has anyone grown Quinoa? if you pick the leaves for cooking, will the plant continue to grow without going to seed? what location/climate do you live in? this food is new to me. i finally found a local source and tried it as a tabouleh type salad. i'd like to explore other uses and perhaps growing it. any/all knowledge you've got would be much appreciated. cheers from spring in the south pacific, jeanne
Quinoa
Sep 26, 2007
2 Replies
No personal experience, and in fact it seems like it is still most common within its traditional range of South America (at high elevations). See for example:
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if you pick the leaves for cooking, will the plant continue to grow
Well, I can give a general answer - if you want to pick leaves and let a plant keep growing (lettuce being the classic example), you just pick some of them (I start with the bottom/outside), but not so many that the plant is seriously set back. For some plants a scissors or a knife will keep you from damaging the part you aren't picking (others you can use more of a fingernail or pinching motion). If you want to prevent it from going to seed, often harvesting the middle (apical) leaves will slow that down.
As Jim stated, quinoa is a high elevation crop, but there are culitivars that will produce at lower elevations.
These links should get you started.
Quinoa is a wonderful grain that we enjoy, yet haven't raised yet. Our seeds are in cold storage and hopefully will try them next year.
Here is an overview and a bit of history.
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attention to the saponin content and rinsing procedure.
More info.
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Seeds of Change offers several varieties that should grow at sea level, at least I am counting on them growing at low elevations.
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and G'luck Charlie
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