Quinoa is very much a wonder food. Derided by some as the ultimate in green yuppie chic, this is actually a very useful and healthy plant to grow. This grain, seed or pseudocereal is not only nutritious, it is also relatively easy to grow in many climates, and can be a great addition to a home grown diet. In this article, we will explore what it is, why you should grow it, and where. We’ll then take a look at how to grow these plants, harvest it, eat and store it for later use.
Contents
What is Quinoa?
A member of the amaranth family / goosefoot family, quinoa is known by the latin name Chenopodium quinoa. It is a herbaceous annual plant that is primarily grown for its edible seeds. It doesn’t belong in the same family as other grains. Human consumption of the growing plant is believed to have begun around 3-4 thousand years ago in the Lake Titicaca basin of Peru and Bolivia, in its native range.
Why Grow Quinoa Plant
If you are looking for a grain-like seed that is rather easy to grow, easy to harvest and incredibly versatile, then quinoa could be a good choice. As an addition to a home-grown diet, quinoa really is hard to beat. So why not consider growing some in your own garden next year?
Quinoa is one of the grains that could be a good option to consider for small-scale home growers. While other crops like wheat, oats and barley require a lot of space to provide a worthwhile yield, even a small stand of quinoa in a home garden could yield enough to be worthwhile.
Quinoa is relatively easy to grow at home and the good news is that it will grow in a wide range of climatic conditions. It is related to chard and beetroot and it will produce a quantity per plant, so require far less space than common grains like wheat.
Quinoa can be cooked like rice and is high in protein. It is one of the few sources of complete protein that is suitable for vegans, and so can be a key part of an eco-friendly vegan or vegetarian diet. Giving up meat (or at least reducing your consumption) is one of the very best ways to reduce your carbon footprint.
As you may or may not recall from high school science lessons, protein is made up of amino acids, nine of which must be obtained from the food we eat. A ‘complete’ protein source is one which provides all these essential amino acids. All meat, seafood, eggs and dairy are complete protein sources – but you can still get enough of all the essential amino acids through a vegetarian or vegan diet. Even if you are unable to rear your own livestock or keep any animals, you can still make sure your home-produced diet is rich in protein – doing a service to our planet by eschewing meat and dairy while you are at it.
Quinoa can provide around 1696 calories per lb, which means that it can be a cost-effective use of space when trying to make the most of the land and generate a yield for self-sufficiency.
Another good thing about growing quinoa is that it can be harvested without any specialist equipment. You will find details of how to harvest quinoa later in this article.
Where to Grow Quinoa Plant
Quinoa plant can be grown outside in your garden, or in a polytunnel or other undercover growing area. Quinoa will do best in full sun areas which have relatively short days with cool night temperatures and daytime temperatures below 95 F.(35 C). The growing plants tolerate night time temperatures as low as 28 F. (-2 C). It can, therefore, be grown in a range of temperate climates. Different varieties have been bred to suit different climatic zones.
The growing plants will do best in sandy or loamy, well-drained soils with low nutrient content, moderate salinity and a pH of between 6 and 8.5. They will benefit from the addition of available nitrogen to the system and may do well, therefore, when well-drained and interplanted with nitrogen fixing plants such as legumes.
As Quinoa is a warm-weather crop, you should try to give the plants full sun for optimal growth.
Sowing Quinoa Plant
It is best to sow quinoa plant in around April either in seed trays for later transplantation, or where it is to grow. Wait until after there is no longer a danger of frost in your area. Cover the seeds you sow with a thin layer of compost – no more than ¼ inch deep. Space your quinoa seedlings around 1-2ft apart and expect the plants to grow almost 6ft tall (when they will require staking) in optimum conditions.
One thing to note about quinoa seedlings is that they strongly resemble the common weed known as Lamb’s Quarters during the initial stages of growth. So if you have direct sown, be careful not to weed them out by mistake.
