From a Worcester Allotment

From a Worcester Allotment moved to a new home

2010-11-14T10:35:00.000Z

The blog has moved to it's new devoted web site at:
From a Worcester Allotment
Please click and bookmark the new host address or paste the following address into your browser: http://clainescanna.co.uk/fromaworcesterallotment/

See you on the other side! We hope to make the blog an even better experience as a result of the move.

Seed discounts for allotment societies

2010-11-12T14:56:00.000Z

Allotment societies wishing to save some money could do far worse than take a look at the web site of Vegetable Seeds.net.

Seed we purchased from them had a high rate of germination, unlike some seed from the "big-names" which was also much more expensive. So, our recommendation is based on personal experience.

We have no financial links with this seed company, but with times getting harder many of us are becoming conscious of costs.

http://www.vegetableseeds.net/Discounts_For_Allotment_Societies_s/95.htm

Growing cucumber

2010-11-09T00:01:00.001Z

Cucumbers growing up a climbing frame made from bamboo canes

Cucumbers are straight forward to grow and grow up they will as they are a climbing vine.
They are a member of the cucurbitaceae family which includes melons and squashes and so like a warm well drained soil.
Cucumbers can be eaten fresh or they can be pickled.
Cucumbers that are eaten fresh are known as Slicing varieties and cucumbers that are pickled are known as pickling varieties.
Cucumbers contain nutrients that are especially beneficial to our skin, hair and nails.

How to grow Cucumber - Crop Rotation

Cucumber is a member of the Melon Family, and it is recommended that it should not be grown in the same soil as other family members for at least three years.
Ideally, if they are following a crop from the Pea and Bean Family, then they should not need further nitrogen at the time of planting.

How to grow Cucumber - Soil Preparation

Dig a fair amount of organic compost into the soil.
The soil should be turned over down to about a spades depth.
Growing cucumbers are best in a pH range of 6.0-7.0 and do enjoy moderate amounts of nitrogen and high amounts of phosphorus and potassium.
They grow better in fertile clay soils with a lot of humus.
Do not to plant your cucumbers in a constantly wet area as they dislike the roots being constantly soaked in extreme amounts of water.
At this point you can decide which method to use to grow your cucumbers: grow up a climbing frame or leave to sprawl on the ground.

Grow up a climbing frame

Grow up a climbing frame, trellis, netting or wigwam of canes.

This allows a large number of plants to grow in a small area.
Cucumbers grown on some type of trellis produce two-three times more cucumbers.
Cucumbers grown on a trellis have the tendancy to be healthier and more uniform in size and also in shape.
They are also cleaner at picking time and the air circulation certainly assists in the prevention of many diseases associated with growing cucumbers.
The trellising actually makes room for planting other crops that require shade such as lettuce under the trellis.

Grow direct in the soil

Grow direct in the soil or make a small mound and grow on top of that, allowing the plants to sprawl along the ground in your garden.

This is a sound technique, because secondary roots will develop along the vine at the junction between the vine and the leaf.
Secondary roots are a source of additional nutrients for your plant and fruits' growth.
At picking time the cucumbers will have the dirt of the garden attached.

Other growing techniques

In addition, thought can be given to two other techniques that have been proven to be successful:

Grow the cucumber plants plants through a plastic or non-woven membrane mulch.
Water the cucumbers by drip irrigation, using a porous pipe on a low-pressure watering system.

How to grow Cucumber - Sowing Seed

You can start your plants off indoors by sowing in biodegradable seedling pots that will ensure the seedlings roots are not damaged when you plant out the plants.
Sow the seeds in a good quality general purpose peat compost.
Water daily, and do not allow the seedlings to dry out, but do not drown them, just keep them damp.
Do not plant out before the last frost.

How to grow Cucumber - Planting Out

Leave a gap of around 40cm between seedlings.
If growing direct from seed you can group sow 3 seeds in each hole to increase chances of germination success. Seeds should be planted 2.5cm deep.
If you are planting more than one row then rows should be spaced at around 90cm.

How to grow Cucumber - Care & Cultivation

Cucuumber growing as a sprawling vine on the ground

After the plants germinate, add a thick layer of mulch to conserve moisture. Be careful to keep the mulch away from the stems of the plants so they do not rot.
Feed the young cucumber plants every two weeks with liquid fertilizer.
It’s is important to maintain sufficient moisture throughout the growing period. The cucumber fruit itself has a very high water content.
Weed regularly but be careful not to go below a couple of cm's with your hoe as you may damage the root system which will slow down plant growth.
The plant has both male and female flowers and the female flowers give rise to the cucumbers.

With some old varieties, you can aid pollination and increase the fruit count by using a cotton bud to transfer pollen from the male flowers onto the centre of the female flowers.
The female flowers distinguished from the male flowers as the females have a tiny cucumber at their base.

How to grow Cucumber - Harvesting

You can harvest the cucumbers when they are a suitable size, this is normally around 50-60 days after planting.
The skin should be dark green in colour, do now wait until the cucumbers have turned yellow as this indicates that they are over ripe and their quality of flavour will decline.
Twist the cucumbers off the plant or cut the stalk just above the cucumber tip.

Storing vegetables for the winter

2010-11-06T00:01:00.006Z

Storing Vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, parsnip and beetroot can be a bit of a headache if, like us, you have grown far too many.

Hessian sacks are useful, hung from hooks in the garden shed, they even smell good and traditional.
Generations of gardeners have layered harvested roots in sand or compost in small dustbins.
We have acquired a large number of tomato crates over the years, and these can be stacked and covered in fleece to guard against frost.
Indeed, all stored vegetables should be protected from freezing.
It's a question of balance: neither too warm nor too cold.
Winter squash can be laid on a shelf but hardy vegetables such as swedes and leeks are best left in the ground and dug as required.

Growing Welsh Onion

2010-11-05T00:01:00.000Z

A member of the Onion family, Welsh onion are well worth cultivating in the vegetable and flower garden.
They take up very little space, and the whole plant can be eaten from top to bottom.
Welsh onion are cultivated both for their culinary uses and their ornamental value; the violet flowers are often used in ornamental dry bouquets.
Welsh onion are perennial evergreen plants, and keep their leaves in most winters.
In colder winters, the leaves may die back completely, but don't despair - their roots are still alive and they will begin new growth next spring.

How to grow Welsh onion - Crop rotation

Welsh onion is a member of the onion family, and it is suggested that it should not be planted in soil that has grown a family member in at least the last three years.

How to grow Welsh onion - Position and Soil

Welsh onion thrive in well drained soil, rich in organic matter, with a pH of 6-7 and full sun.
However, Welsh onion will grow in almost all soils.
Work in a handful or two of bonemeal per square metre (yard).
Full sun or partial shade suit them equally well.
Although they are fairly tolerant of drought, don't plant them in very dry places.

How to grow Welsh onion - Propagation

How to grow Welsh onion - Sowing seed

Welsh onion can be grown from seed and mature in summer, or early the following spring.
Sow the seeds indoors using normal potting compost in March time (or directly outside in April) .
Typically, Welsh onion need to be germinated at a temperature of 15°C to 20°C and kept moist.
The seedlings will appear a week to ten days later.
Transfer them outside a month after sowing with 10cm (8in) between each plant.

