Planting & growing winter purslane: Tips for sowing & harvesting

Growing winter purslane: An overview

Winter purslane (Claytonia perfoliata) is an annual, hardy herb from the Montiaceae family. Some people also know it by the names of winter purslane, common pigeon pea or cubic spinach. It is very rich in omega-3 fatty acids and minerals such as magnesium, calcium and iron. At 72 mg/100 g, it also contains more vitamin C than lemons.

What is Purslane?

You can easily recognize it by its characteristic round to slightly pointed leaves. In spring, it also bears small white to light pink flowers, which are also edible. Over time, it forms a bushy rosette, so you should ensure sufficient spacing when planting. It grows to a height of around 15-30 cm.

Winter purslane originally comes from the Pacific region of North America. Over time, it spread to Mexico and Cuba and eventually found its way to Europe. Despite the similar name, it should not be confused with summer purslane, which is not hardy and needs plenty of sun and warmth.

The right location

Winter purslane is very undemanding in cultivation and is also suitable for growing in balcony boxes and smaller containers. It has no particular light requirements; a shady to semi-shady spot is perfectly adequate. Due to its low light requirement and good ground cover properties, it is ideal for planting under trees. Its bushy growth habit also helps to suppress wild herbs in winter.

Winter purslane grows best in loose, humus-rich soil. However, it is also suitable for sandy soils with an even water supply. As a low-growing plant, it only needs a few nutrients, so you don't need to apply additional fertilizer. On the contrary, the substrate should not be too rich in nutrients, similar to spinach.

Purslane: mixed cultivation & crop rotation

The Montiaceae plant family doesn't really play a role in the kitchen garden, which is why winter purslane is ideal for a healthy crop rotation. It is an ideal succeeding crop for all summer vegetables and can be used very well to fill gaps in the bed. The soil can recover over the winter while being protected by the fresh herbs. Due to its low requirements, it can also be combined well with heavy eaters such as cabbage. There are no known good or bad plant neighbors, so you can simply experiment with different mixed crops.

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Sowing winter purslane: tips for sowing

And this is how sowing works:

You can either sow winter purslane directly into the bed or pre-grow it in pots. When growing in pots, use 1-3 seeds per pot to create particularly bushy seedlings. The pot does not need to be particularly large; standard-sized or smaller pots are ideal.

However, to ensure that the hardy plants germinate, temperatures should not exceed 12 °C. Temperatures between 4 - 8 °C are better. However, if temperatures fall permanently below 5 °C, it will stop growing. As soon as it gets warmer again, however, it will start to sprout diligently. If temperatures are too low, purslane will stop growing, but it can survive at temperatures as low as -20 °C. However, if you want it to continue growing in winter, you should protect it from the cold. To do this, you can cover the bed with spruce branches or breathable foil, for example. It is also very suitable for growing in cold frames or (mini) greenhouses.

The optimum time for sowing is from September to March, depending on the temperature. Cover the seeds only thinly with soil, 0.5-1 cm is sufficient. The first seeds should start to germinate after about two weeks. When sowing in the bed, you can either scatter the seeds in a wide cube or make rows 10-20 cm apart.

Pricking purslane for more space in the bed

If the individual plants are too dense after sowing, you should separate them to 10-20 cm. Pull out the smallest plants during the first harvest so that the rest can spread out better. The individual plants grow quickly in width, making use of the available space and covering the ground.

Maintain the winter purslane: Not necessary!

Otherwise, winter purslane is very easy to care for. It doesn't need any additional fertilizer and practically grows on its own. Just make sure that the substrate remains evenly moist. A layer of mulch can help to keep the soil moist and can also improve the aroma.

Diseases & pests

The robust winter lettuce is not very susceptible to diseases. Occasionally, snails can attack it due to a lack of food alternatives. A slug fence can help with severe slug problems. In near-natural gardens, however, snails usually have sufficient wild herbs at their disposal and spare the purslane. If slugs do become a problem, you can find more tips on slug control and prevention here.

Harvesting winter purslane: how to do it

Only about 6-8 weeks pass between sowing and harvesting. Cut the first leaves as soon as the plants are about 10 cm tall. You can harvest the healthy leafy vegetables from November to April. The plants are cut up to six times over the winter, they grow back again and again in the middle of the rosette (= heart). The only important thing is that the heart remains undamaged!

The flowers are also edible

Winter purslane starts to flower atthe end of March or beginning of April. The delicate white flowers are also edible and can be used to decorate salads and soups. However, you should not cut the plants after flowering, as they can develop a bitter aroma.

Process purslane

Winter purslane has a fresh, nutty and slightly sour taste. With its mild aromas, it refines herb butter and quark. You can also use it for decorative salads, soups or green smoothies. This all-rounder can also be used as a substitute for spinach. It has many uses in a varied cuisine and invites you to experiment. There are no limits to your creativity! Winter purslane tastes best when eaten fresh. It will keep for around 5-7 days in a plastic container in the fridge.

Obtain seeds: this is how it works

Winter purslane is a self-pollinator, it does not need insects to form fertile seeds. You have several options during seed formation:

• You leave it in place so that it spreads itself. This way, the seeds germinate again in late fall when temperatures drop and you save yourself the trouble of sowing.
• If you want to have the purslane in a different place in the bed next season, you can proceed as follows: If some seeds have already formed, pluck out the whole plant and place it where you want it to grow again next fall. This way, you don't have to sow it yourself later and the decaying green leaves also provide a layer of mulch to protect the soil.
• To collect seeds, you should cut off the whole plant as soon as the first seeds become dark and ripe. Then hang the plants up in a dry, airy room and collect the seeds with a fine net; they will gradually fall off by themselves.

Winter purslane is a real all-rounder and is slowly becoming popular again with amateur gardeners. I hope I was able to get you excited about this little vitamin bomb too! If you have any questions or comments, please write to us at [email protected].

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