NewZealandSpinach blog post

New Zealand Spinach (Tetragonia): How to Grow and When to Plant in Your Backyard Garden!

Tetragonia, better known as "New Zealand Spinach" is a great addition to a summer garden. When spinach and other greens are out of season, New Zealand spinach can step in and take its place in your garden and in your summer salads!
Tetragonia, better known as “New Zealand Spinach” is a great addition to a summer garden. When spinach and other greens are out of season, New Zealand spinach can step in and take its place in your garden and in your summer salads!

How to Grow:

You can get a head start on your growing season by starting seeds indoors 3-4 weeks before your last spring frost and transplant outdoors 2-3 weeks after the last frost. New Zealand Spinach can be planted all throughout the summer up until 14 weeks before your first fall frost. You can see specific dates for your location using our FREE iOS, Android, and Universal Web App.

Plant seeds 1/2-1 inch deep, 4 per square foot, in the full sun. Take care to notice what plants are around the area as well, see the companion plant section below. Seeds will begin to sprout in around 14-21 days. Keep consistent moisture.

Companion Plants:

Companion planting is a vital part of organic gardening. Companion plants assist in the growth of others by attracting beneficial insects, repelling pests, or providing nutrients, shade, or support. There are also plants that do not like being next to each other. Some plants get too tall and can provide too much shade for your plant. Sometimes certain plants attract the same pests, so it is important to try and separate these. Herbs are especially great companion plants because they help to repel pests from your other plants!

         Good Bad
Basil Oregano None!
Beans (Bush & Pole) Peas  
Marigolds Strawberries  
Marjoram Tarragon  
Okra Tomatoes (Bush & Vine)  

See companion plants for 80+ foods in our FREE iOS, Android, and Universal Web app!

Pests:

Pests can be one of the most difficult challenges you face in the garden. We strive to grow food without the use of pesticide and luckily there are natural solutions for most of these nasty pests! The pests listed below are common pests for New Zealand Spinach:

Learn more about how to manage pests and attract beneficial insects in our FREE iOS, Android, and Universal Web App!

Harvesting:

New Zealand Spinach will be ready to harvest in approximately 60 days after planting. New Zealand Spinach is a vining plant and can be harvested once you have 4 or 5 leaves. Harvest starting from the leaves closest to the stem and never take more than 1/3 of the plant.

Cooking & Eating!

Soak the leaves in ice-cold water to help remove any bugs that may have remained and to increase preservability. Use right away or store in the refrigerator in a ziplock bag with a damp paper towel. Extra leaves may be frozen as well for long-term storage. Try adding it to your next salad or burrito!

 

Learn more about growing over 80 different foods, including how to manage various pests in our FREE iOS, Android, or new Universal Web App!

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