Do you love spinach but hate when it bolts?
Try growing heat-tolerant orach instead.
Orach(Atriplex hortensis)is an ancient plant that has been cultivated for thousands of years.
Credit:Laurie Black
Orach seeds are also delicious stirred into soups or ground into homemade flour.
Choose a location that receivesfull sunto part shade.
Orach, spinach, Swiss chard, and beets are all members of the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae).
Practicing crop rotation prevents pests and diseases, plus avoids unilateral nutrient depletion of the soil.
How and When to Plant Orach
Orach is grown much like spinach.
Sow the seeds outdoors in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked.
After the orach seedlings develop their true leaves, thin them so the plants are about 6 inches apart.
Pulled seedlings make excellentmicrogreenson fresh garden salads and sandwiches.
Orach Care Tips
Orach is a beginner-friendly plant that tolerates a range of growing conditions.
It is much more heat-tolerant than spinach, making it easier to grow.
Soil and Water
Orach prefers rich,well-draining soilwith apH between 5.6 and 7.8.
It tolerates soil with high salinity levels.
Although orach is relatively drought-tolerant, the taste and texture of this plant improve with regular watering.
Temperature and Humidity
Orach seeds germinate fastest when the soil temperature is between 50 and 65 degrees.
It grows in most humidity levels as long as the soil is kept moist.
orach likely wont need additional fertilizer.
Sow seeds 1 inch apart in a 1-gallon or larger pot.
After they germinate, thin them to the most robust seedlings and space them about 6 inches apart.
The further apart they are spaced, the larger they will grow.
Pests and Problems
Orach is naturally resistant to most garden pests but it sometimesattracts aphids.
These tiny, sap-sucking insects often cluster together on plant leaves and stems and may secrete a sticky honeydew.
To save orach seeds, wait for the seed heads to dry thoroughly on the plant stem.
Then, cut the stem and place it into a paper bag.
If any moisture remains, allow the seeds to continue to dry indoors.
Shake the bag when the seeds are dry to separate the seeds from the stalk.
Orach seeds are covered with a papery external layer that covers the tiny seed inside.
They can be sown either with or without the papery layer.
Store the seeds in an airtight container out of direct sunlight until the following spring.
It is generally harvested from June until the hard frosts of autumn.
Regularly pinching off the leaves encourages orach to produce more leaves as well.
They are striking additions to any flower arrangement.
The leaves are gold with hints of ruby and excellent for salads.
Golden Orach
Golden orach is a rare heirloom variety that is excellent in fresh salads or cooked.
Golden orach features bright green leaves that are rich in vitamin A and other antioxidants.
It is suitable for growing as a microgreen.
The leaves are harvested as microgreens or as fully grown leaves.
Both plants enjoy plenty of water, and they handle full sun or part shade.
Garlic
As a low-growing plant, you wont need to worry aboutgarliccompeting with orach for sunlight.
Garlics strong scent will also help repel garden pests that may otherwise nibble on orach leaves.
Regular pinching also slows down seed development and improves the flavor of the orach leaves.
Because orach does not transplant well, it is not recommended to start the seeds indoors.
Since the plant is frost-hardy, it is best to directly sow seeds outside in the spring.