How to grow Welsh onion - Propagating by Division

Welsh onion are very similar to other onions, in that they have a bulbous root and green leaves.
The bulbs multiply quickly over a few years and this bounty of new bulbs provides the easiest method of propagation.
Simply dig up the clump of bulbs in March or October, carefully separate them into individual bulbs and replant with the tips of the bulbs level with the soil surface.
They thrive on this method of propagation, because it relieves the congestion in the bulb clumps.

How to grow Welsh onion - Care & Cultivation

Welsh onion are not greedy feeders, so it is not necessary to feed throughout the year if the soil has been prepared as described.
In cold regions, Welsh onion die back to the underground bulbs in winter, with the new leaves appearing in early spring.
Welsh onion starting to look old can be cut back to about 2–5 cm.

How to grow Welsh onion - Harvesting

Either lift the whole onion, as above, or just use the leaves.
Cut the chive leaves with scissors when required, starting with the outside leaves (those nearest the edge of the pot) and working your way inwards.
When harvesting, the needed number of stalks should be cut to the base.
The leaves rapidly grow back and can be cut several times in the growing season, so giving a continuous harvest.
Plants grown from seed should be left alone (although remove the emerging flower heads) until July in the first year to allow a good root system to establish itself.

How to grow Welsh onion - Kitchen Notes

Welsh onion should be used fresh and uncooked, otherwise they loose almost all their flavour.
When used with cooked foods, add them after cooking.
Welsh onion can be used to add flavour to a huge range of food, probably best known for adding to baked potatoes with butter.
Foods it goes well with include mixed vegetables, egg dishes, salads and dressings, broiled poultry, stews, casseroles and baked fish.

How to grow Welsh onion - Storage & Preserving

They can be dried, but their is little point because they then have no flavour.
One way to store them is to chop the leaves into 1cm (half inch) lengths and place them in ice cube containers with some water.
Freeze them, and then defrost an ice cube or two when need to use them.

How to grow Welsh onion - Pests and Disease

They are almost completely free of disease, but they occasionally suffer from onion fly, however this is almost always because they have been planted near onions which have been attacked - the solution is not to plant Welsh onion near onions.

Growing shallots

2010-11-04T00:01:00.001Z

Although it is possible to acquire shallot seeds, they are normally grown from sets.
They grow into a small clump of bulbs joined at the base.
Traditionally shallots are planted, like garlic, on the shortest day to harvest on the longest but in reality they can go in as late as the end of March and still produce a respectable crop.
In subtropical areas March - April is a better planting time.
In cooler areas the recommended planting time is late winter or early spring.

How to grow Shallots - Crop rotation

Shallots are susceptible to bacterial diseases, pink root, white rot, downy mildew, purple blotch, onion maggot and thrips.

To avoid or minimize these problems, it is suggested that you do not plant shallots in the same soil where other members of the Onion Family have been grown in at least the last three years

How to grow Shallots - Site and Soil

Plant in a sunny, well-drained position.
For a good crop, shallots require a rich, loam soil.
Check the pH and add lime to correct acidity.
The pH should be at least 6.5.

How to grow Shallots - Soil Preparation

Soil is best prepared a few months before planting.

Avoid using manure, as too high a nitrogen content will reduce the keeping quality of the shallots.

How to grow Shallots - Planting out Sets

Separate multiple bulbs and plant each individual bulb, root end down.
Do not plant the bulbs too deeply, push them into the soil roots side down, so the tops are still visible.
Space the bulbs 15-20 cm (6-8") apart and space rows 30cm (1 foot) apart.
Shallots will form a cluster of 5-12 bulbs around the original bulb.
This cluster will spread out more than a garlic bulb and therefore requires more space between plants.

How to grow Shallots - Care and Cultivation

Do not use mulch as it may rot bulbs, which are not strong enough to push through mulch.
After planting shallots, water well or lightly in heavy soils, and only water again when the soil is dry.
Remember, shallots love water and food, but they must have good drainage or the bulbs will rot.
In the spring, feed the shallots with either composted manure or a well-balanced fertilizer before the bulbs begin to enlarge.
Keep the bulbs well watered and weeded; they grow best with at least 1" of water per week.
Remove any seed stalks that form to focus the shallots' energy into forming bulbs.
Shallots should be spring planted in very cold areas.

How to grow Shallots - Harvesting

Harvest the shallots when the tops are drying.
You can tell the bulbs are mature when the tops yellow and die (most plants can be harvested after 3 months).
Pull up the clusters and cure in a warm but shady place with ventilation.
Regardless of what you read elsewhere, do not leave your shallots in the sun to cure, because they might sunburn and rot.

How to grow Shallots - Storage

Store your shallots in mesh bags (like onion sacks) in a cool dry area.
You should let the bulbs dry for about a month.
They can be stored for up to 12 months if kept at their optimum storage temperature of 35°-45°F.

How to grow broad beans

2010-11-03T00:01:00.001Z

Broad bean plants comprise square sectioned hollow stems with leaves divided into 2-7 leaflets.
These leaves are bluish-grey or green in colour.
The plants usually stand 90-120cm (3 to 4ft) tall.
Leathery bean pods are produced once the white-and-black coloured flowers are spent.
The 15 to 20cm (6 to 8 inch) long pods can be expected to contain upwards of four slightly kidney-shaped beans, light green in colour.
Broad beans are nitrogen fixing plants that enrich the soil in which they are planted.

How to grow Broad Beans - Varieties

Commonly cultivated broad beans mainly fall into two classes.
Longpod broad beans feature eight beans per pod and are more durable to different climatic conditions.
Windsor broad bean varieties have four or five beans per pod and are considered by some to have a finer flavour.

How to grow Broad Beans - Crop Rotation

Broad beans are a member of the Bean Family, and it is wise not to grow a new crop in soil that has grown a family member in the last three years.
Potatoes, cucumbers, corn, strawberries, celery, and summer savory all make good companion plantings.
Do not plant broad beans with onions or garlic.

How to grow Broad Beans - Site and Soil

Broad beans grow best in a sunny spot.
Shelter is also beneficial.
Avoid soil that waterlogs or conversely dries out rapidly
Broad beans don’t grow very well in a strongly acid soil preferring instead neutral to slightly alkaline soils (6.0 - 7.5 approx).
If the pH (relative acidity or alkalinity) of your soil is not suited to the vegetable, then soil nutrients such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, iron, boron, copper, manganese and zinc start to become unavailable, leading to poor crops.
You can use a home soil test available in most garden centres to determine your soils ph. By taking account of the test results you can then decide how much if any amendments are required to bring the to pH of your vegetable garden soil in line.
The application of ground lime will be helpful in countering the acidity. Consult the pack for the application rates, as that varies between commercial products.

