As long as your ground doesn’t freeze solid and you don’t have a thick blanket of snow on the ground, you can eat fresh out of your garden all year . Broccoli contributes to the diversity of foods you can grow at home during the cold months. Even if you can’t garden all year, broccoli can stretch your season. It can be started now for a fall crop, and it can be set out as soon as the ground can be worked for an early spring crop. It is perfect to plant most varieties now for fall and through the end of October for late winter. Once established, most varieties can take a pretty hard frost and sprinkling of snow. And broccoli is available in a diversity of forms.
For those fond of serving broccoli raw as an appetizer or in salads the new (and not so new) colored broccoli’s will add a little excitement to your dinner table. I can just hear it now. “Eat your broccoli, Dear.” “But Mom, its purple.” “It’s ok Dear, it’s supposed to be purple.” Broccoli is available in not just green and purple, but also white, red, and almost blue. And while the kids may not like it, and the cousins may not like it, it will certainly impress your friends. If your prefer your broccoli cooked, except for the white broccoli, it all cooks up green. However, the colored broccolis are just as easy to grow, so even if you don’t like it raw, it might be fun to experiment in the garden.
Sprouting broccoli is a favorite in many gardens. It produces a central head like most other broccoli plants. But when that head is cut the plants continue to produce smaller heads over a long time period. Some varieties will produce small heads for approximately 6 weeks, while others may produce for many months.
If you have a small family there are varieties of broccoli just for you. Some of them are standard forms that produce one head per plant. Others are the sprouting broccoli types mentioned above and will produce several small heads over a few weeks or months. Look for Broccoli Kabuki for small plants and Packman for small early heads on almost full sized plants.
The tiniest broccoli heads are found on Raab or Rapini. These small heads are cut and cooked with a few of the top leaves and are ready for harvest in 5 – 8 weeks from planting. These tasty treats have a bit of a warm mustard flavor and they are great in soups and stir fry. If you like a bit of heat they can also be munched raw in salads, with dip, or straight from the garden.
New to my garden this year is Spigariello, a form of broccoli grown for its leaves. Unlike broad leaved broccoli this one sports narrow frilly leaves that are its main attraction. Foodies everywhere know that little fancy leaves are the fashionable thing when it comes to green salads, aspics, and broth based soups. However, Spigariello also adds a nice note to macaroni and potato salad, and anywhere you need a little flare. The young tender leaves can be used raw, while the older leaves are best for cooked dishes.
When ordering seeds or purchasing broccoli plants be sure to read the entire plant description or seed package. Some types are not cold hardy and must be grown in the warmer months. Some types are not adapted to heat. Be sure you purchase the types of broccoli you want for the season they will be planted.
Broccoli is easy to grow from seed. Seeds need only be barely covered with soil and will usually germinate in a week to ten days. They do need to be kept evenly moist to start. Sometimes that is easier to accomplish in six packs full of potting soil than out in the garden. Broccoli is considered a heavy feeder, so choose the best soil you have available, and then keep it mulched at least until the weather cools down. Broccoli does not need full sun all day, but it does need to get some sun, and it won’t do well in deep shade. Young plants can be tucked in the ground in-between squash or pepper plants now, as long as you amend their planting holes with plenty of organic matter.
The young plants will benefit from the shade and camouflage from pests that the older plants provide. By the time the frost kills off the summer veggies, the broccoli will be ready to take over and thrive.
Young broccoli plants are definitely bothered by slugs and snails. It is a good idea to go out with a flash light at night or early in the morning for a few days before and after you plant your young broccoli. If you arm yourself with a zip-lock bag and a glove (or another recycled plastic bag) you can hand pick all those hungry critters and dispose of them, before they dispose of your little plants. Cabbage worms can also be a big problem. We will be talking about all the ways to organically control cabbage worms in an up-coming article. Meanwhile, try to check your plants every few days. Squish any little green worms you see and knock off any bug eggs and your plants should be just fine.
