Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners is a citizen science program





'Fire Red' Orach
 
Sub-Category: None
 
Sub-Category 2:
Description: Improved red orach. Rapidly growing, erect plants with brilliant crimson-purple, arrowheadshaped leaves. Harvest for baby greens in 22 days.
Days To Maturity: 22-40
Seed Sources:
 
Rating Summary
 
Overall: (5.0 Stars)Overall
Taste: (5.0 Stars)Taste
Yield: (5.0 Stars)Yield
Ease/Reliability: (5.0 Stars)Ease/Reliability
 
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Number of Reviews: 1

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Reviewed on 08/15/2021 by Creed - An experienced gardener

Overall Overall
Taste Taste
Yield Yield
Ease/Reliability Ease

Pierce, Washington, United States
Frost Free Season: 183 - 203 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day

Amazing! I am so glad that I stuck with this and got it going. I purchased packaged seed from a seed stand at a grocery store. Planted it in 2019. Nothing. In 2020 I decided to plant it again (used the same seed/from the same packet and this time I planted the entire packet of seeds--bad seeds). One plant. So that one plant has forever changed my gardening and I am delighted to say I will forever have orach! I decided that I wasn\'t going to waste money on seed packets and let my one plant (which grew to over 7 feet tall) go to seed. In the early spring of 20201I was surprised to find orach plants germinating by the hundreds! I thinned and gave away a lot of plants and some met their demise in the compost pile or the salad plate. I let about 12 grow and also planted several seeds for the lime green orach for contrast. (all of those germinated, no problem, no special treatment). So, my Fire Red Orach grow to between 7 and 8 feet tall if I don\'t cut it off. The upper leaves tend to be a darker red color, the lower leaves are magenta and stunningly beautiful when backlit with sun shine! I love the taste of it, it is mild, but some of the leaves do have a bit of a sour or lemon taste to them. I don\'t normally like sour, but this is so mild that I enjoy it. Orach is incredibly in salads and I also use the bigger leaves for wraps. I love to put it in my fruit smoothies, it does add a bit of flavor, but because of the color there is none of the green spots you get with kale. So, this year, I am lopping off the tops as they form start to form seeds to dry for decorations. I found another packet of the Fire Red packaged for this year. Next year I will be growing ONLY the Fire Red and will save my seed (won\'t save from this year because of planting the lime green in with my fire red). I believe that I just had bad seed the first year. Orach fills all of my requirements for a great garden plant. It germinates easily (with good seed), requires very little care. No problems with pests. Grows like a weed (I LOVE plants that grow like weeds, worry free). It is gorgeous enough to be used as an ornamental. It is delicious and the leaves can be used in multiple ways.\r\nAs a seed source (if one can\'t find it on the seed rack at the store)--I obtained my green from Frank Morton at Wild Garden seeds. He has raises his own and has several different colored varieties available. https://www.wildgardenseed.com/\r\n\r\nI am giving this 5 stars for ease/reliability because I believe that the seeds I bought the first year were bad/damaged some how (heat?)
 




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