Alchimia Grow Shop presents Rocalba Summer Purslane Seeds, a plant easy to cultivate in your vegetable patch, garden or in pots.
Rocalba Summer Purslane, a succulent plant very easy to cultivate
Summer Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is an edible herbaceous annual plant belonging to the Portulacaceae family. It is native to India, Middle East and Southern Europe, but has now become naturalised worldwide and is even considered an invasive weed in some areas.
This succulent plant grows between 15-40cm tall. It develops smooth reddish stems growing horizontally on the ground. It is a plant with alternate leaves grouped together on all the stems. In spring it produces very showy yellow flowers that last until autumn.
It should be sown in spring after the frosts (21-32ºC), scattering a few seeds in the substrate (a peat and worm humus mixture) and pressing them a little with your finger to bury them lightly.Then water gently so as not to bury them too deep.
Rocalba Summer Purslane, withstands heat, drought and poor soils
This plant requires a well-drained soil with a light texture. It is also important to provide filtered light during the initial development stages. The seeds take 1-2 weeks to germinate. When the plant is about 5cm tall, it is ready to transplant in open ground or in a bigger pot. It should be placed in a sunny place, making sure that the substrate stays moist but not waterlogged.
Once it develops, it does not require many nutrients. It is very resistant to drought and hot climates, although frequent but moderate watering is optimal. The use of a drip automatic irrigation system is highly recommended to facilitate the task. It is a plant that grows quickly and tends to occupy all the available space, being advisable to do some pruning to control it.
The leaves are ready to harvest two months after sowing, as the plant is young and the leaves are very tender and tasty. It should be cut 1.5-2.0cm from the ground with a clean knife cut. Then the leaves are washed and are ready to eat, enjoying a salty and sour taste similar to that of spinach.
Rocalba Summer Purslane info:
- Sachet: 4g of seeds
- Optimal results in both open ground and pots
- Distance between plants: 20cm x 20cm
- Up to 14-40cm
- Withstands drought and heat very well
- It is undemanding and adapts well to poor or rocky soils
- Benefits from light, drained and nutrient-rich soils
- Frequent and moderate irrigation, especially in summer
- Harvest: The leaves in 60 days after sowing
- Salty and somewhat sour taste, reminiscent of watercress or spinach
- Perfect to accompany salads
