Prepper Garden: Grow Quinoa Part One

Quinoa can be considered one of the ultimate prepper staple foods. It is much less labor intensive to grow and process compared to other grains like rice. It is high in protein and easy to cook.

Quinoa is a grain. A grain combined with a legume makes a complete protein which feeds most of the planet. Also the young leaves are edible and taste similar to spinach. They can be used in salad or cooked as a vegetable.

Quinoa can be grown in a 5 gallon bucket with drain holes, raised bed, or in ground. You can find the organic seeds in the bulk section of the health food store. The stalk grows 4 to 6 feet high. USDA grow zone 4-10. Requires full sun.

Plant seed 1/4 inch deep and 2-3 inches apart after no frost in Spring. Keep soil moist until germination in 4-7 days. Thin when seedlings are a few inches tall and space 12-28 inches apart. Water moderately and stop watering at end of Summer.

In windy areas, secure stalk with twine and stake when a few feet tall to keep plant from blowing over, or run cord the length of row on both sides of plant and secure to stakes at both ends of row.

Harvest when mature and dry after 100 to 120 days. Cut seedhead from stalk. If not fully dry, you can hang dry. Seed has no hull to remove. Thresh seeds by hand over a container by rubbing seedhead between both bare hands or wearing gloves letting seeds fall into container. Some additionally use a wire coarse mesh colander and lastly place in water letting chaff float and remove.

Winnow chaff by slowly pouring from one bucket or tray into second bucket or tray with natural wind or a house fan blowing away chaff and stems. Continue process until seeds are clean. The seeds are now ready for storage.

The quinoa plant typically produces 1 to 2 ounces of seeds, but can produce up to 6 ounces if grown in fertile soil. Quinoa plants can produce 6 to 26 pounds of grain per 100 square feet which is 10 feet by 10 feet. Using this figure averaged to 20 pounds, you would need about 750 square feet to produce 150 pounds of quinoa, enough for one person for one year.

Related Videos

Prepper Garden: Grow Quinoa Part Two
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Prepper Garden: Quinoa Harvesting
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