Contents
Orach growing tips
What is orach like?
- Annual plant of the Amaranthaceae family, up to 2 meters high.
- Stem erect and branched, glabrous, fast growing.
- Leaves are triangular, with sinuous or serrated edges, supported by a petiole that becomes shorter and shorter in the upper leaves.
- Axillary panicles composed of numerous tiny flowers. It is a monoecious plant and has male and female flowers. It blooms in summer, from July to August.
- The fruit is a rounded achene, 2-4mm. and reddish color.
Orach required climate and soil
- Plant of temperate climates. Average temperature 15 – 18ºC.
- Grows in full sun and does not tolerate shade.
- Resistant to frost and drought.
- Type of soil: from light or sandy to clayey, fresh, well drained.
- Edaphic reaction of neutral or slightly basic pH: from 7.6 to 8.5. They can be found in very alkaline soils.
- Tolerates salinity
Orach reproduction and maintenance
- Orach plant reproduces by seeds.
- Broadcast sowing in orchard, between March and June. The seeds germinate at 8 – 15 days.
- The first weeding should be made in spring, when the young and tender plants are harvested as the first vegetable of the year.
- Procure a distance between plants of at least 25 cm.
- Irrigation periodically the first weeks, especially in dry climates.
Orach harvesting
- It is a fast growing plant and its harvest can be done 1 – 2 months after sowing.
- An adult plant can produce about 400g. of vegetables.
- When harvesting, a seed plant is usually left in the orchard, which will produce a large amount of seeds and reproduce practically alone due to its scarce environmental requirements. This is one of the reasons why orach is a common weed in the uncultivated lands and orchards.
Orach diseases and pests
- This plant does not present major problems of pests and diseases.
- Because of its rapid cultivation, this plant generally does not require pest control.
More information on orach
This article was endorsed by Julián Masats - Technical agricultural engineer specialized in horticulture and gardening.