All the Broccoli varieties are members of the very nutritious Brassica family. And broccoli is very diet friendly. A full cup has only 31 calories! It is high in calcium, potassium, vitamin C, folate, vitamin K, beta-carotene, and lutein. That is a pretty great package. But that is not all. Broccoli is considered a powerful cancer preventative, as well as helpful for a number of other health problems including diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. For more information see: http://mann.broccoli.com/institute/health_articles.htm
Broccoli is lots of fun in the kitchen. It can be steamed for an easy side dish. Serve steamed broccoli as is, or chop it up and serve over a baked potato, toast, or pasta with a sprinkling of olive oil, some gravy, or grated cheese. Cooked broccoli can be whizzed up in the food processor and used as a base for hot or cold soups. The puree can be diluted, if desired, with broth or milk, and other cooked or raw veggies can be added as well as cooked pasta, rice, or whatever suits your fancy. Broccoli can also be added to casseroles, soup, salads – pretty much anything you are cooking – except maybe desert. And it looks and tastes great as part of a platter of fresh veggies to go with ranch dip. So grow lots of colors and have fun!
Sources:
Nichols Garden Nursery offers seeds of a number of kinds of broccoli, including Raab, Spigariello and some of the more standard types. You can contact them by phone or through their web site: (800)422-3985 http://www.nicholsgardennursery.com/
Richters Herbs has a deep blue-green Calabrese broccoli, as well as an old fashioned Italian sprouting broccoli. (905) 640-6677 http://www.Richters.com
Johnny’s Selected Seed offers Packman and Raab, as well as standard and sprouting broccoli. (877) 564-6697 http://www.Johnnyseeds.com
Thompson and Morgan carry the mini Kabuki Broccoli, various colored varieties, and a large number of standard and sprouting types. (800) 274-7333 http://www.thompson-morgan.com
Other Fall and Winter Veggies:
Fennel:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/01/florence-fennel-real-food.html
Giant Red Japanese Mustard:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/03/giant-red-japanese-mustard.html
Kale:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/02/kindly-kale.html
Kohlrabi
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/09/knobby-kohlrabi.html
Parsnips:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/04/plentiful-parsnips.html
Next time we will be exploring saving seeds, and the home seed bank. (You can arrange to trade for almost any seed you would like to try, with your own home saved seeds!) Until then, you can find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.
Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, August 22, 2006. Posted here with permission.
Friday, September 15, 2006
Friday, September 08, 2006
A Zillion Zucchini
Right now gardeners everywhere are wondering what in the heck they can do with the wheelbarrow full of zucchini piled on the kitchen counter. Having completely mastered the task of getting their plants to produce, they are now overwhelmed. People cringe when gardeners are carrying brown paper bags; friends hide when they see them coming. This is a sad state of affairs. What you are eating instead of zucchini is likely adding pounds to your middle. Give them a chance. Learn some new culinary tricks for this low calorie food and your middle will thank you.
Zucchini, and other summer squash are actually very diet friendly, nutritious, and versatile in the kitchen. Summer squash, including zucchini, only has 20 calories per cup. It is low in carbohydrates and fats, so you can eat lots and not gain a pound. It is a good source of vitamin C, riboflavin, B-6, potassium, and manganese. All things the body needs. The web site The Worlds Healthiest Foods http://www.whfoods.com/index.html claims that summer squash, including zucchini, have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. They are supposed to be especially good for the prostate gland and for folks with “conditions like asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.” With just a few tips you can probably use all the summer squash your vines and bushes will produce. And your health may be all the better because of it.
