Growing Your Own Lambs Quarters

[steveoregon]

Has anyone here ever tried to grow your own Lambs Quarters? Lambs Quarters is a type of wild spinach. Grows in the wild and is considered a weed by many. I first heard about it from Victoria Boutenko - who uses it in her green smoothies. It grows in the wild where she lives in southern Oregon- and is more nutritious then regular spinach.

Looking for something nutritious to grow in my small back yard, I decided it would be Lambs Quarters. But where to get it? I don't know anyone who has some growing wild - and no nursery is going to carry starter plants.

Undetermined, I set out to look for seeds, and grow them myself. I found some of the regular Lambs Quarter seeds on ebay. I also found the more colorful 'Magenta Spreen' variety of Lambs Quarters on Seeds Of Exchange. HERE

The Magenta Spreen seeds I purchased had such a poor yield, that I wound up putting about 20 of the seeds in a sprouting jar to get the ones that would sprout (about one out of ten). Then transplanted them to a starter pod.

Once the starter plants took off, they were transplanted outside. They transplant very easily, with no visible signs of transplant shock. I didn't even have to harden them by setting them outside for a few hours a day first. As you can see, containers work just as well for growing your own. Insects leave these things alone. I repeat, insects leave these things alone, making them low maintenance plants. I only got a few holes in the very bottom leaves that were less healthy then the rest of the plant.

Magenta Spreen starter plant



Lambs Quarters grow very quickly with a little TLC. This is the Magenta Spreen after about four weeks.



Regular Lambs Quarters after about six weeks.



Lambs Quarters have an unusual characterstic at night - the leaves tend to fold up - like they are praying.


continued. . . .next message
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[steveoregon]

Just discovered you are only allowed to put four pictures in a single post . . .


Finally, these grow up to six feet easily within three months





As of today, I have started harvesting them for my green smoothies.

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[DebB]

Well ~ ~ WOW!!! I have to laugh, because I think they're beautiful! I've got LQ growing in my garden (came up by itself) and I'm just letting it grow right now without taking anything off of the plant because I want it to get bigger. They grow so fast, don't they?

I'm in love with your magenta LQ - how pretty :)

We're in the desert here in WA. In my yard I'm able to get (wild) dandelion, LQ and a little perslane. At a park in town I saw a lot of plantain. I didn't pick it though because I didn't know if it had been sprayed or not. I may pick the seed pods next time though.

Thanks for sharing your pictures ~ I love gathering the wild edibles. *Ü*

[steveoregon]

Deb,

I too have learned to pay attention to my naturally growing weeds - all of which seem to be edible. Growing naturally in my back yard are:

Pennsylvania Bittercress
Dandelions
Small Flower Willow Herb

I work next to a small lake, and I'm trying to familiarize myself with the natural edibles in the area.

Speaking of the desert, I grew in southern New Mexico.

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[spicyfull]

I thought they had fur. And looked like a Lamb's ear. I know that Weed, I have been pulling it ALL MY Life......THANKS FOR SHARING.

[T-Bird]

I've been trying to sprout some seeds for a while - so far no luck - the same kind magenta sort.

Will try again after vacay next week.

But have found some sild ones growing around the property.....thanks to your photos, I can call it a def ID.


Now needs to sucker myself into trying them, lol. I'm always squeamish about food of unknown origin like weeds.....worrying about a history of pesticide exposure on the past 50 years on the seeds....

Athough steve meyowitz addresses this and points to their fabulous tenacity on life.....something to consider.....