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New Zealand spinach or tetragonia is still an unusual crop in the garden. Originally native to New Zealand, Australia, Africa and South America, this leafy vegetable has long gained popularity in Western Europe. Russian summer residents are just beginning to get to know him.
Description of tetragony
Tetragonia is an annual plant that gets its name from the shape of the fruit in the form of a tetrahedral capsule. The stem is strongly branching, creeping, reaching a length of 60 cm, but specimens up to 1 m long can be found. Sometimes it has a reddish tint.
Green fleshy triangular leaves with a serrated edge and short petioles grow on the stem in a spiral.
In the axils of the leaves, small single flowers of a yellowish tint are formed. New Zealand spinach blooms from mid-summer to autumn and bears fruit in the form of a capsule, each of which contains from 3 to 8 seeds. The seeds begin to ripen from the end of September.
The root system is branched, superficial.
Leaves and young shoots are eaten raw and can be harvested 5–6 weeks after planting. They have a very pleasant taste and high nutritional value. The plant contains vitamins C, PP, carotene, potassium, calcium, iodine, iron. New Zealand spinach is a dietary product. It is easily absorbed and leaves a feeling of fullness for a long time. It is added to salads, soups, vegetable side dishes, sauces and is used as fillings for pies and casseroles. In general, they can completely replace regular spinach. To preserve this leafy vegetable, it is pickled, dried, and frozen.
Due to the fact that oxalic acid is destroyed during cooking, even the thickest stems are used in cooking.
Advantages and disadvantages
Despite the fact that New Zealand spinach is a novelty for our gardeners, they immediately appreciated its merits. Positive qualities of spinach:
- high yield, the ability to regularly collect green mass, regardless of the growing season;
- the relative unpretentiousness of the plant;
- the ability to reproduce by self-seeding;
- spectacular appearance of the landings;
- delicate soft taste of shoots and young leaves;
- wide range of applications in cooking;
- rare cases of damage to the culture by diseases and pests.
Of the conditional shortcomings of culture, the following features can be noted:
- stems and old leaves accumulate oxalic acid, which can be harmful in large quantities;
- exactingness to watering and soil fertility;
- slow seed germination.
How does New Zealand spinach differ from regular spinach?
Although tetragonia is not a relative of the familiar spinach, but belongs to a different family, crops have a similar taste, and therefore tetragonia has also come to be called spinach. And yet, the differences between these cultures are very significant:
- New Zealand spinach is a tall, branchy bush, while common spinach grows in the shape of a squat rosette;
- the leaves of New Zealand spinach can be consumed all summer, including during flowering, while garden spinach is good for food only before shooting;
- New Zealand spinach is a more productive crop compared to the usual one, since it very quickly grows new green mass instead of the cut one.
- according to gardeners' reviews, New Zealand spinach significantly surpasses the usual garden spinach in its taste.
Growing technology
The agricultural technology of New Zealand spinach is quite simple and practically does not differ from the technology of growing other leafy vegetables.
Landing dates
You can grow New Zealand salad both in the open field and in a greenhouse. Seeds are sown on the beds at the end of May; in the greenhouse, you can start planting about 2 weeks earlier. In the northern regions, it is recommended to start planting not earlier than June, since the plant does not tolerate frost. Due to the fact that this is an early ripening culture, and the collection of greens continues until late autumn, you can sow seeds almost all summer.
Sow crops and in the fall, then you can get the first green mass 1-2 weeks earlier.
The plant reproduces well by self-seeding. If you leave New Zealand spinach in the garden until late autumn, next year the seeds will sprout vigorously, so it is enough to plant the crop once, and then just take care of the plantings.
Site selection and soil preparation
New Zealand spinach prefers sunny areas, but grows well in partial shade. Best of all, he will feel on air-permeable fertile light and medium loamy soils. In the fall, the site is dug up, compost, superphosphate, lime and potash fertilizers are added. When growing crops on heavy clay soils, sand and fine sawdust are also added. In the spring, urea is additionally introduced.
The crop can grow alongside other leafy vegetables, but its tendency to overgrowth must be considered. Since New Zealand spinach grows slowly at the beginning of the growing season, other early maturing greens can be planted in the aisles: lettuce, radishes, watercress. While the spinach is gaining green mass, these crops will have time to ripen and they can be removed from the garden.
Seed preparation
Growing New Zealand spinach from seeds is easy. You can use both seedling and non-seedling methods.
Seedlings are driven out from mid-April, after soaking the seed in warm water for 48 hours - this will allow for earlier shoots. To prevent mold from appearing during this time, the water should be changed several times a day. It is better to sow seeds in small individual containers, placing 2–4 pieces in each. Can be planted in a cup and a whole seed box. After 2-3 weeks, one of the strongest plants is selected from the emerging seedlings and left.
Before planting in open ground, it is useful to harden the seedlings, taking them outside for several hours a day during the week.
Landing algorithm
New Zealand spinach grows strongly, therefore it needs a large area. Seedlings are planted according to the 50x50 cm scheme. Plants tolerate transplanting well, but you cannot plant them in open ground deeper than they grew in a pot.
When sowing seeds in open ground, they are buried 2-3 cm. You can sow with whole seed pods.
Before planting, the soil is fertilized with urea or ammonium nitrate at the rate of 5 g per 1 sq. m of land.
Care rules
Seedlings of New Zealand spinach, seeded in the ground, are thinned several times until the desired planting density is reached.
Grown plants 13–15 cm high are pinched to stimulate the formation of young green mass. In addition, shoots are cut every week. New Zealand spinach tolerates this procedure well and recovers green mass very quickly.
Despite the fact that tetragonia is a drought-resistant crop, it requires abundant watering to obtain delicate juicy greenery. With a lack of moisture, the leaves become coarse and lose their taste. Planting is usually watered once every two days; in case of dry summer, daily watering is allowed. Also, the plant needs periodic feeding with organics and mineral complexes. Fertilize New Zealand spinach 2-3 times per season - in the first week after planting, then every three weeks.
Like other crops, New Zealand spinach is loosened and weeded as needed.
If the air temperature drops below + 15 ° C, it is recommended to cover the planting beds with foil.
Diseases and pests
Gardeners who have already had time to get acquainted with this unusual leafy vegetable do not note its susceptibility to diseases. There are references to the danger of damage to plants by root fusarium rot, anthracnose, powdery fly, bear. The invasion of slugs and snails on young shoots can be especially troublesome.
Conclusion
New Zealand spinach or tetragonia is a leafy vegetable that will no doubt become popular with Russian gardeners. Those who have already encountered the cultivation of this unusual culture invariably speak well of its excellent taste and unpretentiousness and recommend it to other amateur gardeners.
