You know how "Algarve' and "Portugal " my beloved polytunnels plastic were ripped and torn by the Atlantic gales?
We still haven't got round to building my new sturdy potting shed/man cave yet.
I bought quite a few of our vegetable seedlings in trays from a garden centre up in County Kerry. Their vegetable plantss are excellent.
Unfortunately they had not labelled the seedlings and veg plants. I had even remembered to bring my Lidl reading glasses with me
Old Clever Clogs (me) jumped in with my size 11 boots and picked what I thought (" I taught I saw a puddy tat") were beetroot.
I have been watching them growing with caution and wondering why no beetroots were not forming under the leaves?🤔
I was weeding the repurposed plastic tanks yesterday and the penny finally dropped:
"They're Swiss chard".
Yes I know they are related to each other in the vegetable family. Same factory, different department:
Swiss chard with some Nasturtiums invaders.
Anyone else grow Swiss chard? Do you eat it raw or cook it? I believe it's a good idea to cut out the hard spine before cooking or eating it?
I eat young tender chard fresh in salads, steam or stir fry mature leaves and stalks (chopped and precooked a little but still have texture). Also enjoy 'perpetual spinach', a non bolting heat resistant chard almost to winter. Healthy stuff, since I can't eat kale. Enjoy your blog! Kris in Ohio
ReplyDeleteHi Kris. Thanks for the Swiss chard advice. I have read that you will get three crops if you cut it back and let it grow again. I like kale, swedes, leeks and Brussel sprouts in winter.
ReplyDeleteLast year our next door neighbour gave us some of his freshly picked swiss chard. I just steamed it and added a squeeze of lemon juice. It was very good.
ReplyDeleteWe steam a lot of our vegetable JayCee. I am mad for lemons and limes. They just give it that something else. I picked some of the chard and nasturtiums for the pygmy goats. They were very impressed.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I couldn't tell the difference either. I like chard though - very tasty
ReplyDeleteGood to hear from you Mark. In fairness they do look very similar at seedlings stage. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe Greek family loves it. Steamed leaves and stalks. Olive oil and lemon juice added to the plate.
ReplyDeleteGlad they like it Linda. It's very easy to grow and the cabbage white Butterflies and their caterpillars seem to leave it alone, unlike my Brassicas. I love lemon juice. I must try it with Olive oil. No Popeye jokes YP.😊
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