Sorrel Type ... New Zealand Spinach

[Guest guest]

Hi Mark,

Here I have skunks and raccoons that don't let me cultivate without violently

re-digging the bed at night. I've been planning to set up some raised beds with

frames covered with remay or other screening. We get harlequin bugs on the

brassicas and the big shiny green Texas fruit beetles later on in the summer,

though there is not usually noticeable damage from the latter.

 

I am very fond of the New Zealand spinach, myself. It grows much faster than the

regular kind, given a little heat, though invasive and recurring. It has a good

flavor when cooked and a noticeable metallic taste when raw that no one tells

you about. Since I can grow it year round here and it mostly looks after itself,

a good patch can keep me in cooking greens when it seems I get too busy for

anything else. If you'd like some seeds (the plant makes tons so there's no

trouble keeping it ongoing, even in colder climates I'm told) send me a mailing

address off the list. I'll send more and faster if you have something you'd like

to trade, too.

 

Best to you,

 

Slim

 

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

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2495/2

 

 

, Mark Sutton <msutton wrote:

>

>

> Don't know... there are, if memory serves, two basic types of sorrel.

>

> These seeds came from the Hungarian brother-in-law of the friend I've been

doing the vegetable garden, et. al., with. The voles did a number on some of it

and I'm planting French Sorrel via seed tomorrow.

>

> Envious that you're in Zone 9... up here, the growing season is short to the

degree with have to start a lot of plants inside to get a jump on matters.

>

> Haven't done New Zealand spinach here (did on a farm I worked on years ago),

and hope to this season. Looks quite interesting.

>

> Biggest problem is flea beetles and their attraction to brassica plants. The

solution (non-chemical) is to cover them with a fine mesh row cloth (remay)

until they are large enough to weather the attack.

>

> Best, Mark (I get to put Kale, loose leaf lettuces, Spinach, Chard, Radishes,

and Rutabagas into the ground this week... maybe some turnip as well)

>