Chenopodium quinoa - Quinoa - Seeds

Description

• Amaranthaceae Caryophyllales
• Peruvian Andes (2000-4000m)
• H 200cm x W 50cm
•  Z5 
• Annual
• Synonym: -
• 1 Packet of 50 Seeds
  (white seed, sweet quinoa, variety Peppermint - 100-120 days)

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Detail

Chenopodium quinoa is a pseudocereal cultivated on a large scale for its seed

Originating from the Peruvian Andes, Quinoa was domesticated by native tribes between -5000 and -3000, from an initial use as fodder crop

Chenopodium quinoa is an annual herbaceous plant 1 to 2m tall, closely resembling its cousin, the common weed Chenopodium album

Quinoa grows fast, forms tall vegetation, branched in a spindle, on a strong stem anchored to the ground by a strong root system

The leaf is alternate, murky green, pruinose, wide in the lower part of the plant and small at the top, often three-lobed, triangular, and measures up to 15cm long

The flower, tiny and without petals, sessile, is often hermaphrodite, sometimes female

The flowers are gathered by hundreds in more or less dense and variously colored panicles, depending on the variety

The Panicles measure 30 to 80cm long

Flowers mainly self-pollinate (90%)

They yield an achene (single seed), and each panicle can produce 1/2 kg of seeds

The Quinoa seed is small (2mm), highly nutritious, rich in proteins, essential minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and is gluten-free

There are many varieties of Quinoa, categorized into 5 "ecotypes" based on their origin
(low altitude coastal regions, arid valleys, subtropical zones, Altiplano desert, and high altitude mountainous areas)

The characteristics of the seed vary depending on the variety
(size, color, saponins concentration, etc.)

The variety Peppermint offered here is a Sweet Quinoa, which produces tall plants (1.8-2m), strong, vigorous, and resisting to shedding

Peppermint Quinoa is very productive, perfect for mountainous regions with short seasons (d2h 100-120 days)

It is currently the only variety that has succeeded on our farm after testing several unluckily

Its Panicles are dense, amaranth-shaped, first green, then ivory when ripe

They release an abundance of small, white seeds, which do not germinate on the plant during rainy periods

The seed is easily detached from the dried panicles after harvest, and requires few additional easy cleaning steps

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Cultivation

Sow directly in place after the last frost, or earlier in the nursery for planting at the beginning of June

Clean, well-plowed, deep, leveled soil, sunny place, protected from strong winds

Sow on the surface, scratch and pack lightly

Structure your plot in rows spaced 60cm apart, not packing the plants less than 40cm apart in a row

Weed the seedlings until the Quinoa plants take off

Thereafter their exuberant growth will take care of itself

Harvest in late summer or early fall

Duration to Harvest ≈ 100-120 days

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Good to Know

When the panicles change color and turn ivory, harvest time is closing

Monitor regularly when the seeds begin to fall off easily

Then cut the stems halfway up

Let them dry for a few days hanging upside down

Hit them in a large piece of cloth to extract the seeds

Then sift, rub, and vent the seeds to clean them

Finally, finish drying them perfectly in the sun before storing in airtight jars