How to grow Broad Beans - Soil Preparation

For long term feeding of your crop, every 10m2 of growing area should have one wheelbarrow load of well-rotted homemade compost or farmyard animal manure spread over its surface sometime during the autumn/early winter before planting/sowing.
Dig this in to a spades depth all over the proposed growing area to enrich it for your crop.
Whilst digging, remove any stones and other obstacles that might obstruct roots.
As a rule of thumb, well-rotted manure/compost will be over six months old, and tend to be dark brown will little if any smell. You should not be able to distinguish individual pieces of straw, hay, vegetable peelings, grass etc., as it will all be rotted down.
A week or so before sowing the seed add a nitrogen feed to the soil. Although Broad Beans produce their own nitrogen in little nodules along the roots, this does not happen until the plants begin to grow strongly. So a little extra nitrogen at the beginning will get them off to a good start.

How to grow Broad Beans - Sowing Seed

Sowing broad bean seed directly in the soil

Broad beans are very frost hardy and will germinate in a soil temperature as low as 2°C (35°F).
Sowing time is around late March in England.
However if your soil is free draining they can also sow in early autumn when the weather is cooling down. This will give a crop about three weeks earlier than a spring sowing, but a winter-hardy variety must be used.
Dig out a drill in the soil to a depth of 6cm (2in) and 20cm (8in) wide.
Sow the seed in two rows, one row down one side of the drill, the other row down the other side.
Each bean in a row should be spaced 25cm (10in) apart from the next bean.
Close the drill with soil, then water well and label.
Create as many double rows as you like at 24in (60cm) intervals.
If you haven’t much space you can always sow single rows if you like, but the double rows do provide each other with support and also improve germination.
A helpful tip is to sow a few extra bean seeds at the end of some rows to be used as transplants if gaps appear.
Another tip to prevent gaps is to discard all seeds which display small, round holes, as these seldom germinate of if they do they produce weak plants. The small, round holes are created by seed beetle grubs
The expected seed germination time approx is 7-14 days.
Any seed not required for sowing that year should be kept dry as it has a life expectancy of 2 years.

Sowing broad bean seed indoors

The other alternative is to sow the seeds in peat pots and initially grow them in a greenhouse, polytunnel or on the windowsill until all danger of frost has passed.
Then plant them, peat pots and all, directly into the ground, using the same spacings as described above.
Remember to soak the peat pots in water prior to planting so that they will quickly break down in the soil.
Before planting out, ensure that the soil is warm, and this is best done by covering the growing site with a sheet of clear polythene at the same time as sowing the seeds in their pots.
Starting the plants into growth before the frosts have finished will provide a crop earlier than sowing direct outdoors.

How to grow Broad Beans - Care and Cultivation

Keep the soil around the broad bean plant weed-free. Take care when weeding because the roots are easily damaged.
During a prolonged spell without rain (week or more) you should water gently but deeply once a week. As a rough rule of thumb apply approx 10 litres per metre squared of soil area. Carry out this watering in the morning and try to avoid splashing the leaves, watering the soil instead. Water reserves must be adequate once the bean pods start to form, or else they may end up empty.
At about the sixth or seventh week after seed germination and while plants are growing strongly you can apply a second application of a well balanced fertilizer. Although not essential, a further scattering of Growmore or fish blood and bone can increase the vegetables vigour and make the less susceptible to plant ills. Once scattered the fertiliser should be lightly scratched into the soils surface followed by gentle but deep watering of the soil.
As soon as young beans appear at the base of the plant it's time to 'pinch out' the growing tips. Go to the very top of the plant and remove the tip with two leaves attached, you can compost these or steam them as a leaf vegetable.
Spacing shouldn't be compromised as good airflow is essential for combating fungal disease.
As the plants grow you will need to stake them to prevent the fragile stems from bending or breaking and pods being damaged.
Stake after the seedlings are up and use anything from pea sticks to bamboo with string to support the plant.
Dwarf varieties will need less space and less staking and are well worth considering especially on windy or small sites.

How to grow Broad Beans - Pests and Diseases

A bad attack of black aphids down the stem of a plant

Black bean aphids and green aphids are the main pests of broad beans.
They are mainly attracted to the soft and succulent tips of the shoots, but will eventually roam all over the plant sucking sap and stunting growth.
To discourage them simply pinch off the growing tip of each plant by one inch as soon as the first aphids are spotted. Reducing this attractiveness reduces the number of green and black bean aphids that show up. Any stragglers remaining can be sprayed with the following soapy water solution….

8ml of plain washing up liquid mixed into 1 litre of water.
Do not use detergent or any soap containing detergent as it will burn the plants and possibly leave a residue in the soil.
Apply liberally to the pest using a plant mister or spray bottle.
It is best to use a fresh soapy mix of this each time you spray.

How to grow Broad Beans - Harvesting

Pick broad beans for fresh use like snap beans when seeds are about the size of a pea.
Commonly broad beans are grown to maturity and used as shelled beans.
Time from spring planting to harvest is from 10 to 12 weeks.
Pods are ready for picking once they have reached about 15-20cm (6-8in) in length.
You can let them grow longer but realise the larger the pod the less palatable the swelled beans inside will be.
Once the shape of the beans starts to show through the pod then you can harvest.
To harvest the pods, give them a sharp twist in a downward direction away from the plant.
Check back and harvest every couple of days, as regular picking will force your plants to keep up production for about 6 weeks.
Pick from the bottom up when ripe and continue to harvest frequently.
Finger-thick beans can be eaten whole or wait until the pod bursts open to harvest the fully ripe beans inside.
When finished, cut off stems for compost and dig roots back into the soil to make use of captured nitrogen.

How to grow Broad Beans - Storage and Preservation

For short-term storage (one week), place unshelled beans in the salad crisper compartment of your refrigerator.
Broad beans are great for storing. You can dry or freeze the beans, when they will keep for twelve months.
To freeze, pick fresh, pod, place in a plastic bag and freeze.
To dry, pick, pod and lay out the beans in a dry place. Leave beans to completely dry and store in an air tight container. These can be sown next year or rehydrated for use in cooking.

About Pak Choi

2010-11-02T00:01:00.000Z

Pak Choi, brassica rapa var. chinensis, is a type of Chinese cabbage and is widely used in East Asian cuisine.
Pak choi is a distant relative of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.
It is a cool season crop and grow best in the spring and autumn.
Seeds are sown directly into rich organic soil and start to germinate 5 to 10 days later.
It is a fast-maturing vegetable (which means they grow quickly) ready to harvest 6 to 7 weeks after sowing.
Harvest by hand in the morning (or in cool weather) to prevent leaves from wilting.

Know your Pak Choi - Common names

This member of the cabbage family has a number of different names, including bok choy, horse's ear, Peking Cabbage, Chinese Cabbage, Chinese Celery cabbage and white mustard cabbage.

Know your Pak Choi - Botany

Its structure looks like a squat celery, with either white or very pale green short, chunky stalks and glossy, deep green leaves.
Each plant will have 10-14 stalks 8” to 10” long.
The texture of both leaves and stalks is crisp, and the flavour is somewhere between mild cabbage and spinach.

