Less ell-known Vegetables that Deserve a Trial in the Home Garden

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 87, Issue 3, 15 September 1953, Page 260

Less ell-known Vegetables that Deserve a Trial in the Home Garden

VEGETABLES form an important part of man's diet and provide a major proportion of the vitamins necessary to maintain health. The fresher the vegetables are the more nutritious they are and also the more palatable. A good selection of vegetables not only adds variety to the menu, but assists in providing a more balanced diet. Many gardeners grow only a small selection of vegetables year by year and these tend to become very monotonous if served continually. Gardeners could therefore consider, increasing their range of vegetables even if only to add variety. Some of the less well-known vegetables which could be grown in many parts of New Zealand are discussed in the first part of this article, which is •by C. L. Napier, Horticultural Instructor, Department of Agriculture, Hastings. The section on routine work in the home garden is by S. O. Gillard, Horticultural Instructor, Department of Agriculture, Auckland. , -

BECAUSE a vegetable is not grown extensively does not mean that it is difficult to grow. Generally it means that gardeners are not conversant with the conditions required oi how the vegetables are used. By varymg the methods of culture described t° j Sul t 161 , particular district, gardeners should have no difficulty in raising most of the vegetables menhoned. Sowing dates have been given wiVl?e ar a I ble la to d adjust thU’to'“St their own reauirement? d . iz | , borecole or Kale Borecole or kale (Brassica oleracea acephala) is a member of the cabbage

family, but unlike its relatives it produces neither heart nor flower. Kale has been in cultivation for many centunes, several varieties being known by the ancient Greeks as tar back as 200 B.C This vegetable is a good source of calcium and iron and vitamins A and C and to a less extent vitamins of the B group. Fprtiiisprs ' boils and fertilisers Any good S arden soil that will grow other members of the cabbage family is suitable for kale. It is a heavy feeder and will do better in poorer or lighter types of soils if organic matter is added to them.

A fertiliser mixture made up in the °id am a sulphate of potash applied at 3 to 4oz. ££ paratively generous quantities of lime, des^rable added considered Sowing and Cultivation As kale is a winter and spring vegetable, seed should be sown ;in time for the plants to mature before For Hawkes Bay November and plants are set out in early January. Seed can be sown in beds or short rows and plants set but 18 to 24in. apart in rows 30in. apart. Alternatively seed can be sown in the permanent site and plants later thinned to the desired distance. Cultivation is the same as for cabbage and care should be taken to keep f be pi an free from pests and diseases that normally attack cabbages and cauliflowers. Watering may be necessary in the early stages to assist establishment, and side dressings of nitrogenous fertilisers or liquid manure may be needed to encourage quick

development of • leaf, particularly during unfavourable conditions. Tall kale may need moulding up if it falls over in windy weather. Varieties and Uses There are a number of varieties or types of kale and most can be divided into two main groups, ’ Scotch ■ and Siberian. Scotch kale .. is greyish green and very curled and crumpled; Siberian is bluish green and not curled as much as the Scotch type. Fine curled strains are the ones normally grown by home gardeners. Kale can be used fresh in salads when young or boiled like cabbage. 5 In the home garden the outer ■ leaves can .be plucked off -as ■ required or whole plants 1 removed as with cabbages. „ Celeriac ; Celeriac (Apium X graveolens rapaceum) is related "to celery and it is probable that both originated from the same parent. Celeriac has a flavour similar to that of celery, but has a turnip-shaped root, which is the part normally eaten. Soils and Fertilisers - > Celeriac is hardier and more easily grown than celery and for this reason could be more widely grown by home gardeners. .It will succeed in a wide range of soils, but like celery it does best in rich, moist but well-drained soils. To facilitate watering the plants can be grown in trenches, but care must be taken not to bury the bulbous roots. A balanced fertiliser of the same ratio as that recommended for kale is suitable for celeriac, but care should be taken to see that the soil is rich in organic matter if steady growth is to be maintained. Sowing and Cultivation In Hawkes Bay early sowings are made under glass : in June and July.

