Orach Green Plume, Atriplex hortensis seeds
Orach is a member of the amaranthus family, grown primarily for its edible leaves. However, if you allow the plant to flower, it will develop tall spikes with seedpods that make fantastic bouquet fillers! If you have a garden with both vegetables and flowers, you can first harvest part of the leaves for consumption and then enjoy orach as an ornamental plant. Additionally, you can cut some of the stems to create homegrown bouquets, as the stems with seedpods last a long time in a vase.

For those who appreciate dried flower bouquets, pick fresh stems with seedpods and dry them upside down. The dried pods will look fresh and green throughout the winter.”

Planting information to grow Orach from seed:
Plant type: half-hardy annual
Height: 150-200 centimeters
Position: full sun
Start: from 4-6 weeks before the last frost under glass or after frost outside
Germination: 7-14 days,15-18°C
Number of days until plants bloom: 80-90 days
Distance between the plants: 30 centimeters
Pinching: yes, when 30 cm
Number of seeds per pack: 150

How do I grow orach from seed?
Sow the seeds a few weeks (4-6) before your last frost date in seed trays (40 cell trays with a 4 to 5 cm cell size) and lightly cover the seeds with soil. The seeds will germinate in about one to two weeks, depending on the temperature. For optimal results, it’s recommended to start the seeds in a greenhouse where the seedlings have shown good growth.

For successive harvests, consider sowing the seeds a second time, a few weeks later, for a second flush of greens towards the end of summer and early autumn.

To encourage the plant to produce more stems, it is advisable to pinch the tips out when the seedlings reach a height of about 30 centimeters. This can be done by cutting a small part of the top of the stem.

While supporting the orach plants is not a must, it is worth noting that providing support may be necessary, especially if the plants become top-heavy due to heavy stems with seed pods.