tree spinach

[fi]

 am growing tree spinach this year as one of garden organics members experiments.  i have never grown tree spinach,  should i grow it at home where garden more sheltered or on my allotment which is a bit exposed? anybody know how strong or tender this spinach is?  the seeds arrived last week and i can't believe how tiny they are!

[Ninnyscrops.]

I was given two small plants last year, one I grew in a sheltered spot in the garden, which didn't do too well. The other up at the plot (very exposed) which really took off and grew to about 5 feet.

I didn't try the spinach as I read warnings about people with any history of kidney problems not to eat it (I'd had a tiny problem when I was about 21!) 

A good architectural plant if nothing else  It will self-seed too.

Hopefully fi,  someone will post about the flavour.

Ninny

[Georgie]

I've grown tree spinach for a number of years as an ornamental.  I grow one plant to a 30cm pot against a north facing fence and it's as tough as old boots - reaching about 180cm or more - but then my London garden is quite sheltered compared to some.  I read somewhere that the stems can be used to make walking canes so I wouldn't be too concerned about it being exposed.

Hope this helps.  

G x

[Vinlander]

Best as an ornamental or use the tiny leaves to brighten up a salad (I grew the kind with blush on the new growth).

Doesn't have the flavour or succulence of proper spinach or NZ spinach or even spinach beet and amaranths.

It's OK - better than orache but still not much better than boiling up slips of paper.

Its only real virtue is drought resistance.

[erikborgo]

I've grown Chenopodium giganteum, a variety of Tree Spinach that thrives in the UK producing 7ft tall plants.  Please look at this article on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chenopodium_giganteum

It grows as a small bush if you crop the tender shoots when the plants grow to about 2ft: they are really, really delicious if chopped fine and sweated in a pan with a bit of oil, garlic, onion, salt, pepper.  It really is the most delicious green you can grow and the most nutritious too.  When young it tastes like a cross between well cooked Kale, Spinach (as a Chonopodium, it is related) with a faint Asparagus aftertaste.

Also, it is supremely productive - not only do you get massive plants on any patch of clear land, you also get thousands of seeds for the following year from every tree at the end of the season which is late October.  Like many plants, if eaten after the plant has flowered, it's too late and the flavour will have fled.

This is an amazing, nutritious, delicious, green leafy vegetable plant and I highly recommend growing and eating it. 

[grannyjanny]

Just read your link erikborgo & it sounds lovely. As it has so many seeds you might consider saving some for a ssed swap at some time  .

[earlypea]

Thanks Erikborgo    and welcome.....

I really appreciate advice on how to crop and eat any of the chenopodia family.  It's the missing link.

Unlike Vinlander I find some of them very worthwhile in the kitchen, but at the right stage.  Orach is fabulous at the tender stage before secondary branching (anyway I said before) - better than spinach!!!

This year I've gone for Huazontle, not as nice as Orach but the tender tips with the flower buds are a tasty dark green with added brocolli type texture and its prolific, cropping over and over like broccoli. Beyond that it's also a bit of an architectural beauty on the plot.  I'll be growing that again.

Sadly my tree spinach failed to germinate, but now I know it's worthwhile I'll try again.

[Ninnyscrops.]

Sadly my tree spinach failed to germinate, but now I know it's worthwhile I'll try again.

If only you had posted this about a couple of weeks ago I could have sent you some seedlings  I've been weeding them out of my leeks! 

I'll keep an eye out for any more and save them for you, if you'd like them, no promises........

Ninny

[earlypea]

I'll keep an eye out for any more and save them for you, if you'd like them, no promises........

Cheers Ninny    bit late for this year tho'

I have the same problem with ex-leeks - I could send you some.