Sowings can be made outdoors in late September or early October after the soil has warmed up. Seed should not be sown more than |in. deep and is best sown in boxes for early crops. Later sowings can be made in beds or in drills in the area in which they are to mature. . Plants can then be planted, or thinned out to, 6 to Bin. apart. Rows should be sufficiently wide to allow for cultivation. Care should :be taken not to damage the roots during hoeing or other cultivation. Cultivation is simpler than that for celery, as no blanching is required. Water should be given if conditions are dry, and the developing bulbous root should be kept free of soil. The removal of suckers as soon as they develop will give more attractive roots. - Uses The bulbous root can be sliced or diced and used raw in salads or boiled and thickened with white sauce. The roots and tops can also be used like celery in soups or stews. Late crops, particularly where soil conditions become wet and heavy in winter, can be lifted and stored in pits or sand in a similar manner to carrots. Before being stored the bulbs should be trimmed of roots and the leaves should be shortened to a few inches. Salsify Salsify (Tragapogon porrifolius) is also known as vegetable oyster, because the flavour suggests that of oysters. The vegetable is of comparatively recent introduction as a garden variety and is a native of southern Europe or west Africa. Soils and Fertilisers The culture of salsify is somewhat • similar to that of parsnips. A deeply dug, rich, and moist soil is best, any

plot heavily manured for a previous crop being excellent. If the soil is rich in organic matter, no other fertiliser should be required. Sowing and Cultivation Sowing can begin in August in Hawkes Bay and may continue until December or January. The seed can be sown jin. deep in drills 15 to 18in. apart and seedlings thinned later to 3 to 4in. intervals. Cultivation consists of keeping weeds down and providing water when the plants are young. .. Varieties and Uses . Sandwich Island is the variety usually grown in New Zealand. Plants grow to about 2in. in diameter at the crown and up to lOin. long, being somewhat similar in shape to parsnips. Roots can be harvested at any time after they are half grown. Roots are normally boiled and prepared with a sauce in the same way as celeriac. Cold salsify can be fried in fritters. Plants will stand well over the winter, but can be lifted and pitted or stored in sand. About ■ 2in. of the tops should be left attached to the roots to prevent shrivelling in storage. Kohl Rabi Kohl rabi (.Brassica oleracea caulorapa) is grown for the turnip-like, swollen stem which normally is the only part eaten. The vegetable is a native of the Mediterranean region

and has been in cultivation since very early times. Like all brassicas it is a good source of vitamin C and also provides a small quantity of vitamin Soils and Fertilisers Kohl rabi grows well in soils similar

to those preferred by other brassicas; that is, soils rich in humus with adequate moisture but good drainage. It should do well in rich soils without the addition of any fertilisers, but if extra plant food is necessary, the fertiliser mixture recommended for borecole should be satisfactory.

Sowing and Cultivation

Although seedlings transplant quite well, it is usual to sow the seed where the plants are to mature. In Hawkes Bay sowings can be made from September onward. Seed should be sown not more than Jin. deep in rows 12 to 18in. apart. Plants should be thinned to 6 to Bin. intervals. Late February or early March sowings should give autumn and early-winter crops.

Kohl rabi does best in the coolness of spring and early summer and also in autumn. It will, however, do well during summer provided it can be kept growing. Rapid growth will give tender, mild “roots”, whereas slow growth gives a bitter flavour and coarse flesh.

Varieties and Uses

White Vienna and Purple Vienna are the two most popular varieties in New Zealand. In from 2 to 3 months from sowing the “roots” should be ready for harvesting. They should be used when no more than 4in. in diameter; otherwise they may be tough and woody. The bulbs or “roots” are prepared in the same way as turnips.

Although kohl rabi is stored for winter use in some countries, it does not appear to keep as well as some other root crops.