Thin seedlings out (or transplant) as soon as they are large enough to handle. You will find that the rate of growth will tend to be slow initially. But then the plants will have a sudden growth spurt and will quickly grow to their eventual height over the summer months. Flowers will form in around June or July, and seed heads will then begin to form.
Caring For Your Crop
Quinoa will require some watering in extremely dry conditions, or if grown under cover. However, it is important not to over water. Always harvest and use rainwater wherever possible.
Other than watering, your quinoa plants will require little care. Quinoa is generally unbothered by pests and the seeds’ bitter coating prevents then from being eaten by rodents or birds. You may find that the leaves get small holes from flea beetles. However, this will not usually affect the growth of the plants.
Harvesting Quinoa
The quinoa is ready to harvest as soon as the seed starts to form and the flower heads begin to change colour. (In around September or October.) Rub the flower heads gently between your palms and when the quinoa is ready to harvest, you will notice that some seed can be rubbed out easily.
Drying the Seeds (Step One)
Once your quinoa plants reach this stage, cut the heads and put them somewhere to dry out for a few days. The best way to do this is to hang them up with something below them to catch the seeds as they fall out. Good airflow and low temperatures are essential to prevent the plants from beginning to get mouldy. You can also help with this process by removing any larger leaves and bits of stem.
Separating the SeedsÂ
After drying out the seed heads for a few days, any seeds that have not already fallen out can fairly easily by rubbed out by hand. Simply roll the heads gently between your palms to knock out the seeds. (You will now have a pile of seeds, but there are likely to also be several bits of plant in there too.)
If you have a riddle, you can use this to separate out the seeds. However, if you do not have one, you can simply pick out the larger pieces by hand. Now you should have a pile of seeds in their flower bracts that are somewhat dry, but which need to be dried out a little more.
Drying the Seeds (Step Two)
Lay out the seeds in their flower bracts in a thin layer on a baking tray or sheet and put them somewhere to dry. Give them a quick stir each day as you pass to make sure it all dries well. When fully dry, the seed can be easily rubbed out of the flower bracts (between two palms).Wearing some rubber gloves could make this process easier.
Winnowing
Once you have a pile of seeds, separated from their flower bracts and other small pieces of debris, you should winnow them. Winnowing basically involves pouring the seeds gently from one container into another in a breeze, so that small, light pieces and lighter, unviable seeds blow away.
Using & Storing Quinoa
Quinoa is very much a wonder crop. Derided by some as the ultimate in green yuppie chic, this is actually a very useful and healthy crop to grow. This grain, seed or pseudocereal is not only nutritious, it is also relatively easy to grow in many climates, and can be a great addition to a home grown diet. In this article, we will explore what it is, why you should grow it, and where. We’ll then take a look at how to grow it, harvest it, eat and store it for later use.
Before using your quinoa, you will need to soak your seed overnight, and rinse it a few times in cold water. This will remove the coating that naturally protects the seed from insects, rodents and birds. You can also store the seeds in an airtight, dry container for later use. When stored correctly, quinoa seeds can be kept for around a year.
Quinoa can be used in any recipes where you might ordinarily consider using rice or cous cous. It can be used as a side dish, or as part of the main event. It can be used to stuff a range of vegetables, or to make stews, casseroles or bakes. You should have no difficulty in finding uses for the quinoa that you grow.
If you are looking for a grain-like seed that is rather easy to grow, easy to harvest and incredibly versatile, then quinoa could be a good choice. As an addition to a home-grown diet, quinoa really is hard to beat. So why not consider growing some in your own garden next year?
Elizabeth Waddington is a smallholder, permaculture designer and environmental consultant. When not designing food producing systems or advising growers around the world, she is to be found in her own garden. On her 1/3 of an acre patch of land she has a walled forest garden orchard (home to rescue chickens), a polyculture vegetable plot, a polytunnel, wildlife pond, wild woodland garden and more and is working every day towards greater self-sufficiency. She is passionate about sustainability and loves to inspire others about the wonderful things home gardeners can do for people and planet.