Know your Pak Choi - Cuisine

If very young it can be eaten raw in salads, but is best when briefly cooked.
It's commonly used in stir fry and spring rolls.

Because both Pak Choi's stalks and leaves can be used in salads, it also provides a delicious and healthy meal for those who are on a diet.
Pak Choi is also easy to prepare.
You need only wash the Pak Choi, chop it, then use it as you desire; for example, you can microwave or steam it for a simple and quick side dish or main meal.
Pak Choi is a vegetable that will continue to be used in many international kitchens because it is a tasty alternative to cabbage as well as a healthy dietary addition.

Being in season from October to March makes it a common autumn and winter veg box ingredient.

Know your Pak Choi - Nutrients

Another reason that Pak Choi is becoming popular to use, besides its similarity to cabbage, is because of its nutritional value. One half cup of raw Pak Choi, which is approximately 56 grams, contains only 10 calories.
Additionally, Pak Choi contains no fat or cholesterol and is a good source of calcium.
It is also low in sodium and high in vitamins C and A.

How to grow Chard

2010-11-01T00:01:00.001Z

Chard is a green leafed vegetable that makes a good alternative to spinach.
Growing chard can be easier than growing spinach as it is better able to withstand higher temperatures and water shortages.
As well as its value as a food crop chard also has a very striking value as an ornamental plant and so often appears in a gardens ornamental borders or ornamental pots.
Chard is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals.
It's stalks can be of various colours.
Chard is known by a number of different names including Swiss Chard, Spinach Beet, Perpetual Spinach and Leaf beet.

How to grow Chard - Crop rotation

Chard is a member of the Beetroot Family, and it is recommended that it should not be grown in the same soil as other family members for at least three years.

How to grow Chard - Site and Soil

When growing Chard you should position the plants in a spot that receives a good amount of sunlight.
Chard will tolerate partial shade but will give a better yield when in a sunny spot.
Chard is a cool weather vegetable and may withstand a very mild frost.
Chard doesn't like a soil that is too acidic, an acidic soil will stunt growth.
Chard grows well in a soil of around 6.5 - 6.8.
The soil should be able well drained but be able to hold moisture well so a soil with a good amount of organic matter is ideal.

How to grow Chard - Soil Preparation

Dig over the soil and dig in some organic matter a number of weeks before sowing.

This will help soil moisture retention and soil aeration.

Make sure to break up any large clods of soil with your fork and rake the soil to obtain a fine soil structure in which to plant your Chard seeds.

Remove any large stones, as chard cannot compete with them.
A mechanical tiller is excellent at producing the fine tithe needed.

How to grow Chard - Sowing Seed

Sow Chard in early spring to avoid the final hard frosts.
Chard is normally sown directly into the soil, not in pots or seed trays for later tranplanting.

They can be sown in pots under cover for an earlier crop but the advantage gained is not much.

Sow the Chard seed in rows around 45cm apart and about 5 cm apart.
The seeds should be sown at around 1 - 1.5cm depth.
Germination can take anywhere around 1-2 weeks.
The plants will need thinning to about 15-25cm between plants.
If left until around 15cm in height before thinning then the thinned plants can be treated like an early harvest and the young leaves will be extremely tender and tasty.

How to grow Chard - Cultivation

The main need is for weeding.

This can be done by regular hoeing.
An alternative is lay black plastic and let the plants grow through this.
Black plastic is particularly useful for Swiss Chard because they stay in the ground for so long.

To extend harvesting past the first hard frost you can put the plants under a cloche or polytunnel to extend the growing season.
Chard is sturdier than spinach and can cope better with water shortages, however you should still water regularly to ensure optimum growth and prevent bolting.
Bolting leads to premature flower and seed production and will divert the plants energies away from leaf growth.

If a flower stalk develops then clip it off to extend the harvest.

How to grow Chard - Harvesting

Chard is a pick and come again crop.

For multiple harvests from the same plant simply pick the outer leaves and leave the inner younger leaves.
You can pick leaves after they have reached around 15cm in length.
Chard can be harvested until the first hard frost this way.

Whenever you harvest Swiss Chard, use a knife rather than pulling off the leaves.

Grasp the leaves you want to harvest with one hand and cut them off at about 3cm (1 inch) above the point where they join the stem.
This will ensure that more leaves grow.
If you take the leaves off too near the stem then the leaves may not grow again.

The best leaves for salads are the younger leaves, about 8cm (3 inches) long.

They are tender and have no bitter taste.
If you want to cook leaves as greens then leave some outer leaves to grow larger and harvest those.

In winter the outer leaves may be damaged by a hard frost.

If this happens, leave the outer leaves in place to protect the inner leaves.
The inner leaves can then be harvested for use in salads throughout the winter.

Be sure not to damage the central terminal bud at the centre of the young growth.
You can also, if you wish, harvest the whole plant.

How to grow Chard - Kitchen Notes

After picking the leaves simply wash and add to salads or wash and then quickly heat in a pan using only the water that clings to the leaves after washing. This will avoid overcooked soggy chard leaves.

How to grow Chard - Storing & Preserving

Chard does not store well so should either be eaten within a few hours of picking or stored in the salad box of the fridge for a maximum of 3 days.

Discover Tepary bean

2010-10-31T00:01:00.001+01:00

The Tepary bean, Phaseolus acutifolius, is native to the south-western United States and Mexico and has been grown there by the native peoples since pre-Columbian times.
It is more drought-resistant than the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and is grown in desert and semi-desert conditions from Arizona through Mexico to Costa Rica.
The water requirements are low and the crop will grow in areas where annual rainfall is less than 400 mm (16 inches).
It has recently been introduced to African agriculture.

Know your Tepary bean - Common names

Other names for this native bean include Papago Bean, Pawi, Pavi, Tepari, Escomite, Yori mui and Yori muni.
The name tepary may derive from the Tohono O'odham phrase t'pawi or "It's a bean".

Know your Tepary bean - Cuisine

Tepary beans are cooked like other dry beans after soaking.
Some Native Americans toasted the dry beans, then ground them into a meal which was mixed with water before eating.
Recent studies from the United States and Mexico suggest that lectin toxins and other compounds from tepary beans may be useful as chemotherapy for treating cancer. However, further research is needed.
It is an ingredient in the Indian snacks 'bhujia' and Punjabi Tadka by Haldiram.

Discover Anaheim pepper

2010-10-30T00:01:00.000+01:00

An Anaheim pepper is a mild variety of chile pepper.
The name "Anaheim" derives from a farmer named Emilio Ortega who brought the seeds to the Anaheim, California area in the early 1900s.
They are also called California chile or Magdalena, and dried as chile seco del norte.
While the Anaheim pepper usually has a Scoville Heat Index around 1,000, some varieties can have a rating as high as 5,000, which is not very hot.
As these peppers mature they turn from green to red.
They can be used for cooking at any stage but are most often used when still green.
Choose fresh chiles with deep colors, avoiding those that look wrinkled or soft.

About Pumpkins

2010-10-29T00:01:00.001+01:00

Pumpkins belong to the Melon (Curcurbita) family.
They are typically orange or yellow and have many creases running from the stem to the bottom.
They have a thick shell on the outside, with seeds and pulp on the inside.

