Cabbage
Grow cabbage in your garden, and you're sure to gain a new appreciation of this ethnic favorite. Cabbage, after all, is a classic vegetable that's been a staple in Western diets for hundreds of years.
If you've ever endured eating overcooked boiled cabbage, you'll enjoy finding better ways to use the tender, homegrown version, especially if you experiment with the many interesting varieties available. There are early, midseason, and late varieties; round, conical, or flat-head types; smooth leaves or savoyed (crinkled) foliage; and colors ranging from yellow green to blue green, deep green, or purplish red. Each has a distinct flavor, with the red types being among the most sweet.
Use homegrown cabbage fresh. Shred and add by the handful to mixed salads. When it's young and tender, it has a more mild flavor. Use it in classic or innovative slaws, too, and you'll find them a treat. Try stuffing large leaves. And, of course, you can always cook them, pickle them, or even make sauerkraut.
Light:
Sun,Part Sun
Plant Type:
Vegetable
Plant Height:
6-18 inches tall
Plant Width:
10-30 inches wide
Top Varieties
'Dynamo Hybrid' cabbage
forms small, 2-pound, blue-green heads, which are ideal for single serving use. 55 days
'Early Jersey Wakefield' cabbage
features distinctive conical heads that set it apart from other cabbage varieties. It is an heirloom type good for salads and slaws. 64 days
'Golden Acre' cabbage
is an early round-head cabbage with medium green color. It's an old-time, open-pollinated (nonhybrid) variety that stands well without splitting. 58 days
'Gonzalez Hybrid' cabbage
produces 2-3 pound aqua-green heads. The relatively small head size is good for singles or small families. 55 days
'Ruby Ball Head' cabbage
has a mild, sweet flavor and is a medium-large red variety that holds well in the garden. 78 days
'Savoy Ace Hybrid' cabbage
has crinkly deep green outer leaves. The head is firm and also deep green. 78 days
'Stonehead Hybrid' cabbage
lives up to its name, forming a solid, dense head in just 50 days from transplanting. It also has excellent disease resistance.
'Savoy King Hybrid' cabbage
is slightly larger than most other crinkle-leaf types. It produces a 5-pound head with a creamy interior color. 90 days
'Super Red 80 Hybrid' cabbage
offers deep purplish-red heads that have a peppery flavor and are good for storing. 80 days
Garden Plans Colorful Vegetable Garden Plan
Harvest Tips : Once a head is full size and firm when you squeeze it, cut it off near ground level with a sharp knife. If left too long in the garden, the head may split. After the main head is harvested allow the stub to regrow. Often it will form several smaller heads that you can harvest later in the season.
Bok choy
Bok choy isn’t just another one of those leafy greens that gives a summer stir-fry a flavorful kick. The Chinese green also has a diverse nutrition profile. All the more reason to grow it yourself, or buy the spicy veggie on your next trip to the farmers market!
Bok choy (also known as pak choi, bok choi) feels similar to lettuce (it’s quite tender and watery), but is part of the cabbage family (brassica). The cruciferous green tastes light and peppery. When cooked, the vegetable’s white-ish stalks remain crisp and its broad leaves wilt. The green is a great addition to chilled, summery noodle salads, or with baked tofu.
As mentioned previously, bok choy is a cruciferous vegetable. Cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage and kale, may help decrease the risk of cancer. Bok choy also contains beta carotene, folate and vitamin B6. Also: 1 cup of cooked bok choy has the same amount of calcium as 8-ounces of milk, and 1 cup of shredded, raw bok choy contains half the daily requirements for vitamins A, C and K!
If you want to grow bok choy:
Bok choy should be thinned to 14 inches apart. Baby bok choy can have as little as 6 inches between plants. Baby bok choy also can be grown in containers.
Bring in the Chinese green as you need it -- protect or pull plants before a hard freeze.
The green is cold tolerant, but not hardy.
Bok choy is a spring/fall green that does well in full sun (or partial shade in the summer). Spring crops are more difficult to grown than direct-seeded fall crops.
The plant needs well-drained soil.
Written by Abbie Stutzer
GROW IT YOURSELF
Pumpkin seeds
The 1980s and '90s will be remembered if for no other absurdity than our ironic shunting of fatty foods while we gained more weight that at any other time in human history. We can thank processed and refined sugars for the latter--still the lament of our nation's lingering obesity epidemic. But as for the fat? Well, it's most certainly back in fashion. Essential omega fatty acids are now the dietary darlin' du jour—you might call them the modern day Snackwells. But fish, which is often touted as the go-to source for omega fats can be loaded with toxins. Good thing there are plenty of delicious vegan omega fatty acid rich foods to choose from. Here are eight:
1. Hemp
No other food contains the ideal ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids like the mighty hemp seed. It's a great protein source, and full of fiber, too.
