{"product_id":"quinoa","title":"Quinoa","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eQuinoa has become a familiar name in the health food aisle, but few gardeners realise how easily it can be grown at home. This NZ grown seed produces a highly nutritious Andean grain crop, a plant with a history stretching back thousands of years in the Andes of South America, where it was a staple food long before it reached supermarket shelves here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eWhat sets quinoa apart from most home-grown grains is the sheer visual impact of the crop itself. As the seed heads mature, they colour up in vibrant shades of red, gold and cream, turning a vegetable bed into something that looks more like a flower border than a food crop. It is one of those plants that draws comments from anyone walking past the garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe nutritional case for growing quinoa is just as compelling as the look of it. It is one of the few plant foods that contains a complete protein, meaning it supplies all the essential amino acids the body needs, alongside being naturally gluten free. That makes it a genuinely useful addition for anyone looking to grow more of their own staple foods rather than relying entirely on the supermarket.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eQuinoa is often thought of as a crop that needs a cool mountain climate to succeed, but it has proven surprisingly adaptable to New Zealand conditions, making it a realistic option for home gardeners rather than something reserved for specialist growers. It is a rewarding plant to grow at home, whether your interest is in self-sufficiency, an unusual talking point in the vegetable patch, or simply the satisfaction of harvesting and processing your own grain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eOnce harvested, quinoa seed needs a thorough rinse before cooking to remove its natural bitter coating, a small extra step that is easily built into your kitchen routine and well worth it for a grain you have grown yourself from start to finish.\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 Quinoa\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eSow direct from September through to November. Soil temperature for germination should be between 15-20°C, with seed typically taking 7-14 days to come up. Once seedlings are large enough to handle, thin to 30cm apart within the row, with 60cm between rows. Plants mature and are ready for harvest 90-120 days from direct sowing, once the seed heads have coloured up and dried on the plant.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kings Seeds NZ","offers":[{"title":"500 seeds","offer_id":49207676830004,"sku":"V8452.pkt","price":4.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true},{"title":"500 grams","offer_id":49207713759540,"sku":"V8452.500grW","price":13.65,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1 kilogram","offer_id":49207713792308,"sku":"V8452.1kgW","price":24.55,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2.5 kilogram","offer_id":49207713825076,"sku":"V8452.2.5kgW","price":52.1,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true},{"title":"5 kilogram","offer_id":49207713857844,"sku":"V8452.5kgW","price":83.35,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0729\/0555\/6276\/files\/V8452-W.png?v=1784781445","url":"https:\/\/www.kingsseeds.co.nz\/products\/quinoa","provider":"Kings Seeds NZ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}