Know your Pumpkins - Botany

Pumpkins generally weigh 9–18 lbs (4–8 kg) with the largest (of the species C. maxima) capable of reaching a weight of over 75 lbs (34 kg).
The pumpkin varies greatly in shape, ranging from oblate to oblong.
The rind is smooth and usually lightly ribbed.
Although pumpkins are usually orange or yellow, some fruits are dark green, pale green, orange-yellow, white, red and grey.
Pumpkins are monoecious, having both male and female flowers on the same plant.
The female flower is distinguished by the small ovary at the base of the petals.
These bright and colourful flowers have extremely short life spans and may only open for as short a time as one day.
The colour of pumpkins is derived from the orange pigments abundant in them.
The main nutrients are lutein and both alpha and beta carotene, the latter of which generates vitamin A in the body.

Know your Pumpkins - Varieties

There are a wide range of varieties falling into these categories:

Cucurbita Moschata

This group of primarily squash includes the pumpkins frequently used for commercially canned pumpkins.
Commercial pumpkin varieties usually have a tan-coloured skin.

Cucurbita Pepo

These are the Jack-o-Lantern pumpkins you carve on Halloween, as well as the cute little miniature pumpkins that fit in the palm of your hand.
The traditional Jack O'Lantern is a particular variety officially known as the Connecticut Field Pumpkin.
Some of the most popular varieties include:

Connecticut Field pumpkin
Howden pumpkin
Howden Biggie
Jack B. Little Miniature pumpkins

Cucurbita Maxima

Maxima, as it's name implies, are the giant pumpkins.
Giant pumpkin growing has become a very popular hobby.
Giant pumpkin growers are among the most devoted, and perhaps fanatical of gardeners.
The uniqueness of this variety lies in its production of fruits more massive than those produced by any other plant in the world.
Fruit can exceed 6 feet (1.8 m) in diameter.
The heaviest Atlantic Giant on record weighed 1,810.5 pounds (821.2 kg) and was grown in Wisconsin in 2010.
Popular giant pumpkin varieties include:

Atlantic Giant pumpkin
Big Max pumpkins

Know your Pumpkins - Cuisine

Pumpkins are very versatile in their uses for cooking.
Most parts of the pumpkin are edible, including the fleshy shell, the seeds, the leaves, and even the flowers.
In the United States, pumpkin is a very popular Halloween and Thanksgiving staple.
Although most people use store-bought canned pumpkin, homemade pumpkin purée can serve the same purpose.

How to tell whether mushroom is friend or foe - Telegraph

2010-10-28T00:01:00.001+01:00

How to tell whether mushroom is friend or foe - Telegraph

Savour the flavour of garlic - Telegraph

2010-10-27T00:01:00.005+01:00

This is a really great article on garlic that I want to share. Just click on the title line above to visit and see for yourself.

Worcester weather forecast - Met Office

2010-10-26T10:23:00.000+01:00

Worcester weather forecast - Met Office

Discover Cowpea

2010-10-26T00:01:00.001+01:00

The Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), aka Field Pea, is one of several species of the widely cultivated genus Vigna.
Four cultivated subspecies are recognised:

Vigna unguiculata subsp. cylindrica Catjang
Vigna unguiculata subsp. dekindtiana African Cowpea
Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis Yardlong bean
Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata Black-eyed pea

Cowpeas are one of the most important food legume crops in the semi-arid tropics covering Asia, Africa, southern Europe and Central and South America.

Know your Cowpea - Common names

Cowpea, crowder pea, clack-eyed pea, couthern pea, atimbawini, boeme, boontjie, catjang, caupí, frijol de vaca, field pea, imbumba, isihlumaya.
A subcategory of field peas is crowder peas, so called because they are crowded together in their pods, causing them to have squarish ends.

Know your Cowpea - Botany

It is a herbaceous, prostrate, climbing, or sub-erect to erect legume, growing 15-80 cm high.
Erect and bushy to prostrate and creeping growth habits exist depending on cultivar and growing conditions.
Cowpeas develop strong root systems that have many spreading laterals in the surface soil.
The stems have circular sections and are pock marked. They are sometimes slightly grooved and are glabrous. The texture is fibrous and hard, firm and not inflated when young.
Leaves are alternate and trifoliolate and the leaflets are oval, pointed (6-15 cm x 4-11 cm). They are generally entire and sometimes lobed.
Genotypes vary in the degree of pubescence, but all cultivated cowpeas are less glabrous than other legumes such as common bean and soybean.
Stipules are spurred at the base, stipels are hardly visible.
Inflorescence racemose, flowers white, cream, yellow, mauve or purple.
Pods usually occur in pairs forming a V, and are non-dehiscent.
Pod orientation is mostly pendant and vertical.
Pod length ranges from 6.5-25 cm and the width ranges from 3-12 mm.
Under warm conditions, pod development is rapid and may take only two weeks from pollination to pod maturation.
Each pod holds from 8 to 20 seeds in a crowded orientation.
Seed length is between 6-11 mm and the width is from 4-9 mm. The testa colour also varies from white, pinky-white, pink, tan, brown, and black. The hylum is often ringed black or brown, strongly contrasting with the shade of the testa and hence the name "blackeyed beans" of the Antilles.
It is susceptible to frost.

It is an annual. Some cowpea varieties may start flowering 30 days after sowing and are ready for harvest of dry seeds 25 days later; others may take more than 90 days to flower, and 210-240 days to mature.

Know your Cowpea - Uses

Cowpea is one of the most important grain legumes in Africa and in parts of the Americas and Asia.
In addition to its dry grain, fresh-shelled 'peas', fresh pods, and fresh and dried leaves and flowers are consumed in some regions.
The plant is used as cut and carry forage, and for hay and silage.
Cowpea forms highly effective associations with a wide range of native nitrogen fixing strains of Rhizobium bacteria and with mycorrhizae that allows the species to tolerate poor soils.
Used as a green manure, it can be incorporated into the soil 8-10 weeks after sowing, and can provide the equivalent of 80 kg/ha N to a subsequent crop.

Know your Cowpea - Origins

It is native of West Africa and cultivated throughout the tropics and subtropics between 40ºN and 30ºS at elevations between sea level and 2,000 metres.
Occurs in areas with annual rainfall between 400-2000 mm and summer temperatures between 25-35°C.

Know your Cowpea - Cultivation

Found on a wide range of very acid (pH 4) to strongly alkaline also low-fertility soils from sands to heavy, well-drained clays, with a preference for lighter soils.
A drought-tolerant and warm-weather crop, cowpeas are well-adapted to the drier regions of the tropics, where other food legumes do not perform well.

It does not tolerate extended flooding or salinity.

Most cowpea accessions exhibit classic short-day responses with respect to time of flowering, although a range of sensitivities occur and the effect is modulated by temperature.
It is mainly autogamous and in most environments outcrossing is low (less than 5%), but in the presence of bumble bees or other large insects, out-crossing can be much higher.
Flowers open early in the morning, close by noon and may fall off during the same day.
It also has the useful ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen through its root nodules, and it grows well in poor soils with more than 85% sand and with less than 0.2% organic matter and low levels of phosphorus.

