I'll get some seeds to you in the mail this week, Mr. Coleman.

I ate this stuff while in accompany of Arabs. I crave it. So, decided to grow it. Has a woody taproot much like dock. No real enemies. I've only grown it once and let it go to seed a bit. Will be interesting. I have rabbits, it's all good for me.

I would advise caution when letting it go to seed.

Mucilaginous like okra. I slip it into soups and stews to thicken (and for the fam). I nibble it raw while I'm in the garden. Goes excellent with garlic and lemon.
New trimmings were highly aromatic. I couldn't help but think it would be awesome to use in home made soaps. I've never smelled it like this before, could be because of my local climate and soil. Later, the cuttings were not so aromatic nor offensive to taste. I got four cuttings all year long by lobbing off just a few inches from the ground. Springs back very nicely. Can be dried to be used continuously thru the year.

I direct seeded when the ground was warm as with corn. Still got seed. You've seen my dirt. I did nothing special but keep it moist until it got about 5" tall. After that, it was pretty much neglected. Pretty plant, too.

bon

I may be getting some Moringa seeds, soon. Dunno if it's worth the trouble to grow here.

Bon, I have a friend who is growing moringa. He has a 3 year old tree he brings indoors in winter, I have so much to come inside already, I don't see bringing in a tree. I wonder if it would grow from cuttings. It is supposed to be very good for you. I can put you in touch with him if you like.

Amy and Bon,

We will need enough seed to plant about 400 row feet. I will be happy to pay for the seed.

Johnny

Here is a link that might be useful: Our food bank garden

Johnny, I don't have any seed, but if it comes down to it, I believe pinetree has it. They call it Melokhiya. Googling that name might bring up other sources.

Here is a link that might be useful: melokhya

Amy,

Thanks again. I have asked them how many seeds I need.

I am attracted to this food plant because it is drought tolerant, loves heat and is very nutritious.

Johnny

Johnny,

Since you are interested in finding more nutrient dense vegetables that like to grow here, I was wondering if you had ever thought of quinoa. It definitely qualifies as a nutrient dense plant. I honestly don't know if it grows well here, but think it might be a good candidate for a cool weather grain. It will germinate in soil as low as 40 and tolerates drought. I think it might handle temperature fluctuations, as it is native to the Andes and I image the temperature could fluctuate their as the sun passes behind and over mountains. There are a few challenges to growing in OK. First most varieties, but not all, have photo sensitivity. Second, above about 90 degrees, the plants may release the seeds, making spring planting somewhat risky.

I have been considering trialing quinoa varieties for years, but just don't have the backyard space to commit to multiple varieties. It seems that quinoa might be a good candidate, if the right variety were found. Or maybe this idea is pie in the sky and just my fascination with quinoa. What does everyone else think?

Happy Gardening
Andria

Andria,

Thanks, I'll read up on it.

Johnny

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden for the food bank

Johnny, have you seen this study by the CDC?

Here is a link that might be useful: Powerhouse fruits and vegetables

Amy,

Thanks a lot. I may post a link to this on our site.

Johnny

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden for the food bank

Gotcha covered with seed. Have more than I can give away. Rough week, tho. I'll have it in the mail on Monday. Don't worry bout paying anything.

Bon,

Thanks a lot. I have high hopes that our food bank recipients will eat it. I hope we can improve food sovereignty and food security in our community.

I just ran across this mention of quinoa at Double Helix farms. These folk grow it, and they are in Arkansas. So I suppose it will grow here. I understood that it was from about 5000' elevation in Peru and Ecuador and, therefore, it wouldn't like our climate. But, judging from this, I'd say it would be worth a try.

Two of us in Green Country Seed Savers will be making out an order, in the next week or two, so if anyone would like to go in with us on the order, to meet the $15 minimum, we could distribute our seeds after we get them.

David and Linda Hickey, who also participate on this forum, and who market garden for the Tulsa area, put me on to this company. They gave Little Bells tomato a rave review, and I'm going to order that one.

I have no personal experience with this company. But I do trust David and Linda's judgment. They like it. I really like their own description of themselves. This is a privately owned, regional seed company, and, to boot, they are doing some of their own breeding. We need more companies like this to spring up all over the place!

George
Tahlequah, OK

Here is a link that might be useful: Quinoa at Double Helix Farms

I just ran across this mention of quinoa at Double Helix farms. These folk grow it, and they are in Arkansas. So I suppose it will grow here. I understood that it was from about 5000' elevation in Peru and Ecuador and, therefore, it wouldn't like our climate. But, judging from this, I'd say it would be worth a try.

Two of us in Green Country Seed Savers will be making out an order, in the next week or two, so if anyone would like to go in with us on the order, to meet the $15 minimum, we could distribute our seeds after we get them.

David and Linda Hickey, who also participate on this forum, and who market garden for the Tulsa area, put me on to this company. They gave Little Bells tomato a rave review, and I'm going to order that one.

I have no personal experience with this company. But I do trust David and Linda's judgment. They like it. I really like their own description of themselves. This is a privately owned, regional seed company, and, to boot, they are doing some of their own breeding. We need more companies like this to spring up all over the place!

George
Tahlequah, OK

Here is a link that might be useful: Quinoa at Double Helix Farms

Darn it, George, yet another place that has special things I want. Sigh. But I think I will let you grow quinoa and see how it does for you. Please keep us updated.

My Egyptian spinach never got going. It is about 4" tall. Think it is the soil it's in. Interesting to know about the Japanese beatles! Johnny how did yours do? George what about the quinoa? I tried to start pigeon peas from Double Helix 2 different times. Nothing germinated.

Amy, I am forgetful. Perhaps I got some quinoa, but I didn't plant it and don't remember having it. Sorry!

Amy,

I have been overwhelmed with growing other things this year. That has been pushed into next year. We hope to hire an intern next year to help me. Volunteers have been in short supply.

Well, Johnny, since mine didn't do well, maybe thats a good thing.

Darn. I've often wondered if you had any Johnny and that I might get some from ya.

I direct seeded mine in nutritious slightly alkaline silty and clayey soil with a fair organic composure. I needed to keep it moist until it was about 6" tall. Much like corn, I suspect. I seeded six in the plot. 2 survived. Like Okra, once established they're happy except under severe drought. I saw something had chewed on them when they were seedlings. This worried me as I didn't know if this seedling mailed from Egypt would survive our bugs (and clay). I found they have taproots. Once established, it's good.

After the initial attack by bugs, they stopped growing for a little more than a week. Then they started growing steadily afterward. Not a single evidence of bug damage reappeared. (I don't have Japanese beetles. That part is good to know.)

I believe the plant halted to change its chemical composition to become resistant to those bugs. While this is an impressive characteristic, I think it altered the odor and taste, too. It was strong. They did not taste anything like I recall. In fact, they were so aromatic they would have been beneficial to use in home-made soaps as an aromatic. A bowl full of its leaves smelled like perfume. It's nothing I've smelled before. They did well in stews and soups for nutritional punch and thickener. I would pluck the leaves and eat them raw while in the garden. It was like taking a vitamn pill.

I asked my son-in-law about all this. He's just a great intuitive middle eastern gardener, not a plant chemist. I did recommend harvesting at 3" above grade. All of it. And, like he stated, it popped right back (three more times).

I hope to try again next year. Next year I hope to plant them in crappy soil - soil that is not as nutritious as this dirt I've been using. It's a weed, after all. I hope to try one as a perennial, too. Who knows? It might adapt with that taproot. I'll keep trying to see if I can get my favorite dish.

Mine are in pretty crappy soil, and they are growing soooo slow. Maybe its too wet.