Grate that zucchini:
Back when I was a mere pup, I worked at The Chef – a natural food restaurant in Carmichael, CA. Every morning at 6 AM I could be found grating mountains of fresh zucchini, yellow squash, and carrots. These were mixed together, equal parts zucchini and yellow squash, to about ¼ part grated carrots. This mix was stored in a big clear plastic garbage bag in the walk in cooler. It was completely gone by the following morning. We used this mix in nearly every omelet, order of scrambled eggs, and sandwich we served. It was used as a garnish for every salad, entree, and bowl of soup. It was part of The Chef’s signature. And not a bad idea to use at home. You can add zing by adding other grated fresh veggies, pressed garlic, or slivered onions. You can toss the mix with your favorite fresh or dried herbs, mixed seasonings, olive oil, or salad dressing. Dress it up with a sprinkling of pine nuts; sunflower, pumpkin, or sesame seeds. Serve it up on some lettuce or kale leaves, add a few slices of tomato and / or cucumber, a scoop of tuna salad - and call it dinner!
A cup of fresh grated zucchini or other summer squash can be added to bread and cake recipes. The squash will increase the moisture level of the baked goods, allowing you to cut the oil, butter, or fat called for in the recipe by half. Match the color of your squash to the color of your recipe. Yellow squash goes perfect with yellow cake or corn bread. Peeled, any light fleshed squash is perfect in white cakes or breads. Zucchini hides nicely in chocolate cake and whole wheat bread. The texture, flavor, and health benefits of your baked goods are improved!
Grated squash makes an easy frittata for a quick dinner or a company brunch. 1&1/2 cups grated squash and other veggies can be placed in a small pie pan with an unbaked pie shell, or skip the pie shell and simply oil the pan. Optional: add ½ cup grated cheese of your choice. Beat 5 eggs adding 2 tablespoons of flour and ¼ cup milk.. Pour over veggies and bake at 350 for 30 – 45 minutes. It is done when it quits jiggling in the middle and a tooth pick inserted comes out with no under-cooked egg mix clinging to it. Serve with salsa, and salad for dinner, or sliced fruit for brunch. Dress it up with a dollop of sour cream, unsweetened yogurt, or fresh chopped herbs if desired.
Grated zucchini or summer squash can be added to ground meat. Use about ¼ grated squash to ¾ meat. Cook as you normally would. This is great for meat loaf, hamburgers, patty sausage, and meat balls. It will add moisture, flavor, and reduce calories, fat, and cholesterol.
Dice it up:
Diced squash is good in salad, soup, beans, casseroles, and stir fry. Dice it tiny and add it to salsa and chutney, or pour leftover pickle juice over it and keep refrigerated and call it relish. Dice it chunky and steam for a simple side dish. Mix it with diced potatoes and peppers and fry it up to go with breakfast or as a dinner side dish. Marinate it in olive oil and balsamic vinegar and poke a tooth pick in each piece and call it a hors d’oeuvre. Pierce it with a skewer alternately with other veggies and shrimp, chunks of albacore, or beef, grill until done - and you have shish-kabob.
Whiz it:
Use a food processor to puree your squash. One cup pureed squash can be added to pancake and waffle batter. When adding to pancake batter you can reduce the fat, butter, or oil in the recipe by half. Be careful when experimenting with reducing fat in waffle batter, because a certain amount is necessary to keep the waffles from sticking to the waffle iron. Small lightly browned pancakes ad waffles can be frozen in zip-lock bags to make your own quick microwave or toaster oven breakfasts. Pureed squash also makes a good base for the cool summer soup called gazpacho. If you think you want your soup supper smooth - use small young squash. If you don’t mind a little more fiber, you can use medium sized squash that have immature seeds inside. Just grind them up smooth with some garden greens if available. Dice up some tomatoes and peppers and fresh herbs and stir them in and chill. You can serve as is or with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt and some chopped chives or basil. The grated squash -carrot blend also makes a nice garnish! Young pealed squash puree can be used in place of a portion of the fruit in recipes for things like apple-sauce cake, smoothies, and jam. I recently made a batch of jam with 2 cups fig puree, 2 cups squash puree, 2 cups blackberries, 2 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon each nutmeg and cloves. I let it cook down on low in the crock-pot with the lid slightly ajar for most of an afternoon, then I added 1 package no-sugar pectin, brought it to a boil, packed in sterilized jars and water bath processed it. Tastes great!
