Author: Husbad

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is usually grown as an herb along with also the young, tender leaves are traditionally utilised to season meats, vegetables and sauces. Sometimes it’s grown as a decorative plant because of its small white or pinkish-white blossoms that bloom from midsummer until frost. Annual basil may live through the winter, however the flavor deteriorates, the stems become woody, and it expires in the next season. It is best to plant fresh basil often.

Mature Woody Growth

As it evolves, basil becomes a shrubby plant which grows 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall and wide. Harvest its leaves and stems often to promote fresh new growth. Old stems that haven’t been cut turn hard and woody and you’re going to receive fewer leaves. Stems who have flowered also are somewhat woody and also the leaves lose their flavor.

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The tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) did not come to Germany until well after the Spanish introduced it into Europe in the 1600s. Initially grown as an ornamental, rather than food, even in the mistaken belief the fruit was poisonous, it took until the late 1700s prior tomatoes were widely grown in northwestern Europe. Once Germans began growing tomatoes, they produced new varieties, a few of which are still with us today since heirloom cultivars.

German Tomatoes

Germany has cold winters, so the tropical tomato, hardy only to U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 11 and 12, grows as a summer annual or greenhouse plant there. Tomato cultivars produced in Germany generally take 75 to 85 days to produce fruit. This leaves enough of this summer growing time to crop a generous crop. Some heirloom tomatoes have “German” as part of the name, but this does not signify that they originated in Germany. Many of them are American heirlooms that came from Amish or Mennonite communities, like “Early German,” “Striped German” and “Tidwell German.”

Red Fruits

“German Red Strawberry” does not taste like strawberries, but it’s a heart-shaped fruit narrow in the bottom end, resembling the shape of a strawberry. It’s a favorite for slicing for sandwiches as well as eating fresh. The flavor is rich and complicated, with a minor lingering sweetness. Tomatoes are meaty, with few seeds and small juice. Most fruits weigh in about one pound.

Bicolored Fruits

“Marizol Gold” is a sizable 2-pound fruit, yellow flushed with crimson. Cut open this juicy tomato to see the red-and-yellow marbled flesh. It was brought to the USA in the 1800s by the Bratka family. Fruits are somewhat flattened and ribbed along with the crops are somewhat heavy bearers. “Mary Robinson’s German Bicolor” has red stripes and shading on a gold background. It has a sweet, mild flavor and takes 80 to 90 days to produce fruit.

Pink Fruits

“German Head” is a midseason dark pink beefsteak type tomato. Plants have high yields of 12-ounce into 1-pound fruits borne in clusters of 2 to three tomatoes. The rich flavor combines with a smooth, creamy feel unusual for tomatoes. “Eva Purple Ball” is a very symmetrical around pink tomato additionally attributed to this Bratka family. The deceptive common name dates back to the Victorian custom of referring to colours containing pink as “purple .” Yet another beefsteak tomato, “German Pink” has a complete sweet flavor and is used fresh or to make paste. This cultivar is potato-leaved and vegetables are generally about 12 ounces.

Cherry Tomatoes

“Riesentraube” is a red, heavy-bearing old German variety with richer flavor than most cherry tomatoes. The name means “large group of grapes,” reflecting that often 20 to 40 fruits cluster together on branch ends. There’s also a yellow version, “Yellow Riesentraube,” that is sweeter than the red variety. Other yellow cherry tomatoes comprise “Blondkopfchen” and “Reinhard’s Goldkirsche.” “Blondkopfchen” is sweet with citrusy overtones, and is very prolific, with large clusters of 1-inch fruit. “Reinhard’s Goldkirsche” is a modern hybrid made by Reinhard Kraft. Large vines yield ample, somewhat translucent, golden-yellow 1-inch fruits.

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The condition plant of Texas, prickly pear cactus (Opuntia spp.) Is grown for many motives — animal fodder, fuel, ornamentation and also for its sweet, edible fruit. Also called “tunas” or “Mission cactus,” more than 150 species of opuntia grow around the planet. The cactus pears you discover at the grocers are likely to be Indian fig (Opuntia ficus-indica). With fragrant yellow or orange flowers growing out of flat green pads, these prickly pears thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8b to 10b. They are easy to harvest and even easier to identify.

