Friday, 3 December 2010

Growing Okra - Hibiscus esculentus

Okra. Hibiscus esculentus
Often known as Gumbo and popular in the U.S.A. In view of our variable summer conditions, it is advisable to start the plants under glass except in warm districts. Although they grow a metre high in warmer places, elsewhere the plants rarely exceed 38 to 45cm The pale yellow flowers with purple centres are followed by curious long, tapering upright seed pods, which must be eaten within a few days of maturing otherwise they become tough. The okra served in restaurants is tinned and nothing like so good as fresh pods. 


Okra is not difficult to grow if a light, warm space is available. Treat it like aubergines. Unfortunately you need several plants to get enough to use, so it is not an awfully practical crop. Pick the pods while small to add their peculiar slimy texture to stews. It is best to sow the seed in the greenhouse, placing two or three seeds in a 13cm pot of sandy soil, reducing the seedlings to the strongest one. These can then be planted under cloches or in a warm situation. 



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Orach - Atriplex hortensis -Montana Spinach

Orach. Atriplex hortensis
This is the Mountain Spinach and there are three forms; green, white and red, all growing 1-20m or more high. The red variety is not out of place in the flower garden, but should not be allowed to flower there, since it seeds itself freely and can become a nuisance. 
The young leaves are excellent in salads, while the older ones can be cooked like spinach. People who find the ordinary spinach indigestible can eat this type without discomfort. Seed can be sown thinly in moisture retentive ground during spring and early summer. Make the rows 45cm apart, and thin the seedlings early so that there is 38cm between them. 
It is best to gather some leaves from each plant rather than stripping individual plants bare. 



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How to Grow Nasturtiums

Nasturtium. Tropaealum majus



Although well known as a flowering ornamental subject, the nasturtium is also of value as a salad plant. The leaves used when young and clean provide a piquancy which might otherwise be lacking, while the seeds can also be included in the salad bowl although they are rather hot. Not only are the flowers ornamental, but they can be eaten and seen arranged with other ingredients they provide a really bright and appetising display. 
Nasturtiums grow well on any ordinary, even poor soil. If given really good treatment they are apt to produce leafy growth at the expense of flowers. The large seeds can be sown individually 12 mm deep. Watch the plants  for aphis since these pests can soon make the plants look unsightly. A derris based insecticide will get rid of this trouble. 
There are many separate named sorts as well as mixtures and it is best to depend on the dwarfer bushy strains rather than the trailing or climbing forms.



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Mung Beans

Mung Beans
Often known as Chinese Bean Sprouts this crop is now becoming popular because of its good food value. It has a high protein content and contains vitamin E. The tasty sprouts are often served in Chinese restaurants frequently being added to rice dishes. All they need is to be cooked for a few minutes in boiling water containing a little salt.  
They are equally as easy to grow as mustard and cress and are most useful for individuals living in a flat or otherwise without a garden. Simply sow the beans on the surface of damp peat or flannel in a dish or bowl, when they will soon germinate. Cover the containers with polythene and place them in a cupboard or other dark, moderately warm place. There, they will produce their succulent blanched top growth which will be ready for use within a few days of being sown. Cut the shoots when about 50 mm long and cook as soon as possible when they will be crisp and nutty. 
Remember to keep the material moist at all times. It is best to sow small quantities at frequent intervals but these beans cannot be grown outdoors. 



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Growing Gherkins

Gherkins - Cucumis anglicus
Grown for pickling, the aim should be to produce succulent fruits up to 8cm long. To ensure this, gather them before they become large and coarse. 
General culture is the same as for cucumbers, the main difference being that plants rarely transplant satisfactorily. It is therefore best to sow seeds where they are to remain. Do this in early summer, selecting prepared enriched sites. Bulky manure or compost encourages a good root system. Place the seed 25 mm deep and if two are put in stations 60cm apart the weakest seedling can be removed when the plants are growing well. 
Varieties. Boston Pickling is one of the finest, producing good coloured juicy fruit. Small Paris is also good. Others, chiefly of American origin, include Model, Snow's Pickling, Ohio and White Wonder, the colour referring to the spines.



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Couve Tronchuda

Couve tronchuda

Sometimes known as Portugal or Braganza Cabbage, thisis a little known vegetable although it has been in cultivation for almost 150 years. One drawback is that the plants require a space of at least 75cm each way and so much room cannot always be spared in small gardens.
It is a kind of cabbage of which the mid-rib of the larger leaves is eaten. These, from well grown plants, are thick, white and tender. Cooked like seakale they are delicious. The green parts of the leaves and the centre heart can be used in the same way as ordinary cabbage, but need careful cooking, otherwise they are liable to be coarse and somewhat stringy.
Sow seed in spring and transplant the seedlings while they are small. A fairly rich soil on the heavy side in an unexposed position suits this crop, which should never lack moisture during the summer.



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Growing Corn Salad

Corn Salad - Valerianella olitoria 



Corn salad is often known as Lamb's Lettuce and there are several good improved cultivated forms.
Easily grown, it is a useful substitute for lettuce during the winter. This crop can very well follow early potatoes, peas or broccoli and the drills should be made 18 mm deep and 30cm apart.
The plants are not unlike the Forget-me-Not but without the blue flowers. An excellent  cloche crop, it can be eaten either raw or cooked. Sowings can be made at intervals throughout the summer which will provide supplies from autumn until spring. The young plants should be thinned out so there is 15cm between them.



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