Keep it for later:
Diced, grated, or whizzed zucchini can be frozen in zip lock bags for up to 6 months for use in cooked dishes. If you have a food dehydrator, zucchini and other summer squash can be sliced fairly thin, dipped in lemon juice if desired and dried until crisp. (Some references say to store right away – some say to leave the veggies out to “condition.” I don’t have a dehydrator - Store in an air tight container They make great low calorie chips as is, or they can be added to soup or casseroles.
Tougher more mature zucchini can be canned or pickled. To can dice the squash in bite size sections leaving the skin on. (But remove the seeds.) Pack raw into quart jars leaving ½ headroom. Boil enough water or broth to fill jars. Salt and herbs are optional but nice. Vinegar or lemon juice can also be added to taste – and it improves color retention. Pour over squash, dry jar rims, cover with new lids, install rings – but do not tighten. Process at 10 pounds for 30 minutes in a pressure canner. Vent canner and as soon as it is cool enough to be safe, promptly remove jars and tighten lids.
Best results for pickles are also obtained with about half mature squash. Wash and remove seeds but not the rind. Boil jars, rings, and pour boiling water over the lids. While jars are boiling cut squash wedges to fit the jars, leaving about ½ inch head room. Boil equal parts vinegar of your choice and water, adding 1/3 cup salt for every 6 cups liquid. Pack squash wedges in jars, adding your choice of garlic cloves, onion wedges, dill, mustard, and/ or celery seed, peppercorns, hot peppers, etc.. Pour boiling pickle solution into packed jars to within ½ inch of top. Dry rims, cover with lids, loosely install rings, process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, promptly remove jars and tighten lids.
No zucchini?
Start seeds right now for a fall crop! Last year I picked summer squash from my garden here in Hoopa until the middle of December when we finally got a hard killing frost. Zucchini can take more cold than many summer veggies – so it is not too late. And you don’t need to till a whole garden plot to grow a few plants. Tuck them into an empty spot along a fence or in your flower border. Give them a little water when you can and they are likely to take right off.
Stay tuned – next time we will be taking a look at broccoli and its close relatives.. They can be started now and again in mid October for fall and winter crops! Until then, you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.
Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, August 15, 2006. Posted here with permission.
Zucchini, and other summer squash are actually very diet friendly, nutritious, and versatile in the kitchen. Summer squash, including zucchini, only has 20 calories per cup. It is low in carbohydrates and fats, so you can eat lots and not gain a pound. It is a good source of vitamin C, riboflavin, B-6, potassium, and manganese. All things the body needs. The web site The Worlds Healthiest Foods http://www.whfoods.com/index.html claims that summer squash, including zucchini, have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. They are supposed to be especially good for the prostate gland and for folks with “conditions like asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.” With just a few tips you can probably use all the summer squash your vines and bushes will produce. And your health may be all the better because of it.
Grate that zucchini:
Back when I was a mere pup, I worked at The Chef – a natural food restaurant in Carmichael, CA. Every morning at 6 AM I could be found grating mountains of fresh zucchini, yellow squash, and carrots. These were mixed together, equal parts zucchini and yellow squash, to about ¼ part grated carrots. This mix was stored in a big clear plastic garbage bag in the walk in cooler. It was completely gone by the following morning. We used this mix in nearly every omelet, order of scrambled eggs, and sandwich we served. It was used as a garnish for every salad, entree, and bowl of soup. It was part of The Chef’s signature. And not a bad idea to use at home. You can add zing by adding other grated fresh veggies, pressed garlic, or slivered onions. You can toss the mix with your favorite fresh or dried herbs, mixed seasonings, olive oil, or salad dressing. Dress it up with a sprinkling of pine nuts; sunflower, pumpkin, or sesame seeds. Serve it up on some lettuce or kale leaves, add a few slices of tomato and / or cucumber, a scoop of tuna salad - and call it dinner!
