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GardenRN
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Spinach Malabar

I got some of these seeds from park seeds this year and started one plant inside. Looks like a very strong little plant and by far is the strongest, healthiest plant out of everything in the house right now. I mostly got it just to use in salads, the same place I use my other spinach. But in reading a little more about it I read a few things that say it has a tendency to get a bit slimy when cooked. Has anyone else grown this and do you know how true that is? I love cooked spinach, but I don't like slimy things when it comes to eating them. Just curious as to everyone's experiences.

I'm sure it will grow fast when it gets outside for one of our hot, humid Virginia summers!

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Avonnow
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Well I can tell you this, my mother bought some for me and I at the time could find nothing about it, as she forgot the name. I let it grow and it went like crazy, in fact it is growing in quite a few pots right now (from seeds) and I never composted this stuff, so I am not sure if the seeds blew over to the other pots or not. It is vining and will grow up poles and such. I never ate it as I was afraid not buying it myself, when I finally got the name from my moms pot she said she did eat it, - she isn't dead, and never said anything about it being slimy. So you may want to get first hand experience on the eating part, but it is very hearty. I am letting it grow this year and may try it mayself, I have a hard enough time getting other plants to thrive, might as well go with the flow. :D

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GardenRN
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haha...I hear ya. If you can grow it well, grow it, right? It definitely seems very hardy! If it helps you, everything I have read, including in the park seeds magazine where I ordered it, it can be used any way that spinach can, and also is used a lot in soups and stir fry. It's mostly used in Asian cuisine. You can look on the Park Seed website if you want. You may be able to find a little more about what you're looking for.

Thanks for your info!

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Avonnow
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Thanks, and I don't mean to sound like I didn't appreciate my mom buying it, but she got it from some roadside stand and frankly I just don't eat something because someone says "yeah you can" It does grow well though and it can grow upwards on a trellis - I like that because I have a small home garden, it grew all over my garden pole last year (like crazy), it also grew in the heat of the summer here in FL, which is also good, something to eat other then Okra and Eggplant. I think what scared me is that it gets a seed or fruit like thing that is white then black and it looked weird. I will go to Park and check it out. I do want to try it now that I see it is actually sold somewhere.

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!potatoes!
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gets fairly mucilaginous when cooked, imo, yeah. for similar growing habits but less slimy when cooked, try new zealand spinach.

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Avonnow
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Tahnks for the idea, never heard of it, but I looked it up and if it grows in warmer weather I am all for it, I love spinach and this past winter (for us about 2 months I did get some to come in) I love it - but as soon as the heat came, it is petering out, really drops in production. So I want to try this, Thank you! Do you know any seed vendor that carried it? I will search again if not.

DoubleDogFarm
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Territorial sells seed for both Malabar and New Zealand, but neither are spinach.

Malabar https://www.territorialseed.com/product/972/european_greens

New Zealand https://www.territorialseed.com/product/971/european_greens

Eric

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I didn't use the Malabar spinach by itself, I only used it in mixed greens, or chopped and cooked in scrambled eggs, for instance. I didn't notice any sliminess when cooked, but it does have a very slight slimy mouth feel when eaten by itself raw. It was not noticeable for me when mixed in with other greens - fresh or cooked. It loves the heat and produces flowers and seeds like crazy. It's hard to keep up with trimming off the flowers and lets just say, I don't think I'll need to buy Malabar spinach again. The red-stemmed vines are beautiful and it appears to love the heat here in Texas. The seeds are sometimes used as a natural dye, apparently, and they sure will stain certain things. Washes off the skin after several washes. :)

New Zealand spinach has a fairly thick, substantial leaf, to the point of having a bit of an odd mouth feel, but no slime. It does have a good flavor, very similar to true spinach. I did read in a few places that you shouldn't eat excessive amounts since it can be high in oxalates which can damage the kidneys and cause kidney stones. It also handled Texas heat with no problems, but doesn't really have a similar growth habit, it's a sprawling, low-growing plant.

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applestar
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Resurrecting this thread since I'm about to try growing Malabar Spinach this year 8) GardenRN, what did you think of it last year?

I did find this useful info:
https://www.gardening.cornell.edu/homegardening/scene9529.html#growinginfo

-- and am adjusting my planting plans due to reference about needing constant moisture....

DoubleDogFarm
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Applesauce,

You should try this one also. Mountain Spinach aka Double Purple Orach. Grows like a weed. Self-sowing.
https://www.territorialseed.com/product/973/european_greens

Eric

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applestar
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Great minds, Eric... I'm also going to grow Aurora Orach from Bountiful Gardens, which is at least the same species if not the same cultivar. I'm glad you posted the link because Territorial's instructions are slightly different. I'll try starting to sow them a little earlier than I'd originally planned. 8)

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applestar
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I started the Malabar Spinach yesterday and what a surprise!
The directions said to soak and rub off the fruit pulp. So I put the "seeds" in a shot glass and added warm water. The water INSTANTLY turned purple! :shock:

Rubbing off the pulp stained my fingers. It was fun! :> (Reminded me of playing with pokeweed berries)
Very large single seed inside the berry. I sowed 24 - seed "flat" on the heating mat.

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applestar
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Malabar spinach is a monster. I have seedlings of varying sizes with biggest with true leaves as big as my hand onlurid violet red 1/4" thick stems. :shock:

I think I'm going to have to harvest some of these leaves to save realestate under the lights and on the mats, and I may have to snip the growing tip of one particularly vigorous one but I'm afraid that might create a Hydra effect.... :shock:

I'll take pictures tomorrow before taking drastic measures if I remember. :wink:

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applestar
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I forgot to take pictures, but I've been "harvesting" the larger leaves and shoot tips to save realestate under the lights. I hope to be able to start planting the biggest of them out later in the week....

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applestar
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I told you they're monsters. :shock:
Look at them all taking up the space under these 24" lights :roll:
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/4d6c9cad.jpg[/img]

It's still kinda cool out there -- 60's/50's.
I think I'll wait to plant them outside until when I plant peppers and eggplants and sow cukes and winter squash... Maybe after next weekend. :wink:



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