Globe Artichoke The globe artichoke (.Cynara scolymus) is a herbaceous perennial not unlike ■ a large thistle. It is a native of .the Mediterranean region and has been cultivated for several centuries. The edible flower bud con-

tains vitamin B t and a smaller quantity of vitamins A and C. Soils and Fertilisers Globe artichokes will thrive on almost any soil type provided moisture is sufficient. However, they prefer a rich, deeply dug soil, and a good water

supply is needed to produce succulent flower buds. . If fertilisers are necessary, one rich in nitrogen is beneficial. Nitrogen applied shortly before cutting tends •to give good-quality buds. Sowing and Cultivation In Hawkes Bay sowing is ’ usually done during September and October and the plants are later set out (or thinned if seed has been sown in drills in the areas where plants are to mature). If sowing under glass is done in July or August, plants should be ready for setting out in about 6 weeks and will produce a few buds the first year. Later sowing means waiting until the second season, but the crop will then be larger. Raising from seed does not always give highly productive plants. It is therefore best to propagate from plants that produce a plentiful supply of good-quality buds. Plants usually produce suckers and only a few of the best should be left when they begin spring growth. These can be removed with as much root as possible when about 12in. high. Suckers must v be planted firmly and deeply and not allowed to dry out. As. globe artichokes are rarely successful after their third or fourth year, suckers are perhaps the easiest method of renewing stock. Established plants should receive plenty of moisture and the buds should be ready for cutting when they have reached the stage of the bud in; the centre back of the illustration .on page 260. When growth has died down in autumn the stalks should be cut to within Ift. of their bases and the bed

then dressed with manure in a similar manner to asparagus beds. If winters are severe, beds can be earthed up or covered with some material to guard the crowns against injury. Varieties and Uses Propagation by suckers from reliable plants is the best method of maintaining quality. Buds can be prepared in several ways. To obtain large terminal buds it is normal to remove the smaller side buds when they are about egg size. These can be fried, boiled, or eaten raw. The terminal buds are usually boiled. The American method is to trim the buds and soak them in water for J hour. They are then drained and cooked in salted boiling water until tender (about | hour) and eaten with butter and salt. Of the larger outer scales the main edible portion is the fleshy base. . The inner scales are edible throughout, but the spiny centre (choke) of the bud is discarded. The taste for globe artichokes is an acquired one and many people class them as a luxury. The main disadvantage of this plant is the relatively large amount of space it requires, but it can be planted in odd back corners of the garden. Sea Kale Sea kale (.Crambe maritima') is a hardy perennial and a native of western Europe. It is grown by few gardeners, but it has a delicate flavour which should make it more popular. It is grown for its young leaves and shoots, which are' normally blanched. Soils and Fertilisers Although sea kale will grow in any normally rich soil, a bed prepared as

for rhubarb is best. This bed should 1 be replenished each year with organic i matter or other fertilisers to. keep up; the fertility of the soil. A well-kept bed should remain productive for anumber of years. Sowing and Cultivation Sea kale, can be grown from seed sown under glass in June or July or outside in September and October. Early sowing should give plants for setting out in October. Seedlings need to be thinned early to give sturdy! plants. Late sowing often means trans-; planting the following spring. i Sea kale requires plenty of space, because it has to be covered for; blanching. Seedlings or plants can be set at 18 to 24in. intervals with the crowns about 2in. below the surface. Root cuttings about 4 to 6in. long can be taken and planted in their permanent positions in early spring. At the end of the growing season! the dead leaves should be removed and! the bed can then be mulched with; compost. .About June the crowns should be covered with inverted boxes or flower pots that exclude all light. These can then be covered with sacking or other suitable material to keep the : winter temperature comparatively high inside. Light ! harvesting can begin the second season and normal harvesting lasts about 3 to 6 ■ weeks. .J Growth should be watched closely and when shoots are about 5 or 6in. tall they should be cut in the same way as asparagus. When the cutting season is finished the coverings are removed and a thin layer of soil spread over

the crowns. During the growing seai son sea kale will benefit from plenty of moisture and liquid manure. " Varieties and Uses 1 ’ No specific varieties are available. p The blanched shoots can be boiled and p served with white sauce in the same way as celeriac. ' Egg Plant $ The egg. plant (Solanum melongena) obtains its name from the flavour of the cooked fruit, which suggests fried | ; eggs. Its origin is rather obscure, but >-i it has been in cultivation for many :'j centuries. Egg plants do well in mild ;= climates and they could be grown to ;‘i a greater extent. Soils and Fertilisers Soils and plant foods suitable for , tomatoes are ideal for egg plants, ;■ which are gross feeders. Warm, rich, $ and well-drained soils are best, but ; i moisture must be plentiful. Soil 1 enriched with compost or other j organic matter is desirable. A mixed |: fertiliser made up of. say, 31b. of sulij phate of ammonia, 101 b. of superphosH phate, and 11b. of sulphate of potash at 3oz. to the square yard will encour- : age good production. : • Sowing and Cultivation As . the egg plant requires a long, warm, season, it should be sown early and set out as soon as frosts are past. In Hawkes Bay seed can be sown ; under glass in July or early August and the plants set out in October. If transplanted carefully when about only 4in. high, they should establish quickly. Plants should be set' about } 24in. apart in rows 30. to 36in. ; apart