A cup of fresh grated zucchini or other summer squash can be added to bread and cake recipes. The squash will increase the moisture level of the baked goods, allowing you to cut the oil, butter, or fat called for in the recipe by half. Match the color of your squash to the color of your recipe. Yellow squash goes perfect with yellow cake or corn bread. Peeled, any light fleshed squash is perfect in white cakes or breads. Zucchini hides nicely in chocolate cake and whole wheat bread. The texture, flavor, and health benefits of your baked goods are improved!
Grated squash makes an easy frittata for a quick dinner or a company brunch. 1&1/2 cups grated squash and other veggies can be placed in a small pie pan with an unbaked pie shell, or skip the pie shell and simply oil the pan. Optional: add ½ cup grated cheese of your choice. Beat 5 eggs adding 2 tablespoons of flour and ¼ cup milk.. Pour over veggies and bake at 350 for 30 – 45 minutes. It is done when it quits jiggling in the middle and a tooth pick inserted comes out with no under-cooked egg mix clinging to it. Serve with salsa, and salad for dinner, or sliced fruit for brunch. Dress it up with a dollop of sour cream, unsweetened yogurt, or fresh chopped herbs if desired.
Grated zucchini or summer squash can be added to ground meat. Use about ¼ grated squash to ¾ meat. Cook as you normally would. This is great for meat loaf, hamburgers, patty sausage, and meat balls. It will add moisture, flavor, and reduce calories, fat, and cholesterol.
Dice it up:
Diced squash is good in salad, soup, beans, casseroles, and stir fry. Dice it tiny and add it to salsa and chutney, or pour leftover pickle juice over it and keep refrigerated and call it relish. Dice it chunky and steam for a simple side dish. Mix it with diced potatoes and peppers and fry it up to go with breakfast or as a dinner side dish. Marinate it in olive oil and balsamic vinegar and poke a tooth pick in each piece and call it a hors d’oeuvre. Pierce it with a skewer alternately with other veggies and shrimp, chunks of albacore, or beef, grill until done - and you have shish-kabob.
Whiz it:
Use a food processor to puree your squash. One cup pureed squash can be added to pancake and waffle batter. When adding to pancake batter you can reduce the fat, butter, or oil in the recipe by half. Be careful when experimenting with reducing fat in waffle batter, because a certain amount is necessary to keep the waffles from sticking to the waffle iron. Small lightly browned pancakes ad waffles can be frozen in zip-lock bags to make your own quick microwave or toaster oven breakfasts. Pureed squash also makes a good base for the cool summer soup called gazpacho. If you think you want your soup supper smooth - use small young squash. If you don’t mind a little more fiber, you can use medium sized squash that have immature seeds inside. Just grind them up smooth with some garden greens if available. Dice up some tomatoes and peppers and fresh herbs and stir them in and chill. You can serve as is or with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt and some chopped chives or basil. The grated squash -carrot blend also makes a nice garnish! Young pealed squash puree can be used in place of a portion of the fruit in recipes for things like apple-sauce cake, smoothies, and jam. I recently made a batch of jam with 2 cups fig puree, 2 cups squash puree, 2 cups blackberries, 2 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon each nutmeg and cloves. I let it cook down on low in the crock-pot with the lid slightly ajar for most of an afternoon, then I added 1 package no-sugar pectin, brought it to a boil, packed in sterilized jars and water bath processed it. Tastes great!
Keep it for later:
Diced, grated, or whizzed zucchini can be frozen in zip lock bags for up to 6 months for use in cooked dishes. If you have a food dehydrator, zucchini and other summer squash can be sliced fairly thin, dipped in lemon juice if desired and dried until crisp. (Some references say to store right away – some say to leave the veggies out to “condition.” I don’t have a dehydrator - Store in an air tight container They make great low calorie chips as is, or they can be added to soup or casseroles.
