Hi All

For those who read the article, 5 Superfoods and their super benefits, here is a follow up article to help you have constant access to these foods and their health benefits.

Cilantro/Coriander

Firstly, cilantro is the name given to the leaves and stems of the plant, and coriander is the name given to the seeds. All are edible and are used in different dishes.  Note that some people consider the taste of the leaves to be akin to eating stink bugs. (I am one of these people) and this has something to do with a gene we inherit but cilantro and coriander are considered to be Superfoods because they are so packed with goodness.

How to grow Cilantro

1. Find a fairly deep pot, around 8 inches deep, or a patch of land in your garden.
2. Add a mix of compost and organic matter and work it into the soil if you are growing in your garden.
3. Wait till the summer heat has cooled, so plant in late summer or early fall, or even in spring.
4. Press the seeds into the soil about 1/4 of an inch deep and space them around 6-9 inches apart.
5. Water them well but ensure there is good drainage so they don’t drown.
6. When they have sprouted and are about 2 inches high, feed them with a nitrogen based fertilizer.
7. They will grow steadily but make sure the frost doesn’t get them in the winter.
8. When the temperature rises again and the plant is around 6-8 inches high, the plant will be ready to ‘bolt’.  This means that the flowers will form. Make sure you plant in an area that will receive full sun (or partial shade in a very hot country) to take full advantage of the rise in temperature when it happens. Snip the leaves before the plant bolts.
9. The flowers contain the coriander seeds so before the flowers drop the seeds onto the earth, gently snip the flowers off and shake the seeds out. These can be ground up to use in your coriander recipes.
10. The leaves and stems are edible before the plant bolts but once the flowers form, the energy flows into the formation of the flowers and the leaves and stems will lose their flavour.
11. It may be an idea to stagger the timing of the plants so that you can have a section for leaves and stems, and another that you can leave for longer to harvest the seeds.
12. You can leave some of the flowers to drop the seeds to self- seed for the following season.

Enjoy the healthful benefits of this versatile Superfood.

Kale

Shop bought kale is one of the dirty dozen:  Commercial plants are heavily sprayed with pesticides so it is really worth growing your own.  Kale is very rich in minerals but for people who suffer from joint and muscle pains, kale is also high in oxalates which exacerbate joint pain.

How to grow kale

1. Plant kale seedlings in spring or fall. They don’t much like hot weather.
2. Choose an area in full winter sun, or place your balcony pot in an area that receives the sun.
3. Prepare your soil with compost and other organic matter.
4. Plant the seedlings about 20 inches apart.
5. The fast growing nature of kale means that the soil needs to be kept moist, so water once a week.
6. Add nitrogen rich fertilizer during the growing phase.
7. Add mulch to the soil to ensure the soil holds moisture and stays cool. Mulch may take the form of: hay, straw or pine needles.
8. To protect your kale from pests, cover with wedding tulle in the heat of summer when bugs are prolific.
9. Keep an eye open for grey green aphids that hide in the curly leaves. These are best washed off with an organic, insecticidal soap but if some leaves are badly infested, rather just remove the leaf entirely.
10. Kale produces winter leaves, so harvest time is in the cold. Pick the oldest, outermost leaves first but get rid of any ragged or yellow leaves.  These will not be tasty.
11. When the crop is too old at the end of winter and has formed yellow flowers, get rid of the whole crop and plant something different in that bed.  Plant rotation is better for the soil.

Beetroot

Beetroot, especially the bold purple variety, is loaded with anti-oxidants and very easy to grow. Choose an area in the sun, or, at worst, partial shade.  Mix in organic matter and loosen the soil.  Beetroot likes neutral, moist soil.  Add the nutrients in the late fall and early spring so that the patch has time to incorporate the nutrients.

How to grow beetroot

1. Plant the seeds or seedling around 2 inches apart.
2. If planting seeds, press to a depth of 2 cm.
3. Make sure you sow the seeds after the final frost of winter, or you can sow in the summer months.
4. Water the seeds every day until they form a sprout and after that, every 10 -14 days if there has been no rain. Too much watering will cause the plant to bolt, forming flowers, and this will prevent a good bulb from forming.
5. As soon as the sprouts have developed, thin the seedlings out by removing any weak and feeble plants and allow the space between the plants to be about 4 inches.
6. Add a thin layer of nitrogen rich fertilizer and compost and rake it smooth. Too much nitrogen will give lush leaves and tiny bulbs, so be sparing.
7. Keep an eye out for weeds and pull them out by hand so you don’t damage the delicate roots.
8. You may need to use wedding tulle to protect your plants from birds and garden pests or check daily for caterpillars’ and pull them off by hand.
9. When you see the curve of the bulb press through the soil, they are ready to be pulled. This should be about 8 weeks from sowing. Don’t let them get too big or they will lose their flavor but it’s a good idea to pull a few earlier and leave some to get bigger.  This will offer a steady supply.
10. Work them out the soil by gently pulling on the leaves and working a trowel under the bulb.
11. Some of the bulbs may be left in the soil for next season. It is a good way to store them but they may be a bit ‘woody’ when you do get to them. Remove the tops from these remaining bulbs.  Just twist the tops off rather than cutting them.
12. The tops can be cooked and eaten in the same way you would prepare spinach.
13. Store the bulb in sand in a cool and dry area. Layer them with the sand to prevent further growth and retain their flavor.

