Egyptian Spinach Seeds - Molokhia

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How to Grow Molokhia Egyptian Spinach

The seeds need to be prepared before planting.

1. Molokhia seeds (Egyptian spinach) need to be pre-treated to break dormancy before planting. The recommended method is to soak the seeds in hot water for a few seconds, then soak them in room temperature water for 12 hours. This helps the seeds germinate more quickly.
2. After the pre-treatment, you can plant the molokhia seeds 1/4 inch deep and 2 inches apart. Keep the soil moist at all times, as molokhia requires consistently warm temperatures and high humidity to germinate and grow well.
3. Under optimal conditions, the molokhia seeds should germinate within 3 days.12
4. Once the seedlings have their third set of leaves, thin them to 10 inches apart.
5. If planting directly outdoors, make sure the soil temperature is consistently around 75°F before sowing the seeds. If your climate is cooler early in spring, it's better to start the seeds indoors and transplant them later.

For direct seeding, start at least 3 weeks after the last frost. sow the seeds 6 inches apart and thin to 18 inches apart. In cooler climates, start indoors six weeks before the last frost, then transplant to the garden three weeks after the last frost. The soil should be fertile and well-draining. Water regularly.

Harvesting Molokhia Egyptian Spinach

Molokhia grows quickly and reaches full maturity at about 60 days. Start harvesting when the plant reaches about 24 inches in height, trimming off stems and leaves as they get taller. Trimming will encourage branching, and keep the plant at a manageable size. Use all the leaves as dark greens. These will regrow, and the leaves can be continue to be harvested until fall.

At the end of the cycle in the fall, yellow flowers will create seed pods that can be harvested easily. Once the pods dry completely while still on the plant, they can be removed, dried, and stored for future seasons.

Culinary Tips

Molokhia can be added to salads raw, stir-fried, or added as a dark green to any recipe. It’s commonly used in soups and stews, or the leaves are dried to make tea. The traditional Egyptian dish called Molokhia is named for this plant. For this soup (or stew), the molokhia leaves are usually minced finely, and then stir-fried with garlic, coriander, and sometimes with added meat, fish, or bouillon. Tomato paste (or even tomato sauce) or sugar can be added if desired.

Tips From Our Gardeners

"I have seen that Egyptian Spinach is not cold tolerant. Container gardening can be used to grow this plant in challenging areas. I would choose a large pot, and place one plant if started ahead of time. In cooler climates, start the plants indoors and directly sowing in the pot that will be its home. Then, take them outside on warmer days and move the pots to take advantage of the available sunlight. To be sure, I would also trim the plants more than those raised in a garden bed to keep control of the growth. Continuously harvest through the warmer months."

- David Wiley, True Leaf Market Writer

Seeds Per Package:

• 2 g - Approximately 1,044 Seeds
• 1 oz - Approximately 14,800 Seeds
• 4 oz - Approximately 59,200Seeds
• 1 lb - Approximately 236,800 Seeds
• 5 lb - Approximately 1,184,000 Seeds