In addition, it is shade tolerant, and therefore, compatible as an intercrop with maize, millet, sorghum, sugarcane, and cotton.

This makes cowpea an important component of traditional intercropping systems, especially in the complex and elegant subsistence farming systems of the dry savannas in sub-Saharan Africa.

Know your Cowpea - Cuisine

Cowpeas are a common food item in the southern United States, where they are often called field peas.
In Gujarati, these are called Chola/Chowla(ચોળા). In Marathi, these are called Chawali/Chavali(चवळी). (Kārāmani or Kārāmani Payir or Thatta Payir Tamil) are an integral part of the cuisine in southern region of India.
In Tamilnadu during the Tamil month of Maasi (February) - Panguni (March) called Kozhukattai/Adai (steamed sweet cake) prepared with cooked and mashed cowpea bean mixed with jaggery, ghee and other sub ingredients.
In Hindi, it is called 'Lobhia'.
According to the USDA food database, cowpeas have the highest percentage of calories from protein among vegetarian foods.

Growing garlic

2010-10-25T00:01:00.009+01:00

Garlic (Allium sativum) is one of the easiest and most satisfying crops you can grow.
For best results start with a head of garlic bought from a reputable grower, or from a garden centre or gardening catalogue.
You can use garlic bought in a supermarket at a pinch, but the crop is very likely to be inferior.
Traditionally garlic is planted on the shortest day of the year and harvested on the longest day of the year, but only use that as an indicator as even December is fine for planting, although then in most years it then takes until mid-July for the heads to be ready for lifting.

How to grow Garlic - Crop Rotation

Garlic is a member of the Onion Family, and it is recommended that it should not be grown in the same soil as other family members for at least three years.

How to grow Garlic - Site and Soil

Garlic doesn't need a very rich soil, but does prefer a free draining soil - if yours is heavy dig in some sand or plenty of organic matter like compost before planting.
Ideally, a deep, fertile, very well drained soil is needed.
Add (and incorporate well) a good dressing of a general garden fertilizer before or at the time of sowing.
Your soils pH must be above 6.0, ideally, pH 6.5 -7.0.
Unless you are gardening on limestone country, most soils will benefit from a liming at least a month or so before planting.

How to grow Garlic - Planting Out

Break the head into individual cloves, and choose the biggest and fattest seed cloves, and sow them root end down, standing erect, and far enough in the soil that they are anything from 25mm (1 inch) to being 50 mm (2 inches) or so under the soil surface.
Put them about 150 mm (6 inches) apart.
If planting in rows then keep them 15cm (6 inches) apart to allow easy hoeing and hand-weeding later.
For some of the jumbo varieties you'll need to increase this spacing, but for your standard garlic this will be fine.
Plant with the flat end down the way - the new green shoot will emerge from the pointy end (a horticultural term) and by spring you'll have a good few inches of growth.
If you are troubled by crows or pigeons you may wish to net your newly planted cloves as the birds may lift them just for fun.
Warm temperate areas - generally speaking, it can be planted in autumn through to early winter.

Under warm temperate climatic conditions autumn planted garlic will remain dormant for a few weeks, then develop roots and a shoot.
With the onset of the cold of winter growth is fairly slow until temperatures warm in spring.
The cold of winter is needed to initiate the side buds that will ultimately grow and swell to become cloves (and in some types, to initiate the flower bud).
The lengthening days of spring are the signal for the initiated but undeveloped side buds to start forming into cloves.
It is possible to sow in early spring and get a reasonably good harvest, but everything is against you - wet, difficult to work soil; no early root growth; less exposure to winter chill.
Early Spring is possible, but definitely a second choice.

Temperate areas- plant after the first good frosts of autumn.

Spring planting is possible in the higher latitudes, as the longer day lengths promote bulbing, but the shorter season means the bulbs are often smaller.
Autumn garlic will produce roots, but either no, or short, top growth.
If the garlic sprouts have emerged, they will survive freezes and snowfalls, but they should be mulched heavily (about 15 cm/6 inches) to prevent heaving.
Pull the mulch aside in spring.
Autumn planted garlic will have strong roots by winters icy grip, and these roots will help prevent the 'seed' being pushed out of the ground as the soil alternately freezes and thaws ('frost heave').

How to grow Garlic - Care & Cultivation

Once they have started growth in spring, give them regular - say fortnightly - very light side dressings of urea (or other high nitrogen fertilizer), spread 100 mm/6 inches either side of the plants.
Some authorities encourage the application of sulfur to encourage healthy leaf growth.

There is some evidence that the sulfur also assists in the formation of higher levels of allicin, the sulfur compound which is at the centre of the medicinal properties of garlic and also for the sulfurous combinations which make up garlic's pungent aroma.

Liquid manures are also beneficial.
Garlic competes poorly with weeds. Keep them as close to meticulously weeded as is possible.
Be careful with the hoe; it is embarrassing to be responsible for a beautifully growing garlic plant being sliced off at soil level by a hurried hoe!
If the weather is dry, mulch them to conserve water.

How to grow Garlic - Watering

In the garden, garlic needs water in the early stages of growth (between March and June) and unbroken warmth.

No water will produced a poor crop because garlic, being a member of the allium family, is shallow-rooted and unable to seek out water from the depths.

Mulch is one way of maintaining an even moisture regime.

Not enough moisture means that garlic does not develop a full sized bulb.
Over watering results in garlic with poor keeping qualities - poor wrappers, burst skins and mould.
Also, it is harder to cure garlic that has been over watered.

How to grow Garlic - Harvesting

Lift the bulbs as soon as the leaves begin to yellow, or when they lie prostrate on the soil.
If it is very wet near harvest time, consider lifting them a bit earlier and drying them under cover.
Left in wet soil, the outer parchment often rots.
If there is disease in the root plate, it may develop too far and cause the bulb to fall apart when it is lifted.
Garlic "Rocambole" is almost always ready to harvest a month or so before common garlic.
Always the state of the foliage is the indicator, not any particular date.

How to grow Garlic - Storing & Preserving

Store garlic in a dry place, the kitchen is fine, and towards autumn (if there is still some left) check for soft bulbs (rotting internally), and sign of insect damage.
Throw out damaged bulbs.
The ideal storage conditions are temperatures of around 10C/50F, dry, and well ventilated.
Soft-neck garlic can be braided into strings of garlic that can hang in the pantry or kitchen, providing both convenience and a style statement, but also preserving healthy garlic heads.
Hard-necked garlic, or if you can't be bothered to braid your soft-neck crop, can be tied together with string to provide the same effect.
Garlic strings, however they are constructed, will keep the garlic usable for up to two years.

Botany of garlic

2010-10-24T00:01:00.008+01:00

There are many different kinds of garlic and they're almost all different in size, color, shape, taste, number of cloves per bulb, pungency and storability.
Most consumers aren't aware of the many kinds since they seldom see more than one kind in the local supermarket.
There are said to be over 600 cultivated sub-varieties of garlic in the world, although most of them are selections of only a handful of basic types that have been grown widely and developed their own characteristics over the centuries as local growing conditions changed.

