{"product_id":"chia","title":"Chia","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCOMING SOON - DUE SEPTEMBER\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eChia has had something of a moment in supermarket aisles over the past decade, marketed as a superfood in puddings, smoothies and baked goods, but growing it yourself brings you back to where it actually comes from: an ornamental, purple-flowered plant from Central America with a history stretching back to the Aztecs, who prized it as both food and medicine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe plant itself is a pleasant surprise if all you know is the seed. It grows tall, with the soft, slightly aromatic foliage typical of the sage family, and produces spikes of small purple flowers that bees find hard to resist. Planted along a fence line or at the back of a vegetable bed, it earns its place as an attractive, useful border plant well before it sets any seed at all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThat last point matters for how you grow it. Chia is day length sensitive, meaning it only flowers and sets seed once the days start shortening in autumn, regardless of how early you sow it. Sow too early in spring and you will simply get a taller plant with a longer wait, rather than an earlier harvest. It pays to sow at the recommended time and let the plant do the rest on its own schedule.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eOnce the seed does mature, you are left with tiny, nutrient-dense seeds that are genuinely worth the wait, extraordinarily rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fibre and protein. They can be used whole sprinkled over yoghurt or salads, ground into flour, or soaked to form the gel often used as an egg substitute in baking. Growing your own also means you can harvest the seed heads for drying or use them fresh in the garden as a talking point for visitors who have only ever seen chia in a packet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eFor anyone keen to grow something a little different, that combines good looks, pollinator appeal and a genuinely useful harvest, chia is worth a spot in the garden this season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eSowing Chia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eSow from October through to November, once the weather has properly warmed. Soil temperature for germination should sit between 18-24°C, and seed typically takes 7-14 days to come up. Once seedlings are large enough to handle, thin or transplant to 30cm apart within the row, with 45cm between rows, giving the tall plants room to grow without crowding. Chia is day length sensitive, so resist the temptation to sow earlier than recommended. Plants flower and set seed once days shorten in autumn, with seed ready around 120-180 days from direct sowing.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kings Seeds NZ","offers":[{"title":"seeds","offer_id":49207676698932,"sku":"V8458.pkt","price":0.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0729\/0555\/6276\/files\/V8458-W.png?v=1784781485","url":"https:\/\/www.kingsseeds.co.nz\/products\/chia","provider":"Kings Seeds NZ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}