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Horned Tetragon NT - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds

Tetragonia tetragonioides
New Zealand Spinach, Warrigal Greens, Botany Bay Spinach, Cook's Cabbage, Tetragon

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More information

Vigorous vegetable plant that resembles and cooks like spinach while offering a unique iodine flavor. It performs very well in heat and drought and does not go to seed. The sowing period extends from March to May for a harvest from July to October.
Ease of cultivation
Beginner
Height at maturity
60 cm
Spread at maturity
50 cm
Soil moisture
Damp soil
Germination time (days)
10 days
Sowing method
Direct sowing
Sowing period March to May
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Harvest time July to October
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Description

Horned Tetragonia, also known as New Zealand Spinach, is a vigorous vegetable plant that resembles and cooks like spinach while offering a unique iodine flavor. It performs very well in heat and drought conditions and does not go to seed. The sowing period extends from March to May for a harvest from July to October.

New Zealand Spinach is not, from a botanical point of view, a spinach but rather a distinct species called Tetragonia. It is an annual vegetable plant that belongs to the Aizoaceae family, which generally includes plants that are very resistant to drought. It is named Tetragonia because of the shape of its seeds, which have 4 sides.

Commonly grown in traditional vegetable gardens, Tetragonia seems to be making a comeback in recent years because, in terms of flavour, it is far from being a pale imitation of spinach: it is similar but its leaves are fleshy and have a very interesting, slight iodine taste. Many chefs have been incorporating it into their menus in recent years.

In cooking, Tetragonia is prepared like spinach and can be consumed raw or cooked, in salads, steamed, or quickly sautéed in a pan. It is a vegetable rich in vitamin C and minerals.

This plant grows fairly quickly to form, at maturity, a spreading clump that can reach 60 cm (24in) in height. Its leaves are triangular and particularly large. Unlike spinach, it does not easily go to seed even during episodes of intense heat.

Harvest: The harvest of New Zealand Spinach takes place approximately 3 months after sowing, leaf by leaf, depending on their growth and needs. The leaves located around the base are taken, which allows the heart to continue developing and producing new leaves without damage.

Storage: New Zealand Spinach does not keep well in the refrigerator as it tends to become soft. It is best to consume it a few hours after harvesting. However, you can freeze it after blanching it for 3 minutes in salted boiling water.

Gardener's tip: Once the soil is well warmed, we recommend mulching it with thin successive layers of grass clippings, if possible mixed with dead leaves. This protection, which keeps the soil moist and limits watering, also limits weed growth.

Untreated or "NT" seeds come from conventionally grown plants (often with the use of pesticides), however they do not undergo any treatment after harvest. These seeds are allowed in organic market gardening when organic seeds are out of stock.

Harvest

Harvest time July to October
Type of vegetable Leaf vegetable
Vegetable colour green
Size of vegetable Medium
Interest Flavour
Use Cooking

Plant habit

Height at maturity 60 cm
Spread at maturity 50 cm
Growth rate fast

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour medium green

Botanical data

Genus

Tetragonia

Species

tetragonioides

Family

Aizoaceae

Other common names

New Zealand Spinach, Warrigal Greens, Botany Bay Spinach, Cook's Cabbage, Tetragon

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Annual / Perennial

Annual

Product reference33591

Other Tetragon

17
From 2,50 € Seeds

Planting and care

Sowing: The germination temperature of horned tetragon is around 15°C (59°F), and germination generally occurs within 8 to 10 days, although it can sometimes be a bit difficult. We recommend soaking the seeds in water for 24 hours beforehand.

Sowing can be done from March, in a heated sheltered container. The seeds should be buried at a depth of 2/3 cm.

The final planting usually takes place in mid-May, once the risk of frost has passed.

Direct sowing in the ground is possible from mid-May to the end of June and should be done in groups of three seeds, with a spacing of 70 to 80 cm (28 to 32in) between plants.

Cultivation:

New Zealand spinach is a fairly demanding vegetable, especially in terms of nitrogen and potassium. It requires well-manured soil. It is advisable to apply mature compost (about 3 kg per m2) preferably in autumn, by raking to a depth of 5 cm (2in), after loosening the soil as with any vegetable cultivation. The addition of nitrogen-rich fertiliser, such as "blood and bone", is often beneficial. It prefers neutral to slightly acidic soils (pH between 5.5 and 7).

The young plants can sometimes be slow to start, so monitor watering closely and pinch the tips of the stems to encourage branching.

This is a ground-covering plant, so if your vegetable garden is small, don't hesitate to associate it with other vertically growing vegetables like tomatoes.

 

6
19,50 €
16
14,50 € Each

Seedlings

Sowing period March to May
Sowing method Direct sowing
Germination time (days) 10 days

Care

Soil moisture Wet
Disease resistance Good
Pruning No pruning necessary

Intended location

Type of use Vegetable garden
Hardiness Hardy down to -29°C (USDA zone 5) Show map
Ease of cultivation Beginner
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Any
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light), 192

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