Growing Chia
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: Eric
Posted on: July 09, 2010

I would like to plant a field of chia this spring (about 3000 square feet) but I am not sure how much watering they require. I understand they need warmth to produce seed which should not be a problem this summer as it is supposed to continue to be hot but how much water do they need ? The reason I ask is because I will be working out of town for part of the summer and would only be able to water on the weekends. Does it do well in dry conditions?

Chia (Salvia hispanica) comes from Mexico where there is some rain in the spring, but heat and drought the rest of the year. Watering only on the week-end should suffice even in a drought. The critical time is when the seeds first germinate and the little plants get established. Supplement when it does not rain then, but as the plants get larger, watering should be more and more infrequent to make the roots go down and search out the more steady supply of moisture further down.

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