How to Plant Verdolaga
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Beldroega, also known as beldroega-común, beldroega-das-hortas and purslane, is a plant of uncertain origin that currently grows spontaneously in much of the world. Its succulent leaves and branches can be consumed raw in salads or in cooked, refried or roasted dishes. It is appreciated in soups for having mucilaginous properties, thus acting as a thickener. It is also used as a medicinal herb.
The branches and leaves are very nutritious, being the vegetable richest in omega-3 fatty acids that is known. However, they also contain oxalic acid and therefore should not be consumed in large quantities. The flavor of the beldroega is acidulated, but this can vary with the growing conditions and the time when the branches are collected. In conditions of low water availability and / or high temperatures, beldroega changes its normal metabolic pathways for the acid metabolism of crassulaceae, which basically consists of absorbing carbon dioxide during the night and storing it as malic acid until the incidence of sunlight during the day, when malic acid is metabolized in glucose. In this way, plants growing in these conditions have a more acid taste if harvested at the beginning of the morning and less acid if they are harvested at the end of the afternoon.
The seeds can also be eaten raw or cooked, but they are very small. The seeds can also be ground and added to a cereal flour.
There are several natural and cultivated varieties of beldroega, including cultivars that are used as ornamental plants.
Weather
This is a plant adapted to various climatic conditions, growing well in the temperature range from 15 ° C to 35 ° C. It does not withstand very cold and freezing temperatures. It needs direct solar lighting.
Ground
It can be grown on any type of soil, including heavy and compacted soils. However, the ideal is a well drained soil, light, deep, fertile, rich in organic matter, with pH between 5.5 and 7.
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Irrigation
Irrigate to keep the soil always moist, without getting soaked. When it is well developed it can withstand periods of drought, but the branches and leaves will have better quality and flavor if there is no lack of water.
Plantation
The sowing is done by seeds. Seed in the final place of the garden or in sowings, sachets for molts or paper cups, transplanting when the seedlings have 4 to 6 true leaves. The seeds should be covered only by a light layer of screened earth or fine split.
The recommended spacing varies from 30 to 80 cm between the planting lines and from 25 to 40 cm between the plants, depending on the size of the cultivated variety and the growing conditions.
Beldroega can also be easily cultivated in vessels.
Remove invasive plants that are competing for resources and nutrients.
Beldroega can be an invasive plant difficult to eradicate, since each plant can produce a large number of small seeds and these can remain viable for more than a decade. However, it is often also considered an invasive beneficiary in plantations, as it is considered a companion plant for several others.
Harvest
The harvest of the branches and leaves of the beldroega can be done from 60 to 80 days after sowing. Remove the branches or leaves individually when necessary or paste monthly, cutting the branches approximately 10 cm above the ground.