Prickly Pears

Cultivated to make sweet fruit and nearly thornless pads, Indian fig includes a shrubby or treelike growth habit, reaching 10 to 15 feet at maturity. In spring, showy orange or yellow flowers give way to roundish 2- to 3 1/2-inch long fruit which ripens from yellow to crimson. The fruit is covered with a skin, dotted with clusters of short bristles — called glochids — which can irritate skin and must be removed prior to eating. Under this tough exterior is sweet, juicy flesh speckled with hard black seeds.

Harvesting

Cactus pears are ripe when they turn a heavy, nearly magenta, red. Beyond the simple colour test, two more signs of peak ripeness are birds pecking at the fruit and fruit falling to the ground. If you select a pear and see green flesh at the wound, then the fruit isn’t quite ready. The glochids deserve your attention because they can detach in the fruit through harvest, lodging on your skin and creating discomfort, irritation andalso at times, allergic reactions. To be on the safe side, wear leather gloves and select the fruit with metal tongs.

Eating

Prickly pear cactus fruit saved at 43 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit will keep for at least two weeks — lots of time to discover your favourite means of consuming it. To prepare the fruit, then cut the ends off, slit the skin down the center with a knife, and peel away the skin. Remove the seeds. To protect your hands, wear heavy leather gloves or hold the fruit with metal tongs. Cooked cactus fruit puree makes a refreshing addition to salad dressings and yogurt, cubed fresh pears with lime juice are great in fruit cups, and prickly pear juice can be made into drinks, sauces and syrups.

Growing Tips

Like most desert plants, prickly pear cactuses thrive in full sunlight and favor well-drained, sandy loam soil that is slightly alkaline — a pH array of 6.1 to 7.8 is ideal. Although prickly pears are highly drought-tolerant, they do need moisture during warm spells to make the biggest, juiciest fruit. Tolerant of a wide range of elevations, prickly pears grow anywhere from sea level to more than 15,000 feet, but benefit from some protection against cold winter winds. Through the flower- and fruit-producing interval employing a balanced fluid retains the plants healthy. “Burbank Spineless” is a nearly spineless cultivar great for backyard gardening.

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The ash gourd goes by many names, including wax gourd, winter melon, Chinese watermelon, white gourd and white pumpkin. Officially named Benincasa hispida, the ash gourd is native to Southeast Asia and winters well in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2 through 11. Ash gourds belong to the Cucurbitaceae plant family, making them associated with cucumbers, squash and melons.

Description

The ash gourd is an annual creeping vine that can either climb structures or be permitted to distribute to the ground. This plant contains large green leaves and thick stems covered with rough hairs. The showy, golden yellow blooms appear early in the summertime, and feminine flowers give way to round or round fruits. Young ash gourds are covered with a soft down that disappears with adulthood. Totally renovated gourds have a white, waxy coating covering the surface. Mature fruits weigh in from 5 to 20 pounds, but they are able to reach as large as 50 pounds in optimum growing conditions.

Culture

Ash gourds thrive in well-draining, organically rich, fertile soils in full sun spots. You can begin planting the seeds once the soil temperatures in your area reach at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant three seeds together in every planting pit and lean out the weaker plants once they sprout. Planting seams should be about 1 inch deep and spaced about 10 inches apart.

Maintenance Requirements

Gardeners appreciate the fact that the ash gourd is a low-maintenance plant with just medium moisture needs. Because these plants are relatively drought tolerant, you need to water the gourds just every 6 or 7 days in dry weather. Just like with other melon plants, gently pruning the flowers and stem tips promotes better fruit production.

Potential Problems

Although ash gourds usually do not suffer with serious disease or pest problems, they sometimes attract mites, aphids, squash bugs, cucumber beetles or squash vine borers. Keep an eye out for powdery mildew and downy mildew as well. Powdery mildew appears as small white spots on the leaves and shoots, while downy mildew causes light green or yellowish spots to form on leaves, giving them a mottled appearance. These problems aren’t usually serious enough to warrant the use of chemical sprays.

Harvesting and Usage

Ash gourds have edible leaves and stems that may be picked at any time and cooked just like other greens. Flowering begins anywhere from 45 to 100 days after sowing, and you may start selecting immature gourds about a week after the flowers look. Immature fruit can be cooked in the very same manners as summer squash. Mature gourds need to remain on the vine for 30 to 40 days after flowering, or until they develop their feature white, waxy coat. Ash gourds have a mild flavor, making them a frequent ingredient in curries, soups and Asian stir-fries. Old fruit shops for as much as six months if stored in a cool, dry place, but you should eat young gourds within a week of selecting.

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