New Zealand spinach and relatives - The Manual of Seed Saving - page 161

GROWING FOR SEED Seed is slow to germinate, needing up to six weeks. Soaking seeds for 24 hours
can be helpful; the warmer the growing medium, the faster they germinate. Seed can be started in late
winter and planted out after the last spring frost. Plants start to grow vigorously at soil temperatures of
77°F (25°C) and can eventually cover up to 10 ft. 2 (1 m 2 ) of garden bed space. It is important to keep
this area weed-free until the plant reaches its full size.
Although New Zealand spinach is very drought-resistant, it grows more vigorously and yields better
when well watered.
HARVEST Seeds are found individually in capsules in the leaf axils. Since ripe capsules fall easily
from the plant, harvest them when brown and dry them; they will then turn black. The large, hard
seeds have four points or “horns,” hence the generic name Tetragonia . Plants can also be cut at the
base and laid out on an underlay to dry. Further cleaning of the seed is not necessary. It is not uncom-
mon to see volunteer plants the following year, whose leaves will ripen later than plants started early
indoors.
SELECTION CHARACTERISTICS In Europe there are no known individual varieties, as little breeding
work has been done on New Zealand spinach. Selection possibilities include:
• vigorous growth
• cold tolerance
• tender leaves
DISEASES AND PESTS Arche Noah has yet to encounter a disease affecting New Zealand spinach in a
negative way. Aphids, which occasionally visit plants individually, could potentially spread cucumber
mosaic virus.
New Zealand spinach leaves and blossoms
CULTIVATION HISTORY Although this plant obviously has its common name from New Zealand, it can
also be found growing wild along the coasts of Australia, Japan, and China. The naturalist Sir Joseph