Add them cooked to salads or stews (although its better to precook and add only once the dish is ready to prevent the whole dish coming out pink).  Alternatively, beets can be ‘spiraled’ and added raw to a salad or even juiced.  Have fun and be creative.

Cabbage

Gut bugs love cabbage and cabbage juice is very soothing to a damaged gut lining.  Plus, it is easy to grow, has plenty of nutrients and is very filling. Growing cabbage is a Spring and Autumn endeavor which is good because most other vegetables need the warmer months and it’s good to have healthy veggies to eat in the winter as well.  The biggest challenge with cabbage is that insect also love it.

How to grow cabbage

1. Choose an area in the full sun
2. Make sure the soil will drain well and prepare the soil beforehand with manure and compost.
3. A drip irrigation is good for cabbage because they like a steady supply of water. Alternatively, be vigilant to make sure the soil doesn’t dry out.
4. Press the seeds into the prepared soil, 2cm deep or if you are planting seedlings, plant them on a cool day during Spring.
5. Maintain 15-20 inches between each seed or seedling to allow space for the cabbage head to grow big.
6. Cover the area with mulch to keep in the moisture.
7. Water once a week to keep the soil moist but not too wet.
8. Cover the plants if frost is expected.
9. About 2 weeks into planting, fertilize your plants with a balanced fertilizer.
10. At around 5 weeks from planting, give them a nitrogen rich fertilizer.
11. It’s not advisable to keep growing cabbage in one area. Practice crop rotation to limit soil borne bugs that come with cabbage.
12. Heads are ready for harvesting just after 2 months (around 70 days). Either cut them at the base, or pull them up roots and all. Once you have enjoyed the cabbage, you can plant the remaining roots again the next season and then add the little sprouts to soups and salads. Alternatively the replanted roots will flower and you can retain the seeds for the next season.
13. Once harvested, immediately bring them in to a cool area. If you wish to store the root cabbages then hang them in a cellar that gets really cold. They will keep for 3 months in a cold cellar.
14. To maximize the yield, cut the head from within the cabbage, leaving the outer leaves and the roots intact. The cabbage will soon yield a new head.  The smaller heads are perfect for rolled cabbage leaf snacks or salads.
15. Cabbage will keep for a few weeks in the fridge. Wrap the dry cabbage in wax wrap and then plastic to retain the goodness.

Once you get the hang of growing cabbage you will have an endless supply of healthy nutrition at your fingertips.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a favorite herb.  It has countless benefits and adds wonderful flavor to stews and meats.  The bush can grow prolifically with minimal care and its hardy nature will withstand harsh weather conditions. This is a plant that grows well from cuttings, so if you have friends with any existing bushes, snip cuttings (no flowers) from their bush and store in a plastic bag in a cool area till you are ready to root them. Root them within 24 hours of cutting.

How to grow rosemary

1. Prepare several small pots with potting soil and compost, ready for your rosemary cuttings.
2. Cut just below the leaf node (small bump from which leaves grow).
3. Strip off a few leaves at the base so you have a stripped stem.
4. Dip the stem in water and then in hormone growing powder.
5. Plant several cuttings around the rim of each pot. Press the soil down gently.
6. Use a watering can and water the cuttings to settle the soil against each small stem.
7. Place the pots in the shade and cover each pot with clear plastic to retain the moisture.
8. Mist the leaves every couple of days to ensure they do not dry out.
9. After 2 weeks, invert the pot to ensure that the cuttings have developed a root system.
10. Gently separate each plant without tearing the roots and re-plant each in its own pot.
11. Keep the soil moist by watering the cuttings regularly. Don’t drown them though.
12. You may need to re-pot again into a bigger pot once the smaller pot shows signs of becoming root bound.
13. Once the plant has grown to a point when the roots fill the container, they are hardy enough to plant outside.
14. Add rosemary to all the spaces between other plants and pots. Several bushes outside will ensure you have a regular supply to enjoy the healthy benefits.

Snip off what you need and dry the cuttings for dried herbs, or place the cuttings whole over your roasts, or strip the leaves and cut up fine to add to any savory dishes.

In Health

Bruce