Chia

Standard Packet Seed Count: Approx. 200 seeds

Days to Maturity: 120 days

Description: Chia sprouts have a tangy taste and add variety and spice to salads, soups, spreads, dips, sandwiches, and appetizers. They are best used raw or added to soups just before serving. Chia can be grown to maturity for their seeds and leaves. The seeds are an excellent source of fiber, protein, calcium, and digestive enzymes. Chia seeds also contain one of the highest known sources of Essential Fatty Acids. The mature leaves, fresh or dried, make for a great tea. 

How To Grow

Sowing:  For Spring planting, start Chia seeds inside 4-6 weeks before the last spring frost, sowing them on the surface of the soil and keeping the flat warm and lightly moist. Transplant the seedlings well after frost, spacing them 12-15" apart in well drained soil and full sun.

Growing:  Native to Mexico, Chia prefers fairly dry soil, and should not be watered regularly, unless drought conditions persist. Plants can reach up to 23 inches tall in the right conditions.

Harvesting:  Harvest fresh leaves as soon as the plant reaches a height of 6 inches. The leaves can also be dried for use in tea. If given a long and warm enough growing season, Chia will produce seed heads that can be dried and threshed to remove the seed. However, since Chia seeds easily absorb moisture, they are prone to mold and other diseases.  Keep in mind that Chia originally grew in the tropics, and requires a long growing season to produce flowers and seed; in areas with a shorter growing season, the plant may not have time to produce seed. If seed heads do mature, pick them when they start to turn dry and spread them out, away from direct sunlight to dry completely. Thresh them to remove the seed, and store the seed in a cool, dry place.