to give plenty of room for development. Mature plants are about 3 to 4ft. high. Pricking out in pots and careful setting out later will reduce all possible checks. Egg plants should be kept growing steadily throughout . their season with water and fertilisers as necessary. The growing season varies, but in ideal conditions it is about 5 months. Cultivation during the season is similar to that of tomatoes. When plants are about Bin. high growing points can be nipped out to encourage branching. If winds are a problem, staking would be an advantage. Varieties and Uses . - There . are three main varieties .of egg plants: Esculentum with large, egg-shaped fruits, serpentinum .with long ’ and slender fruits, and depressum, a dwarf type with small pear-shaped fruits. The first is the main variety grown in New Zealand and produces large, deep purple fruits. Varieties are Black Beauty and New York Improved. Fruits should be harvested when they are fully coloured but before there is any suspicion of shrivelling. If left until this stage, they are very seedy. Egg fruit can be baked, boiled, Or roasted like pumpkin and served with meat. It can also be stuffed or fried, the latter method being the most popular. For frying the fruits are cut in jin. slices like bananas. They can be soaked in salt water overnight or salted and fried in batter immediately. Other Vegetables Other vegetables that have particular uses in the home garden are red cabbage, endive, and peppers. Red Cabbage Red cabbage is grown mainly for pickles, to which it gives an attractive

appearance. It can, however, be used in salads or cooked like the , green types. As most red types are slow maturing, they should be sown in early spring. Endive Cultivation of endive is similar to that for lettuce, except that plants can be blanched before harvesting. Endive can be boiled as a green or used as a salad. Peppers Peppers are also known as capsicums and certain varieties as chillies. They grow well in warm districts such as Hawkes Bay and can be used in pickles, chutneys or soups, can -be stuffed and baked, and sliced in salads. Peppers and endive will be discussed in an article on salad vegetables in the October issue of the “Journal”. References “Vegetable Crops”, by H. C. Thompson. New Zealand Department of Agriculture Bulletin No. 342, “The Home Vegetable Garden”. Acknowledgment Acknowledgment is made to Mr. J. Beamish, Hastings, for information and provision of many subjects', for photography. V

Work for October

ITXURING October work in the s home garden is varied and in many districts that month is one of the busiest of the year. However, discretion is still necessary in sowing or planting frosttender vegetables. In southern parts of the North Island and in the South Island there is still a likelihood of damaging frosts and some protec-

tion such as cloches, hot-caps, or wooden boxes with glass coverings will be necessary for tender plants. Preparation of the ground for successional sowings and plantings should be continued and the soil made ready for the planting of pumpkins, marrows, etc. Early-planted potatoes should be moulded up as they grow to prevent wind or frost damage. In northern districts regular spraying with a copper compound will be necessary to prevent late blight infection. Growing crops should be hoed frequently, and crops such as cabbage and cauliflower should have the soil drawn up to them to give them support. Frequent light cultivation is of great benefit to vegetable plants. It eliminates weeds, helps to aerate the soil, and assists in the regulation of soil moisture. Earlier-sown crops of turnips, beetroot, parsnips, and silver beet will require thinning and hoeing. Where plants are not to be transplanted but are to remain in the bed until required for use, it is usually necessary to thin them; this work should be done as soon as the plants are large enough to pull and before they begin to “draw” or become spindly from crowding. The aim of thinning should be to leave the best plants as far as this can be done to give proper spacing. If plants are not allowed sufficient space, they will produce inferior crops. To avoid unnecessary consolidation of the soil by walking on it after planting and to save valuable time later supports for tomatoes and runner beans should be placed in position and the soil worked up in readiness for planting. Driving stakes after plants are established may cause serious root injury. Earlier-sown peas will require moulding up and supporting to keep them from coming in contact with the soil. Small stakes placed along each

