These are two of my winter beds that have thrived on neglect! On the left is a bed of garlic (and yes, that is indeed another rogue lemon balm plant growing out of the side of the planter) and to the right is a bed of New Zealand Spinach. I planted the garlic late September 2017 and other than watering it during long dry spells and pulling a few weeds, I’ve ignored it. The New Zealand spinach is a mixed blessing. It may be the only thing growing in my yard that the snails and slugs won’t touch. It’s also pretty much a perennial here in Central California and self-seeds itself quite easily. The problem? It’s not our favorite vegetable. Eaten fresh, I usually hide it in spicy stir-frys. When it starts to grow out of it’s home (like now!), I will harvest it, clean it, blanch it, and freeze flat in quart size freezer bags. During the winter months, I’ll toss a bag into a pot of vegetable soup or use it as a filler in lasagna.
When I harvest the garlic bed, I’ll start training the New Zealand Spinach into the garlic’s former home and sow some of the seeds that I harvest. I’ve found that while the New Zealand spinach can stay in one place, the older plants tend to get tough and bitter, so I like to keep my bed rotated with younger plants. Several years ago, I had almost no time for gardening so I let the veggie beds go. I came back the following Spring to find that the New Zealand spinach had taken over all but one of the beds! Like I said, it’s a mixed blessing!
If you are having trouble locating seeds, please send me an email and I will happily send you a few seeds to get you started. My original seeds came from John Jeavon’s Bountiful Gardens in Willits, California. Unfortunately, they no longer sell seeds retail but I am happy to share. Obviously, my quantities are limited but I will put your name on a waiting list for the next seed collection if I am out of this years supply.