Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
How good King Henry got its name
Its common name shows that the plant has long been held in high regard. According to linguist
Jakob Grimm, Henry (German: Heinrich) comes from the Germanic
haganrich
(literally, “king
of the hedge”), which in turn is a name for a gremlin with goose's feet (definitely a member of
this family!) who helps out around the house and puts things where they belong. Its counterpart
is Böser Heinrich (Bad Henry), or dog's mercury, which is highly poisonous (though actually
unrelated to good King Henry).
CULTIVATION HISTORY
Good King Henry is thought to have originated in the eastern Mediterranean
region; wild plants that grew near settlements were first gathered and then cultivated. It has a long his-
tory as a medicinal plant, being used as a dressing for swelling and open wounds or as a salve for in-
fections; and before spinach showed up, it was one of the most popular leafy vegetables in Europe, re-
maining in high demand in English markets until the turn of the 20th century. Today good King Henry
is seldom grown in home gardens or found in markets.
QUINOA
Chenopodium quinoa
Quinoa (an Indian name for the plant) was an important part of indigenous agriculture. It is a pseudo-
cereal: not a cereal botanically but with a nutritional value and usefulness similar to cereal grains. Be-
cause it contains no gluten, it cannot be made into bread in the way gluten-containing grains can. It is,
however, highly interesting to people with celiac (UK: coeliac) disease or gluten allergies for this very
reason. Quinoa is a fairly nutrient-dense food: it is relatively high in essential amino acids (especially
lysine), unsaturated fat, magnesium, calcium, and iron. Young leaves and shoots can be eaten like spin-
ach.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
• 16 ft.
2
(1.5 m
2
) of plants or a quinoa field
POLLINATION NOTES
Quinoa is a self-fertile outcrosser. Its flowers have no petals and bloom in pan-
icles. There are contradictory claims to be found in the literature, but the likelihood of crossing seems
to depend on location (temperature, wind patterns, barriers) and variety. Observe an isolation distance
of at least 300 ft. (100 m). Use row covers for mechanical isolation.
GROWING FOR SEED
Quinoa thrives even in poor soils and, though it is generally heat-loving, it can
be grown most anywhere in zones 5 to 10 (almost all continental Europe). Sow midspring as soon as
the ground is warm enough. Weed often when plants are still young, as they develop more slowly than
most weeds. Spacing if seeding in rows: 10-12 in. (25-30 cm) between rows, 6 in. (15 cm) within the
row. Quinoa can also be started indoors: thin when plants have two true leaves, plant out when 4-6 in.
(10-15 cm) tall.