Botanists classify all true garlics under the species Allium sativum. There are two subspecies:

Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon, the hard-necked varieties.
Allium sativum var. sativum, the soft-necked varieties.

The hard-necked garlics were the original garlics and the soft-necked ones were developed or cultivated over the centuries by growers from the original hard-necks through a process of selection.
The latest research in 2003 shows that ten fairly distinct varietal groups of garlic have evolved.

Five very different hardneck varieties called:

Porcelain
Purple Stripe
Marbled Purple Stripe
Glazed Purple Stripe
Rocambole.

Three varieties of weakly bolting hardnecks that often produce softnecks:

Creole
Asiatic
Turban

Two distinct softneck varietal groups:

Artichoke
Silverskin

Dr. Gail Volk of the USDA in Colorado and Dr. Joachim Keller of the Institute of Plant Biology in Gaterslaben, Germany, independently performed DNA analysis of garlics and classified them in 2003. Previously it had been thought that there were only five varietal groups.
All of the hundreds of sub-varieties (separate cultivars) of garlic grown all over the world came from these ten basic groups or sub-varieties of hardnecks that evolved in the Caucasus Mountains between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.
The individual characteristics of varieties have been altered over time by careful (or accidental) selection and changing growing conditions, such as soil fertility, rainfall, temperature, altitude, length and severity of winter, etc. as they spread across Asia and Europe.
The Asiatics and Turbans developed in the East, while the Creoles developed in Spain and southern France and Artichokes and Silverskins developed in Italy and elsewhere in Europe.

About garlic

2010-10-23T00:01:00.001+01:00

Garlic, Allium sativum, is a species in the onion family Alliaceae.
Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, scallion, chive, and rakkyo.
Garlic has been used throughout history for both culinary and medicinal purposes.
The garlic plant's bulb is the most commonly used part of the plant.

Know your Garlic - Botany

With the exception of the single clove types, the bulb is divided into numerous fleshy sections called cloves.
The cloves are used for cloning, consumption (raw or cooked), or for medicinal purposes, and have a characteristic pungent, spicy flavour that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking.
Garlic is an upright plant that grows up to about 60 cm tall.
The long, sword-shaped leaves grow from the bulb beneath the surface of the soil.
The bulbs are rounded, composed of several smaller bulbs called cloves.
Cloves and bulbs are covered by a white papery coat and are used in both cookery and medicine.

Know your Garlic - History

Only known as a domesticated crop in cultivation, it is not known which species was the originator.
The word garlic comes from Old English garleac, meaning "spear leek."
Dating back over 6,000 years, it is native to Central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent seasoning in Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Egyptians worshiped garlic and placed clay models of garlic bulbs in the tomb of Tutankhamen.
Garlic was so highly-prized, it was even used as currency.
Folklore holds that garlic repelled vampires, protected against the Evil Eye, and warded off jealous nymphs said to terrorize pregnant women and engaged maidens.
And let us not forget to mention the alleged aphrodisiacal powers of garlic which have been extolled through the ages.

Know your Garlic - Cuisine

The leaves, and flowers on the head (spathe) are also edible, and being milder in flavour than the bulbs, they are most often consumed while immature and still tender.
Additionally, the immature flower stalks (scapes) of the hardneck types are sometimes marketed for uses similar to asparagus in stir-fries.
The papery, protective layers of "skin" over various parts of the plant are generally discarded during preparation for most culinary uses, though in Korea immature whole heads are sometimes prepared with the tender skins intact.
The root cluster attached to the basal plate of the bulb is the only part not typically considered palatable in any form.

Know your Garlic - Uses

The sticky juice within the bulb cloves is used as an adhesive in mending glass and china.

Discover Corn salad

2010-10-22T00:01:00.002+01:00

Corn salad, Valerianella locusta, is a small dicot annual plant of the family Valerianaceae.

Know your Corn Salad - Common names

It is also called Lewiston cornsalad, lamb's lettuce, fetticus, field salad, mâche, feldsalat, nut lettuce and rapunzel.

Know your Corn Salad - Botany

Corn salad grows in a low rosette with spatulate leaves up to 15.2 cm long.
It is a hardy plant that grows to US zone 5, and in mild climates it is grown as a winter green.
In warm conditions it tends to bolt to seed.

Know your Corn Salad - Distribution

Corn salad grows wild in parts of Europe, northern Africa and western Asia.
In Europe and Asia it is a common weed in cultivated land and waste spaces.
In North America it has escaped cultivation and become naturalized on both the eastern and western sea-boards.

How to cook Marrow

2010-10-21T00:01:00.001+01:00

A member of the squash family, the marrow is a distinctive looking vegetable.
Its edible shiny skin can be any shade of green and its flesh is tender with a subtle flavour.
When buying marrow choose the smallest one that you can.
Over-sized marrows tend to have watery, bitter-tasting flesh.
It should be firm and heavy for its size.

How To Use Marrow

Marrow is always served cooked.
It can be baked in halves with the centre scooped out and stuffed with a filling such as sausage-meat and tomato or Bolognese sauce.
It can be sliced into rounds and topped with cheese and baked.
Or it can be cooked with onions, peppers and tomatoes to make a version of ratatouille.
Serve steamed or fried marrow as a side dish to accompany chicken or fish dishes.
Marrow can also be combined with ginger to make jam or included in the mixed summer vegetable preserve, piccalilli.
Herbs and spices that go particularly well with marrow include sage, thyme, chilli and cumin.

How To Prepare Marrow

Top and tail the marrow and slice or cut into chunks as desired and remove the seeds.

How To Cook Marrow

Marrow can be baked, steamed or sautéed.

Baking the marrow

To bake, preheat the oven to 190°C, gas mark 5, place the halved, stuffed marrow or marrow rings with topping in a roasting tin and cook for 35 - 55 minutes or until tender.

Steaming the marrow

To steam, place prepared marrow chunks in a steamer and cook for 10 - 15 minutes or until tender.

Sautéing the marrow

To sauté, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and cook the prepared marrow chunks for 5 -10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.

How To Store Marrow

Keep refrigerated after purchase.

About Marrows

2010-10-20T00:01:00.001+01:00

The vegetable marrow, Cucurbita pepo var. ovifera, is cultivated extensively in England, and can grow to be up to 1 metre (3 foot) in length.
The name vegetable marrow is often shortened to just marrow.
Marrow is always served cooked.
It is closely related to the courgette and can be cooked in any manner suitable for that vegetable.
A member of the squash family, the marrow is a distinctive looking, large vegetable.
While related to many varieties of the squash family the marrow is grown to a much larger size than those would normally be grown, while still retaining an acceptable taste.

Know your Marrow - Common names

Called marrow squash in the US.
The vegetable marrow is closely related to courgette, zucchini, and squash, and overgrown specimens of these are often mistaken for it.

