How to grow chia seeds? A detailed guide to chia seed cultivation in Canada

Chia seeds are the seeds of Salvia hispanica, a mint-family plant native to the Mediterranean coast and southern Europe, with strong adaptability, and it can also be used as food. Today it is widely grown around the world, so how do you grow chia seeds?

1. How to grow chia seeds in Canada

Chia seeds need to be cultivated in sandy soil, and generally must grow in a relatively warm climate; the growing period must not be exposed to low-temperature freeze damage. Chia seeds have strong resistance to diseases, and no pesticides or insecticides are needed during the growing period. After the seeds are planted, sufficient base fertilizer should be applied, fertilizer should be applied before flowering and in winter respectively, and after planting the soil should be kept loose and free of weeds; water promptly during drought and drain accumulated water promptly on rainy days.

When propagating chia seeds from seed, sowing is generally carried out in a greenhouse from late March to early April. Sowing can be done in seedling trays, or a seedbed can be chosen for direct sowing. Choose garden soil mixed with organic fertilizer, put it into seedling trays, sow the seeds evenly, and cover with fine soil, just enough to cover the seeds; cover the trays with plastic film to preserve moisture and warmth. The room temperature should be kept at 20-25°C to promote germination, and seedlings can emerge in about 20 days.

2. Uses of chia seeds

Chia seeds are not yet grown on a large scale in China, and are mainly imported as a new food ingredient. Chia seeds are very nutritious, with crude fat, crude protein and dietary fiber contents of 34%, 23% and 27% respectively, making them a typical food high in fat, high in protein and high in dietary fiber. At present, chia seeds are mainly used in beverages, cereal bars, biscuits, noodles, bread, yogurt, etc.

It is now widely rumored on the market that chia seeds can promote weight loss, but in fact there is no evidence to prove this claim. In many scientific studies, it can only be shown that chia seeds add a feeling of fullness and reduce appetite, and chia seeds have a very high fat content, so using them for weight loss may be nothing more than wishful thinking.