting began with the sowing of seeds by the chief of the tribe.

For millennia quinoa is seen throughout South America, mainly in Bolivia and Peru, where 97% of world production is concentrated. With the blessing of the Dalai Lama, for example, cultivation began in Tibet and the Himalayas. The plant grows best at 3,000-4000 meters above sea level - in areas with poor soils and harsh climatic conditions.

Quinoa has the amazing ability to bloom and shed seeds at every stage of its growth. Once caught somewhere, even if the soil is not favorable, it becomes a producer, surrounded by offspring. All it needs is the absence of weeds around it.

Most varieties quinoa grow from 1 to 3 meters in height and are majestic plants. Their presence radiates radiance in every garden. Quinoa also has unique color shades, flowing mostly around dawn and dusk.

Soil. Quinoa is well responsive to nitrogen and phosphorus. Plants grown in rich soil can reach more than 3 meters in height. Optimal soil is well drained, but the plant does well in all conditions.

Varieties. Name varieties of quinoa offered by seed companies. It is difficult to describe the subtle differences in taste between them.

Planting. Quinoa grows best when maximum temperatures do not exceed 32 ° C. The best time for planting is from late April to late May. When soil temperatures are around 15 ° C the plants appear within three to four days.

Sowing. The seeds should be sown no more than 15 cm. Planting can be done by hand or with a seeder. Plants should be thinned to 15-45 cm from each other. A kilogram of seeds will be needed per decare.

Support. Sowing in rows helps weeding, which is a must. Soil moisture will probably be enough until early June to germinate.

Harvesting. The quinoa is ready to be harvested when its leaves have fallen. The seeds can be easily collected by hand. It is important to watch the time when you decide to harvest the quinoa, because if it rains, the dry seeds will germinate. The best time to harvest is dry weather, early in the morning, after the first frost.

Threshing. Quinoa is coated with a bitter substance called saponin. Thanks to it, quinoa requires thorough rinsing before cooking. One way is to put the grains in a blender with lukewarm water on the lowest speed, with soap and change the water until it is no longer soapy. It takes about five changes of water to achieve the desired effect.

Yields. The normal commercial yields of quinoa is 500-900 kg. per decare. Agricultural harvesters are still adapting to the lightness of the seed.