Know your Marrow - Botany

The vegetable marrow plant is a half hardy annual, vigorous trailing plant.
The marrow is shaped like a slightly curved cylinder, a bit smaller at the top than the bottom.
Its edible shiny skin can be any shade of green, sometimes with yellow markings that give it a striped or mottled look, and its flesh is tender with a subtle flavour.

Know your Marrow - Cuisine

When buying marrow choose the smallest one that you can.
Over-sized marrows tend to have watery, bitter-tasting flesh. It should be firm and heavy for its size.
Because of its bland flavour, vegetable marrow (sometimes called marrow squash ) is often stuffed with a meat mixture.
It is available in limited supplies in some speciality produce markets during the summer months.

Discover Land Cress

2010-10-19T00:01:00.003+01:00

Land cress, Barbarea verna, is a biennial herb in the family Brassicaceae.
A variegated form is also available.

Know your Land Cress - Common names

Land cress is also known as American cress, bank cress, Belle Isle cress, Bermuda cress, early yellowrocket, early wintercress, scurvy cress, upland cress, dryland cress, cassabully, and American watercress.

Know your Land Cress - Origins

It is native to south-western Europe, but is also cultivated in Florida.
Land cress has been cultivated as a leaf vegetable in England since the 17th century.

Know your Land Cress - Cultivation

As it requires less water than watercress, it is easier to cultivate.
Land cress can be grown easily in any garden.
Like watercress, it loves water, but does not do well when partially submerged for long periods of time.
This biennial needs full sun and frequent watering in any garden, unless near a direct source of water.

Know your Land Cress - Cuisine

Land cress is considered a satisfactory substitute for watercress.
It can be used in sandwiches, or salads, or cooked like spinach, or used in soup.
It is rich in vitamins, iron and calcium.

About French beans

2010-10-18T00:01:00.002+01:00

French beans are the unripe fruit of any kind of bean, including the yardlong bean, the hyacinth bean, the winged bean, and especially the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), whose pods are also usually called string beans in the north-eastern United States, but can also be called snap beans.
Runner beans are the only exception and are treated as a different type of bean.
French beans are self-pollinating and do not have the setting problems that can occur with runner beans.
They come in 3 types and 3 different colours:

Pencil pods, which are round in cross-section and usually stringless - these are divided into yellow 'waxpods', purple pods (which turn green when you cook them) and green podded varieties
Flat podded types
Filet or needle beans - these are the exceptionally thin Kenyan type.

The filet, waxpod and purple varieties are considered best for flavour.
The last two have another advantage, in that they are easy to spot when picking time comes around.
There are also varieties grown mainly for drying (e.g. haricots), as well as varieties that are usually shelled like peas (flageolets), very popular in France.
Climbing types should be grown the same way as runner beans.

Discover Lima Beans

2010-10-17T00:01:00.002+01:00

Lima bean

The Lima bean, Phaseolus lunatus, is grown for its seed, which is eaten as a vegetable.
It is commonly known as the lima bean or butter bean; it is also known as Haba bean, Pallar bean, Burma bean, Guffin bean, Hibbert bean, Sieva bean, Rangoon bean, Madagascar bean, Paiga, Paigya, prolific bean, civet bean, sugar bean or đậu ngự (Vietnamese).
These beans have a buttery, sweet, starchy taste and a smooth texture.
When cooked for long periods, they create a thick, gravy-like liquid.
Lima beans are native to South America and are popular in Andean foods.
They're also used widely in regional Southern US cuisine.
Soak overnight before cooking.

Lima butter bean

The term butter bean is widely used for a large, flat and white variety of lima bean (P. lunatus var. macrocarpus).
In the Southern United States the Sieva type are traditionally called butter beans, also otherwise known as the Dixie or Henderson type.
In that area, lima beans and butter beans are seen as two distinct types of beans.
In the United Kingdom, "butter beans" refer to either dried beans which can be purchased to re-hydrate or the canned variety which are ready to use.
In culinary use, lima beans and butter beans are distinctly different, the former being small and green, the latter large and yellow.
In areas where both are considered to be lima beans, the green variety may be labeled as "baby" (and less commonly "junior") limas.
Both bush and pole (vine) varieties exist, the latter from one to four meters in height.
The bush varieties mature earlier than the pole varieties.
The pods are up to 15 cm long.
The mature seeds are 1 to 3 cm long and oval to kidney shaped.
In most varieties the seeds are quite flat, but in the "potato" varieties the shape approaches spherical.
White seeds are common, but black, red, orange and variously mottled seeds are also known.
The immature seeds are uniformly green.
Lima beans typically yield 2900 to 5000 kilograms of seed and 3000 to 8000 kilograms of biomass per hectare.
Bush types:

Henderson/Thorogreen, 65 days
Eastland, 68 days
Baby Fordhook, 70 days
Fordhook 242, 75 days, 1945 AAS winner

Pole types:

Giant Speckled/Christmas/Speckled Calico, 78 days
Big 6/Big Mama, 80 days
King of the Garden, 85 days
Madagascar

Nutrition

Like many other legumes, Lima beans are a good source of cholesterol-lowering fibre. It lowers cholesterol and its high fibre content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, while providing virtually fat free high quality protein.
It is a good choice for people with diabetes suffering with insulin resistance. Lima beans can help balance blood sugar levels while providing steady, slow-burning energy.
Lima beans may reduce the medical dosage needed to combat cholesterol in the form of natural food.
Lima beans have the trace mineral molybdenum, an integral component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, and it detoxifies sulfites.
Sulfites are a type of preservative generally added to prepared foods.
Lima beans are high in dietary fibers, which means that blood sugar does not rise high after eating beans. This is due to the presence of higher amounts of absorption-slowing protein in the beans, and their high soluble fiber content. Soluble fiber absorbs water in the stomach forming a gel that slows down the metabolism of the bean's carbohydrates. The fiber is also the reason for the cholesterol lowering function of beans. Fiber binds with the bile acids that are used to make cholesterol. Fiber is not absorbed by intestine and it exits the body taking the bile acids with it. As a result, the cholesterol is lowered.
Lima beans also has insoluble fiber, which prevents constipation, digestive disorders, irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis.
Lima beans help prevent heart disease, since eating high fiber foods, such as lima beans reduces cholesterol level. Lima promotes healthy heart because of its folate and magnesium. Folate lowers levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is an intermediate product in an important metabolic process called the methylation cycle. Elevated blood levels of homocysteine are an independent risk factor for heart attack, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease.
Lima's magnesium content is a calcium channel blocker. When enough magnesium is around, veins and arteries relax, which reduces resistance and improves the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.
Apart from providing slow burning complex carbohydrates, lima beans can increase your energy by helping to restore more iron.
For menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency, lima beans can be added for iron.
Iron is an integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism.
Lima beans are a very good source of the trace mineral manganese, helps enzymes important for energy production and antioxidant defense.

Toxicity

Raw lima beans and butter beans contain linamarin, a cyanogenic glucoside. The beans are rendered safe when cooked.
Low-linamarin varieties are typically used for culinary purposes.
It is possible for one handful of raw beans to make a person violently ill.