Step-by-Step Growing Guide
New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides) fills a valuable niche — a spreading, heat- and drought-tolerant leafy green for conditions where regular spinach is impossible to grow. It thrives in well-draining, sandy to loamy soil with a pH of 6.0–7.0, tolerating saline soils, poor fertility, and coastal conditions that would defeat most vegetables. Sow seeds after the last frost; soak overnight in warm water to soften the hard seed coat and improve germination, which can otherwise take 3–4 weeks. Sow 1–2 cm deep, spacing plants 60–90 cm apart — they spread vigorously as low-growing groundcovers to 1 metre or more. Water moderately; the succulent stems store moisture effectively. Minimal fertilisation is needed — a base dressing of compost is sufficient. No staking required. It grows as an annual in most climates but self-seeds freely in mild frost-free regions.