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I bought a tree spinach plant last year, it was great, but it didn't grow very tall in a container. This year, for the first time, I have 6 healthy plants started from seed. Please advise, would it grow to its full potential better in the ground, at the back of a border perhaps? Or, if you grow in a container, what size? Also same question for Basella(not sure of spelling - but this hasn't germinated yet) and Strawberry spinach (which has just germinated). We're in Northumberland. PS - the cutting of Cuban Oregano you gave me last year at a Birmingham GW show last year, is very much still alive & kicking! Thanks, hope I can get away with kinda 3 questions.
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Tree spinach grows to around 1m-1.5m at the very tallest, so it's more of a middle of the garden plant than one for the back. But you want to enjoy it young, so I use it as a front of border crop that I eat at around 10-20cm high (otherwise it’s too tough). It is always happier in the ground than in a pot, but if you let it flower and set seed you will have thousands appear across the garden. This isn't an issue as long as you remember to eat them!
Basella is a heat loving tropical that likes to climb. I have yet to keep it happy enough for any successful harvest. This year I’m trying it in the polytunnel. I think Northumberland might be a little too cold for it outside. Do you have a porch or warm window? That might be a more likely place to get some leaves off it.
Strawberry spinach grows fairly large, say 50cm+ in both height, and maybe 30-50cm in width. To be happy it needs a large pot, say around 40-50cm in diameter.
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