Jicama! and Tomato Seeds
Jul. 29th, 2010 09:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pinepigs_gardenA friend at work suggested I look at Kings Seeds Online so I did.
And I found jicama!! I haven't seen it for sale here and have been craving it, haven't had any since before I came to NZ. I don't think we have the 9 months growing season it really needs to get a big root but a couple of the sites I saw said you can grow it in shorter seasons but that it won't be a big root & to plant it after frosts, usually when you plant your tomatoes.
Speaking of tomatoes...I decided that instead of waiting for volunteers, that I should pick up some fresh seeds since last year's plants didn't do so well. This way I also have seeds for next year. So I've ordered packets of the following heirlooms:
Big Rainbow (85 days) which were very tasty last year
Purple Cherokee (80 days) that I grew a couple years ago and I liked
Great White (85 days)
Garden Peach (75-85 days)
Mortgage Lifter (85 days) which I grew last year and was also rather tasty
and White Cherry (75 days)
I also picked up some Phacelia. I'm picking it up for 2 reasons. The first is because it's a food source to hoverflies, which feed on aphids and small caterpillers. I don't know if we have hover flies here but if we do, that will be good! It's also a green manure and can be cut down or dug into soil for a mulch. The site says to sow Sept-April but the Lifestyle Block mag says it can be planted every couple months through spring & summer, possibly through to autumn to grow over winter. I figured something that has purple flowers will look nice under the roses when it flowers, that also is a nice home/food for beneficial bugs (hoverflies and bees) and can be a green manure will be a nice choice for my first attempts at cover crops. Kings has 50g, 250g, 500g and 1kg packets so if it works and I go through it quickly then I'll be able to order larger packet if I need them.
ETA: Putting some "growing Jicama" links here, for anyone interested but also for my future info:
Here's one
Another
A third
And the last but has the best pict of the edible root.
And for note: The pods, leaves, etc are supposed to be poisonous. One site said immature pods are edible but I wouldn't want to give it a try. Most sites suggested pinching off the flowers (which grow into pods) so the plants put more into growing the root. And I was thinking that I might grab a couple bags, or use my tubs that I do for carrots, and put them up by the back fence where the dahlias are and near the berries. That area is protected and gets a lot of sun, and if I plant a couple of them in a raised pot of some sort (or those garden/garbage bags like I plan to for the potatoes) then I can put 2 or 3 plants in and get 2 or 3 roots, which will be nice but not too much since I don't think they'll store well here in the humidity.
It will be nice to have some jicama for the summer. It's a great summer veg, lots of water in it, sweet so you can eat it alone or in salads, or just with some dressing. Very refreshing.
And I found jicama!! I haven't seen it for sale here and have been craving it, haven't had any since before I came to NZ. I don't think we have the 9 months growing season it really needs to get a big root but a couple of the sites I saw said you can grow it in shorter seasons but that it won't be a big root & to plant it after frosts, usually when you plant your tomatoes.
Speaking of tomatoes...I decided that instead of waiting for volunteers, that I should pick up some fresh seeds since last year's plants didn't do so well. This way I also have seeds for next year. So I've ordered packets of the following heirlooms:
Big Rainbow (85 days) which were very tasty last year
Purple Cherokee (80 days) that I grew a couple years ago and I liked
Great White (85 days)
Garden Peach (75-85 days)
Mortgage Lifter (85 days) which I grew last year and was also rather tasty
and White Cherry (75 days)
I also picked up some Phacelia. I'm picking it up for 2 reasons. The first is because it's a food source to hoverflies, which feed on aphids and small caterpillers. I don't know if we have hover flies here but if we do, that will be good! It's also a green manure and can be cut down or dug into soil for a mulch. The site says to sow Sept-April but the Lifestyle Block mag says it can be planted every couple months through spring & summer, possibly through to autumn to grow over winter. I figured something that has purple flowers will look nice under the roses when it flowers, that also is a nice home/food for beneficial bugs (hoverflies and bees) and can be a green manure will be a nice choice for my first attempts at cover crops. Kings has 50g, 250g, 500g and 1kg packets so if it works and I go through it quickly then I'll be able to order larger packet if I need them.
ETA: Putting some "growing Jicama" links here, for anyone interested but also for my future info:
Here's one
Another
A third
And the last but has the best pict of the edible root.
And for note: The pods, leaves, etc are supposed to be poisonous. One site said immature pods are edible but I wouldn't want to give it a try. Most sites suggested pinching off the flowers (which grow into pods) so the plants put more into growing the root. And I was thinking that I might grab a couple bags, or use my tubs that I do for carrots, and put them up by the back fence where the dahlias are and near the berries. That area is protected and gets a lot of sun, and if I plant a couple of them in a raised pot of some sort (or those garden/garbage bags like I plan to for the potatoes) then I can put 2 or 3 plants in and get 2 or 3 roots, which will be nice but not too much since I don't think they'll store well here in the humidity.
It will be nice to have some jicama for the summer. It's a great summer veg, lots of water in it, sweet so you can eat it alone or in salads, or just with some dressing. Very refreshing.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-30 12:50 am (UTC)Mmmmm, tomatoes. I have so many green ones right now - they're taunting me.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-30 08:24 am (UTC)That's good to know the pots might extend the growing season. That would be good! I was planning on starting them on our hot water heater, one of the sites suggested that since they need warm soil to start (and a 24 hr soak in water).
Hmmm....fried green tomatoes?????