Tougher more mature zucchini can be canned or pickled. To can dice the squash in bite size sections leaving the skin on. (But remove the seeds.) Pack raw into quart jars leaving ½ headroom. Boil enough water or broth to fill jars. Salt and herbs are optional but nice. Vinegar or lemon juice can also be added to taste – and it improves color retention. Pour over squash, dry jar rims, cover with new lids, install rings – but do not tighten. Process at 10 pounds for 30 minutes in a pressure canner. Vent canner and as soon as it is cool enough to be safe, promptly remove jars and tighten lids.
Best results for pickles are also obtained with about half mature squash. Wash and remove seeds but not the rind. Boil jars, rings, and pour boiling water over the lids. While jars are boiling cut squash wedges to fit the jars, leaving about ½ inch head room. Boil equal parts vinegar of your choice and water, adding 1/3 cup salt for every 6 cups liquid. Pack squash wedges in jars, adding your choice of garlic cloves, onion wedges, dill, mustard, and/ or celery seed, peppercorns, hot peppers, etc.. Pour boiling pickle solution into packed jars to within ½ inch of top. Dry rims, cover with lids, loosely install rings, process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, promptly remove jars and tighten lids.
No zucchini?
Start seeds right now for a fall crop! Last year I picked summer squash from my garden here in Hoopa until the middle of December when we finally got a hard killing frost. Zucchini can take more cold than many summer veggies – so it is not too late. And you don’t need to till a whole garden plot to grow a few plants. Tuck them into an empty spot along a fence or in your flower border. Give them a little water when you can and they are likely to take right off.
Stay tuned – next time we will be taking a look at broccoli and its close relatives.. They can be started now and again in mid October for fall and winter crops! Until then, you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.
Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, August 15, 2006. Posted here with permission.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Knobby Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is tasty, nutritious, and easy to grow, but it is definitely an odd member of the vegetable kingdom. For most vegetables we eat the leaves (lettuce, spinach, and kale), the flower buds (artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower), the fruit (squash, tomatoes, eggplant), or the roots (carrots, turnips, beets). Not so with Kohlrabi. Those crisp, sweet, knobby kohlrabies only resemble roots. They are really swollen above ground stems, and that makes them fairly unique among the vegetables we eat.
This versatile vegetable is delicious grated into coleslaw or salad, cut into sticks for dipping in ranch, cubed in soups and casseroles, or simple quartered and steamed. Its taste resembles a mild, sweet, crisp cabbage. It is interesting enough to serve on its own, and subtle enough to mix with other bold or quiet vegetables. While the swollen stems –are the part most often eaten, the leaves are also tasty in soups or stir fries.
Kohlrabi is great news for dieters. Low in carbs, high in fiber, and no fat or cholesterol gives it a place in almost any diet you could possibly be on. It is also a good source of Thiamin, Folate, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source for Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Copper, and Manganese. And a full cup only has 36 calories! Nutritious, tasty, and safe for most diets, who wouldn’t want to grow some of this unusual vegetable for themselves?
This Northern European vegetable was hand selected back in the 1600’s from a certain strain of cabbage that had swollen stems. It is still very popular in Germany, Hungary, and Russia, but around here the response is most commonly, “What’s that?” When you get some going in your garden you simply say: “It is the best kept weight loss secret to come along in four centuries. If you help me weed I just might have a few to share with you.”
