Quinoa is a high-protein grain you can easily grow at home. It is cooked just like rice, and as well as tasting good, it is rich in lysine, giving a good nutritional balance to your meal.
The grain is naturally protected from insects, rodents and birds by a yellow soapy coating that tastes bitter. This is easily removed – by soaking the seed overnight to soften the soap, then rubbing it and rinsing several times in cold water before cooking. It’s no more hassle than soaking dried beans before you use them, and means that you lose less of the crop to the beasties in your garden.
‘Rainbow’ Quinoa
This is a diverse population of different colours all selected for an open flower-shape that sheds water easily and helps grow good seed even in slightly damper climates (like, for example, the west coast of Wales where we are . . .)
Note that at first you might question the name - as it starts to grow, it seems to be just different shades of green. But wait patiently! As the seed ripens, they do indeed go all different colours, making an impressive display.
It does very well for us, reaching about 6 feet tall by the end of July, even in colder years. The plants flower in July/August, and seed is ready in Sept/Oct.
Bred for home gardeners.
200 seed, organic. £2.66
‘Temuco’ Quinoa
From South America, & has very open seed-heads that help shed the rain. A good choice for the wetter or windier parts of the UK, we find that this is always a heavy producer.
Quinoa seeds are yellow when harvested (see picture) and are just soaked in water to remove the coating of natural saponins before cooking (otherwise they taste 'soapy'). This is why bought seed is white - it's been pre-washed for you. The advantage of this 'soapiness' is that it puts off the birds from eating the seed, so less need for netting or small boys throwing stones!
Both drought and wet tolerant. Instructions for seed collection included but it's pretty simple!
200 seed, organic. £2.29