While we are in the midst of hot summer weather it is a good time to reconsider what is growing in our gardens. It is also good to think about the time we actually have to spend there, in the midst of other activities. Notice what is doing the best as the summer progresses, especially with little attention other than picking. Some crops tend to shut down if the temperature gets too high. For Malabar spinach, however, the hotter the better. It is a tropical plant that loves the heat.
The brassica crops, such as kale and collards that I grow for greens from fall till spring, do not hold up well in Zone 7 to our warm summer nights (in the 60s and 70s)) and hot days (regularly in the 90s). Lettuce likes cool weather, also, but can be coaxed along in the summer with some shade and lots of water. Malabar spinach doesn’t need that kind of attention.
What you see in the photo is red-stemmed Malabar spinach (Basella rubra). There is also a green-stemmed variety (Basella alba). I prefer the red for climbing up the trellis in my garden. You can find some nuances of the red and green varieties at Homeplace Earth. In his upcoming book,Eat Your Greens: the surprising power of homegrown leaf crops, David Kennedy suggests that you can grow Malabar spinach in hanging pots. That sounds interesting and if I had limited space I might consider it. But then I’d have to remember to water the pots; something I’m not too good at. Could you imagine walking out to your deck and cutting the leaves and stems for your stir fry just before cooking dinner? They would just be hanging there waiting for you!
Malabar spinach can be eaten raw, but is often eaten cooked. The texture of the leaves is a little mucilaginous, which I don’t find to be a deterrent. That makes it good for your digestive system. As you are making notes of what to have in your garden next summer, if you haven’t grown Malabar spinach yet, I hope you put it on the list of new things to try.
Learn more about Cindy Conner and what she’s up to atwww.HomeplaceEarth.wordpress.com.