Vegetables Archives - Page 2 of 7

Dandelion chicory, a pick anytime vegetable

September 28, 2015December 27, 2015 Stephen Carlin

I have been really impressed with dandelion chicory in the garden. I knew it as a vegetable from the greengrocers; a few big bunches always up the back of the greens stand, a little forlorn and unloved, mainly just providing a striking backdrop to the more bought (and known) greens. I got the seeds thinking I’d use it as a salad vegetable, a few of the dark green leaves adding interest to a lettuce plate, but all that has changed. Now I know it’s the leaf stems that are the…

Growing watercress; green goodness

September 14, 2015December 29, 2015 Stephen Carlin

Whether you treat it like a herb or a vegetable, growing watercress is rewarding for the home gardener. In the cities you’re likely to find a reliable if costly supply, but I haven’t seen it for sale out here, and it’s very handy to have to pick at anytime for a garnish, or to liven up a sandwich, or on the larger scale to use as the main vegetable in a soup or frittata. A problem with bought watercress is that it tends to be all stem with yellow leaves low down,…

Growing onions in the subtropics

September 8, 2015December 28, 2015 Stephen Carlin

With our mild frost free Winters and warm wet Summers, onions generally don’t do well in the subtropics. They are cool-weather growers, and need a bit of chill to form bulbs. I have tried about six different varieties from seed, plus leeks and chives, and have had good results only from white bunching onions, meaning that these might be the subtropical onions for me.

Growing turmeric, a warmly rewarding crop

September 1, 2015December 28, 2015 Stephen Carlin

Turmeric has turned out to be a great crop for us here. If you have a warm climate or even just a warm spot over Summer, I’d encourage you to give it a try. I’ve just dug mine up, and was astounded by the amount there was, and by how densely it grows. It is a warm season plant, with attractive ginger type leaves through the Summer which slowly yellow off through Winter here, so that the top is only completely dead by the end of Winter, which is when…

Growing kohlrabi – a good cabbage crop for warm winters

August 31, 2015December 28, 2015 Stephen Carlin

Growing cabbage family vegetables where winters are warm can be challenging, but if your cauliflowers fizzle and brussels sprouts are out of the question, growing kohlrabi might be the go.

Candystripe beetroot (Chioggia)

August 24, 2015December 29, 2015 Stephen Carlin

Candystripe beetroot is a bit of fun for the vegetable patch. I’ve never seen it in the shops, and it would be difficult to sell as it looks like a plain red beet until peeled and cut, so it’s one of those vegetables that reward the home gardener with something unusual.

Growing swede (turnips)

August 11, 2015December 28, 2015 Stephen Carlin

Swedes are one of those vegetables that you either love or hate, and with their strong flavour they are probably hated by most kids, but ever since my tastes matured I have been on the side of relishing swedes. It’s the combination of sweetness and depth of mellow flavour that gets me, and says Winter in a mouthful. They are the sort of vegetable that needs to be seasonal, and growing swede in the subtropics is a very seasonal matter, you have to get your timing just right. Growing swede in the…

Growing tomatillos. Winter is best for subtropics.

August 5, 2015December 29, 2015 Stephen Carlin

Growing tomatillos can take a bit of local experience. In many places they are a Summer crop, but my Summer tomatillo crop was a flop. The bed grew beautifully and the plants were covered in fruit, and then the beetles moved in and stripped the lot to stems. But the fallen fruit re-seeded a Winter crop, which although sporadic around the garden is doing very well and not getting eaten at all.

Winter salad (pretending it’s Spring)

July 30, 2015December 14, 2015 Stephen Carlin

Being able to assemble fresh and interesting salads makes you really appreciate growing your own. We had a sunny midwinter day recently where we bucked the easy routine of bread (home made sourdough of course!) and cheese for lunch and had a freshly picked salad.

Growing shungiku, edible chrysanthemum

July 21, 2015August 15, 2017 Stephen Carlin

Like so many edibles that are hard to come by in the shops and best freshly picked, growing shungiku is rewarding for the home gardener. The Japanese call it shungiku, and some call it chop suey herb. Even though ‘edible chrysanthemum’ is a good general description, it’s actually been moved out of the genus Chrysanthemum and is now officially Glebionis coronaria. This tasty and unusual little vegetable is worth growing to spice up seasonal meals. I used to get it occasionally from my market vendor in Sydney, so thought I’d give growing it…