side of a row with three or four strings attached at different heights will supoort the plants. porr me p - ■ '.■■•• . n Cauliflowers, cabbages, and lettuces nearing maturity will benefit from weekly applications of liquid animal manure. If the soil is wet and further moisture would be a disadvantage, a side dressing of nitrate of soda at the rate of |oz. per plant is preferable. Care must be taken to see that the fertiliser does not touch the stems or foliage of plants; it should be worked liPhtlv into the soil - lightly into me so . " wings ; ... . Dwarf and climbing beans: All varieties of beans except broad beans

are frost tender and require warm conditions for germination and growth, Climbing varieties yield more and produce Over a longer period than dwarf and are no so subject to disease. They are especially, suitable where garden space is ‘ limited. Beans can now .be p i an ted in all districts where late ross are unlikely. . . _• Good varieties are: Dwarf, The Prince and Canadian Wonder. Climbmg, • Fardenlosa and Scarlet Runner, Scarlet Runner is a perennial and is undoubtedly one of the hardiest of its kj nd . it differs from the annual climbing bean in that its roots thicken, and in well-drained soils where winter conditions are not too severe the thick fleshy roots will shoot again each

spring, usually when frost danger is past. ' ' .. ' . Lima beans: .. Two good types , are Burpee’s Bush and the tall variety King of the Garden. Edible i soy . beans, like lima beans, are grown mainly for their seed and are. used dry in a similar way to haricot beans. Good varieties are Manchu and Bansei. . .■'.■■■... Sweet com: Seed can be sown now in the North Island north of Manawatu. Golden Cross Bantam is a good variety. ' Pumpkin, squashes/ and marrows may be sown toward . the. end .of the month north of Manawatu. Good home garden varieties are: Pumpkin: Crown, Triamble, Queensland Blue. . Squash: Red Warren, Golden Hubbard: Marrow: : White Bush and Green Bush. :■■"' The following may be sown in all districts: — ■ Beetroot: Crimson Globe, Detroit Red. ... ■ Silver beet: Lucullus, Fordhook Giant. Carrot: Early Krop,- Manchester Table, Chantenay. . Turnips: White Stone. i: Peas: Greenfeast (dwarf), Aiderman (tall). . .Radish: French , Breakfast, -. White Icicle. .J,;, {.'• Spinach: Prickly seeded. < Parsnips: Hollow Crown. The following may be sown in seedling beds for transplanting later:— Leeks: Musselburgh. Lettuce: Neapolitan ; . and Great Lakes. Celerv (in Northland and Auckland): Golden -blanching. ’ Brussels sprouts (in southern districts): Fillbasket. j. Plantings > / j Potatoes: Main-crop potatoes should be planted without delav. Good varieties are Arran Chief, Aucklander : Short Top, King Edward, Inverness Favourite, and Dakota: The last variety is not suited for districts north of Manawatu. ■ ' • - j. Cabbage plants should be set out 18 to 24in. apart in rows 24 to 30in. ; apart. The soil should have been well prepared and enriched to promote ■rapid growth to mature the plants before the weather becomes too hot. Recommended varieties to plant now are Golden Acre, Henderson’s Succession, Copenhagen Market, and Enfield ■Market. - p- . Tomatoes can be planted . in many parts of the North Island. Good varieties include Adelaide Dwarf, Early Chatham, and Stoners Dwarf Gem (dwarfs) and Potentate, Carters Sunrise, Moneymaker,. and Stoners Prolific (tall varieties). b b Lettuce should be set out in a rich soil; the ground should not be allowed ■to become dry. Recommended varieties to plant now are Neapolitan and Great Lakes. : ■.- ", Kumara: In districts north of Mana? watu plants can be set out on ridges The best varieties are New Zealand Red and New Zealand Pink. p s

VEGETABLES WHICH DESERVE A TRIAL IN THE HOME GARDEN