Kohlrabi is easy to grow, and will produce nice “bulbs” (or swollen stems) from seed planted either in spring or fall. For a fall crop seeds can be started in six packs right now, as long as you keep them in a cool bright window, or on a shady porch. Young seedlings need protection from the scorching heat. But once they are big enough to plant out in the garden they should do fine, as long as they can get watered regularly. You can also wait and plant Kohlrabi out doors directly in the garden once the weather cools down. It normally takes about 3 months from seed until you can start pulling plants for the table. But winter grown Kohlrabi often takes longer to mature. Once you have Golf ball sized “bulbs” you will want to start harvesting. Except for the varieties that are bred to be gigantic, those over hard ball size will need to be peeled. And once that skin starts toughening up, the peeling is not so easy.
Beauty is only skin deep, they say, and that may be true for Kohlrabi too. You can order seeds for green, white, and purple varieties, in addition to the gigantic ones already mentioned. But the color affects the skin only. All kohlrabi is light ivory-green, crisp, sweet, and delicious on the inside. However, the variety in skin color does liven up the salad and the garden.
Kohlrabi suffers from the same pests as its close relatives, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. Those being our very favorites - cabbage worms and aphids. The best part about growing kohlrabi in the winter, is that once the weather cools down and the storms set in, the pest damage comes to a screeching halt. (Except for the dang slugs. But if you catch them snacking on your plants you can easily catch them and trap them in a zip lock bag. We will have more on slugs in a future column.) Mean while you can hand pick those green cabbage worms whenever you see that they have been munching holes in your kohlrabi leaves.
Kohlrabi does not need any special care, and will thrive in most ordinary garden soil. The only real trick to fall gardening is to choose or create a space that is not too hot during the initial growing period, but that will get plenty of sun (if we get any) over the winter. A spot shaded by deciduous trees for at least part of the day is ideal. However, use of row covers and shade cloth also works well. Not only do the row covers and shade cloth cool your plantings down, they also help eliminate pests, so that is a bonus. Another consideration for fall and winter gardens is drainage. My soil resembles a wet squishy sponge during the winter. If yours does too, a raised bed is ideal. In a raised bed you can hand build your soil, provide drainage, and protection from gophers too. Not that gophers have ever bothered my kohlrabi, but they might want yours.
Whether you plant in raised beds or in the ground, don’t forget to mulch. Mulch reduces soil temperature, helps the soil retain moisture and nutrients and feeds those oh so important earthworms and soil micro-organisms. All these factors will help your kohlrabi to get established and thrive. Once the weather cools and the rains begin the mulch isn’t nearly as important. But late summer and early fall mulch will give your plants a good start. Believe me, along about December or January you might just be grateful that the best kept weight loss secret in four centuries is growing right out in your garden, especially since it taste so good.
If you can’t find seeds at your local nursery or in your favorite catalog, here’s a great spot to order on-line or by mail. Reimer Seeds, PO Box 236, Mount Holly, NC 28120-0236, Fax: 704-644-3762 , http://www.ReimerSeeds.com They carry some nice purple, green and white kohlrabi, as well as a couple of the gigantic types.
* If you missed the articles on mulch (Nurture your Soil), earthworms, aphids, or gophers visit: http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com Use the search function on the page to pull up the archived articles. (If you have trouble finding any of the articles, let me know and I will find you a link.)
Next time, by special request, we will be featuring a number of ways to use all that summer squash you’ve been growing. Until then you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.
Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, August 8, 2006. Posted here with permission.
This versatile vegetable is delicious grated into coleslaw or salad, cut into sticks for dipping in ranch, cubed in soups and casseroles, or simple quartered and steamed. Its taste resembles a mild, sweet, crisp cabbage. It is interesting enough to serve on its own, and subtle enough to mix with other bold or quiet vegetables. While the swollen stems –are the part most often eaten, the leaves are also tasty in soups or stir fries.
Kohlrabi is great news for dieters. Low in carbs, high in fiber, and no fat or cholesterol gives it a place in almost any diet you could possibly be on. It is also a good source of Thiamin, Folate, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source for Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Copper, and Manganese. And a full cup only has 36 calories! Nutritious, tasty, and safe for most diets, who wouldn’t want to grow some of this unusual vegetable for themselves?
