It will quickly overtake other plants. If you live in a chillier zone, start the seeds indoors at about six weeks before the last frost. In some climates, Malabar spinach can become weedy. Malabar spinach also needs constant moisture to prevent the blossoming, which will turn the leaves bitter — ideally an area with a warm, rainy climate for optimal Malabar spinach care and growth. Malabar spinach can be grown from either seeds or cuttings. Some varieties have red stems. Four trellised plants will occupy a space 18 inches (45 cm) square at maturity. It is delicious mixed in with other greens in tossed salads. Found frequently in soups, stir-fries and curries, Malabar spinach holds up better than regular spinach and doesn’t wilt as rapidly. The vine should be trellised and two plants are sufficient for most families through the summer and fall growing season. Plant seeds in late spring, after the soil has warmed. Single Plants: 11" (30cm) each way (minimum) Mix in a balanced organic fertilizer when preparing the planting site. Sign up for our newsletter. Basella alba is a green leaf variety while the red leaf variety belongs to the B. rubra species, which has purplish stems. 9" (25cm) with 1' 1" (35cm) row gap (minimum). Space multiple plants about a foot apart. However you use Malabar spinach, this discovery is a boon for those of us that love our greens, but find the warm days of summer a bit too hot for their taste. Direct sow Malabar spinach seeds in USDA zone 7 or warmer, two to three weeks after the last frost date. Malabar spinach plants can be grown in part shade, which increases the leaf size, but it much prefers hot, humid and full sun exposures. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Wait to transplant until the soil has warmed and there is no chance of frost. Rows: 9" (25cm) with 1' 1" (35cm) row gap (minimum). Malabar spinach is typically grown on a tower, fence or tepee style trellis. 10 Unusual Vegetables for Adventurous Gardeners, Garden Design Ideas Using Vining Vegetables. When lightly steamed or stir-fried, the leaves resemble a cross between spinach and chard. Space transplants about 12 inches apart. Also known as Ceylon spinach, climbing spinach, gui, acelga trapadora, bratana, libato, vine spinach and Malabar nightshade, Malabar spinach is a member of the Basellaceae family. Malabar spinach is highly ornamental, and is easily trained up a trellis. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! After the first season, look for volunteer seedlings and move them to where you want them to grow. Malabar spinach has its place in the kitchen garden, providing cool, crisp greens for the long, hot summer days. In cool climates, you can give plants a two-week head start indoors. In the fall, gather up dead plants and compost them to limit reseeding in the garden. Clip leaves as you need them in the kitchen. Malabar spinach plant isn’t a true spinach, but its foliage does indeed resemble that green leafy vegetable. Delicious cooked, Malabar spinach is not as slimy as some other greens. Plant Malabar spinach transplants about a foot from a structure for the vine to crawl on it and plant only as deep as the spinach was originally growing. Four trellised plants will occupy a space 18 inches (45 cm) square at maturity. After the first season, look for volunteer seedlings and move them to where you want them to grow. Malabar spinach is highly ornamental, and is easily trained up a trellis. Malabar Spinach Care. To prune Malabar spinach, simply cut the thick, fleshy leaves while retaining some stem. Malabar spinach will grow well in a variety of soil conditions but prefers a moist fertile soil with plenty of organic matter and a soil pH of between 6.5 and 6.8. In cool climates, you can give plants a two-week head start indoors. If not spinach proper, what then is Malabar spinach? Although when cooked it tastes much like spinach, Malabar spinach raw is a revelation of juicy, crisp flavors of citrus and pepper. It can even be grown up the same trellis as peas, truly utilizing the garden space. Malabar spinach plants grow in India and throughout the tropics, primarily in the moist lowlands. Plant seeds in late spring, after the soil has warmed. Some varieties have red stems. Well-adapted to high temperatures, even into the 90s F. But growth is disappointing when temperatures stay below 80 F. Requires consistent moisture to keep from flowering, which causes bitterness in leaves. Malabar spinach is a tropical plant that tolerates neither frost nor cold soil. Once you have a good crop to harvest, using Malabar spinach is just like using regular spinach greens. Asparagus. Malabar spinach will grow well in a variety of soil conditions but prefers a moist fertile soil with plenty of organic matter and a soil pH of between 6.5 and 6.8. In India, it is cooked with spicy chilies, chopped onion and mustard oil. Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area. While the dark green leaves resemble those of spinach, this is a vine type of plant that thrives in hot temps, even exceeding 90 F. (32 C.) Cool temperatures cause Malabar spinach to creep. Malabar spinach is a vigorous climbing plant that needs a trellis or other support. Malabar spinach is typically grown on a tower, fence or tepee style trellis. 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