Quinoa is an ancient, nutritious food native to the mountains of South America. Seeds can be cooked, roasted, or ground into flour. Young leaves are delicious cooked like spinach. This blend has striking colors of hot pink, burgundy, red, orange, yellow, white, and green. Grows best in climates with moderately warm days (lower than 95°F) and cool nights. Fairly drought tolerant. Deer resistant.

Days to Maturity: 90–120 days

Family: Amaranthaceae

Native: Southern and western South America

Hardiness: Frost-tolerant annual

Exposure: Full sun

Bloom Period: Flowerheads appear in late summer, and last until first hard freeze.

Plant Dimensions: 4'–7' tall, 18"–24" wide

Variety Info: 4"–12" flower heads in colors of hot pink, royal burgundy, red, pumpkin orange, light yellow, creamy white, lime green.

Attributes: Drought Tolerant, Deer Resistant, Frost Tolerant

When to Sow Outside: RECOMMENDED. Cold Climates: 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is 45°–50°F. Mild Climates: Sow in winter for maturity prior to summer's heat.

When to Start Inside: 1 to 2 weeks before your average last frost date.

Days to Emerge: 3–4 days

Seed Depth: ¼"

Seed Spacing: A group of 2 seeds every 12"–18"

Thinning: When 1" tall, thin to 1 every 12"–18"

Harvesting: Quinoa is ready to harvest about 90 to 120 days after sowing, when the leaves have fallen, leaving just the dried seedheads. Harvest before heavy autumn precipitation and before seeds start falling to the ground. Seeds can be easily stripped upwards off the stalk with a gloved hand or shaken out over a bucket.