This Northern European vegetable was hand selected back in the 1600’s from a certain strain of cabbage that had swollen stems. It is still very popular in Germany, Hungary, and Russia, but around here the response is most commonly, “What’s that?” When you get some going in your garden you simply say: “It is the best kept weight loss secret to come along in four centuries. If you help me weed I just might have a few to share with you.”
Kohlrabi is easy to grow, and will produce nice “bulbs” (or swollen stems) from seed planted either in spring or fall. For a fall crop seeds can be started in six packs right now, as long as you keep them in a cool bright window, or on a shady porch. Young seedlings need protection from the scorching heat. But once they are big enough to plant out in the garden they should do fine, as long as they can get watered regularly. You can also wait and plant Kohlrabi out doors directly in the garden once the weather cools down. It normally takes about 3 months from seed until you can start pulling plants for the table. But winter grown Kohlrabi often takes longer to mature. Once you have Golf ball sized “bulbs” you will want to start harvesting. Except for the varieties that are bred to be gigantic, those over hard ball size will need to be peeled. And once that skin starts toughening up, the peeling is not so easy.
Beauty is only skin deep, they say, and that may be true for Kohlrabi too. You can order seeds for green, white, and purple varieties, in addition to the gigantic ones already mentioned. But the color affects the skin only. All kohlrabi is light ivory-green, crisp, sweet, and delicious on the inside. However, the variety in skin color does liven up the salad and the garden.
Kohlrabi suffers from the same pests as its close relatives, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. Those being our very favorites - cabbage worms and aphids. The best part about growing kohlrabi in the winter, is that once the weather cools down and the storms set in, the pest damage comes to a screeching halt. (Except for the dang slugs. But if you catch them snacking on your plants you can easily catch them and trap them in a zip lock bag. We will have more on slugs in a future column.) Mean while you can hand pick those green cabbage worms whenever you see that they have been munching holes in your kohlrabi leaves.
Kohlrabi does not need any special care, and will thrive in most ordinary garden soil. The only real trick to fall gardening is to choose or create a space that is not too hot during the initial growing period, but that will get plenty of sun (if we get any) over the winter. A spot shaded by deciduous trees for at least part of the day is ideal. However, use of row covers and shade cloth also works well. Not only do the row covers and shade cloth cool your plantings down, they also help eliminate pests, so that is a bonus. Another consideration for fall and winter gardens is drainage. My soil resembles a wet squishy sponge during the winter. If yours does too, a raised bed is ideal. In a raised bed you can hand build your soil, provide drainage, and protection from gophers too. Not that gophers have ever bothered my kohlrabi, but they might want yours.
Whether you plant in raised beds or in the ground, don’t forget to mulch. Mulch reduces soil temperature, helps the soil retain moisture and nutrients and feeds those oh so important earthworms and soil micro-organisms. All these factors will help your kohlrabi to get established and thrive. Once the weather cools and the rains begin the mulch isn’t nearly as important. But late summer and early fall mulch will give your plants a good start. Believe me, along about December or January you might just be grateful that the best kept weight loss secret in four centuries is growing right out in your garden, especially since it taste so good.
If you can’t find seeds at your local nursery or in your favorite catalog, here’s a great spot to order on-line or by mail. Reimer Seeds, PO Box 236, Mount Holly, NC 28120-0236, Fax: 704-644-3762 , http://www.ReimerSeeds.com They carry some nice purple, green and white kohlrabi, as well as a couple of the gigantic types.
* If you missed the articles on mulch (Nurture your Soil), earthworms, aphids, or gophers visit: http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com Use the search function on the page to pull up the archived articles. (If you have trouble finding any of the articles, let me know and I will find you a link.)
Next time, by special request, we will be featuring a number of ways to use all that summer squash you’ve been growing. Until then you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.
Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, August 8, 2006. Posted here with permission.
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