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Do you grow several types of leafy greens?

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Karen/NoCA

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Do you grow several types of leafy greens?

by Karen/NoCA » Sat Oct 18, 2008 4:05 pm

I am growing Swiss Chard, Kale, two types of spinach, and collard greens. Since there are two of us at this house, I grow small amounts of each. So when I harvest, I pick some from each type. My harvest was big for me today, so I washed all the greens, including beet greens cut from a bunch of beets purchased at the Farmer's Market this morning. First, I sautéed the collard greens, beet and chard stems, and added fresh garlic near the finish. Then I piled the rest of the leafy pile in the pot, added salt and cooked on low until they were all tender. Needless to say, there was enough for two. I took half and piled it into a bowl, added a few cherry tomatoes, sprinkled with a bit of EVOO, and pomegranate balsamic and enjoyed the bounty of my garden. The sweet cherry tomatoes were a nice addition.
Do you ever mix your greens like this?
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Matilda L

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Re: Do you grow several types of leafy greens?

by Matilda L » Sun Oct 19, 2008 12:30 am

I'm growing a very small amount of greens at the moment. There are only two in this house, too, so a full-on vege patch with rows of different things is too much, before you start to think about the water. I've got half a dozen chard plants, a couple of "perpetual spinach", half a dozen lettuces (mixture of varieties), one rocket plant and one sorrel. An assortment of leaves from different plants makes a salad. Chard and spinach together go in a stir fry with some basil, or into the steamer for a green side vegetable. This small number of plants is tucked into the herb bed, where watering is more easily managed.

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Christina Georgina

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Re: Do you grow several types of leafy greens?

by Christina Georgina » Sun Oct 19, 2008 6:38 pm

Greens....my favorite things to grow. The only problem I have is always planting too much. Right now I have: puntarelle [chicory], lancinato kale, escarole, arugula, and 3 colors of chard. I would have had fall lettuces but there was no bare dirt.
I don't usually mix different greens together but your prep certainly would be wonderful. I do mix the 3 colors of chard for a beautiful pasta sauce. The kale and escarole mostly for soups but kale is delicious the way you prepped the mix.
Aurgula fresh in salads or wilted on pizza or pasta. Puntarelle wilted in an anchovy/iol/vinegar dressing
Mamma Mia !
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Karen/NoCA

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Re: Do you grow several types of leafy greens?

by Karen/NoCA » Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:22 pm

I will have to try lacinato kale. It is my favorite kale when I buy it from the grocery store. I have not seen it at the Farmer's Market...wonder why the grower's don't grow it? Do you have any trouble with little green worms with your greens? I think they are called cabbage lopers...and attack the leaves from the backside leaving only the skeleton.
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Re: Do you grow several types of leafy greens?

by Jeff_Dudley » Sun Oct 19, 2008 8:10 pm

The abundance of locally-grown, top quality greens here has simplified planting in our backyard. We're down to a single leafy one: sorrell. It's hard to find regularly. We used as a masterful accent of bitter grapefruit and lemon flavor for many soups and especially mashed root veg (spuds, carrot, parsnips). We take leaves when still a young plant, well before stalks toughen. It's fairly finicky about extreme heat.
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Christina Georgina

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Re: Do you grow several types of leafy greens?

by Christina Georgina » Sun Oct 19, 2008 8:56 pm

Thanks for the name. It fits. Those green worms are so soft but formidable eaters. They strip the leaves leaving only the veins .Thankfully there is enough for them and us.
Mamma Mia !

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