2. Flax
The flax (or linseed) contains a higher ratio of omega 3 to omega 6. This is an extremely popular choice because our Western diet is so rich in unhealthy fats and inflammation-causing foods. Omega 3 fatty acids help to reduce inflammation.
3. Chia
By weight, the chia seed is about 32 percent omega fatty acids (very high and rare for a seed). Sixty-one percent omega-3 and 20 percent omega-6 makes it a good choice for people who need more omega-3s.
4. Walnuts
Grown throughout the U.S., walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and a number of other unique plant properties that make them an excellent addition to your diet.
5. Coconut oil
This tropical oil does not contain any omega-3 fatty acids, but it is an excellent source of medium chain fatty acids and omega-6. Its fat content will give you a burst of energy and phytonutrients in coconut oil are highly antiviral and antifungal.
6. Olive Oil
A good go-to source for both omega-3 and 6 is olive oil. It's about ten to one omega 6:3, so make sure you balance it out with omega 3 rich foods like nuts, chia or flax.
7. Pumpkin
Another surprise from the seed world is the pumpkin seed. It contains a notable amount of omega 3s and a good bit of omega 6 and omega 9.
8. Avocado
The creamy, green, fruity avocados contain omega 3, 6 and 9. A one-cup serving provides around 250 milligrams of omega 3 and more than 3000 milligrams of omega 6!
Written by Jill Ettinger
Cucumber
Cucumbers have a reputation for being cool and calming. Popping up in spas and pitchers of water, these creeping gourds are popular around the world for their versatility and deliciousness. Packed with cooling water and anti-inflammatory elements, cucumbers can be a quick trick for chilling out during warm summer days.
Hot under the collar? Cool off with a cucumber using the following tips.
1. Face Mask: This traditional treatment remains popular for a reason – it increases moisture while reducing puffiness and oiliness. Lay slices of cucumber all over your face, or blend a peeled cucumber and soak the mush on your face for 10 minutes.
2. Water Enhancer: Trick yourself into thinking you’re at the spa and leave yourself a pitcher of ice water with cucumber slices in the fridge. Let sit for a few hours for the flavors to infuse. This will encourage you to drink more water all day, and the feint cucumber aroma and taste will remind you of relaxing spa days of yore.
3. Eye De-Puffer: Cool off while you remove dark circles and puffiness. Apply two chilled slices of cucumber to your closed eyelids, and let them do their magic for 20 minutes. You’ll be calm and collected when they come off.
4. Cucumber Cilantro Cocktail: In the bottom of a glass, muddle two springs of cilantro with 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar. Fill the glass with ice cubes and add 2 ounces of light rum, 1 teaspoon of fresh lime juice and a splash of club soda. Garnish with a cilantro spring and cucumber wheel.
5. Cucumber Smoothie: Blend together one sliced cucumber (seeds removed) with 3 cups ice cubes, 3 springs of fresh mint and 3 cups of your favorite melon, such as honeydew or cantaloupe. Garnish with a wheel of cucumber and enjoy immediately!
6. Cucumber Sandwiches: These delicate tea party favorites are a healthy snack when done right. Choose whole grain bread and spread with fresh ricotta cheese and slices of cucumber. Cut into triangles and serve with a spot of iced tea for a refreshing twist on a classic.
7. Tzatziki Sauce: This Greek condiment tempers hot foods with the cooling feel of yogurt. Start with one 8-ounce container of plain yogurt, and add 1 diced cucumber (peeled and seeded) along with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill weed and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors meld. Excellent on pita sandwiches, falafels or by itself as a dip for fresh vegetables.
8. Cucumber Popsicles: Make two cups of syrup by boiling 2 cups each sugar and water. Cool completely, and then blend with 1 pound cucumber and 4 pounds seedless watermelon, both peeled and cut into chunks. Add the juice of two limes and ½ teaspoon of salt, then pour the mixture into popsicle molds and freeze for several hours until hard.
9. Cucumber Massage: Roll a chilled cucumber under the soles of your bare feet for a refreshing muscle massager. Better yet, have a friend massage your back with this cylindrical tool by rolling it up and down until you chill out.
10. Cold Cucumber Soup: Puree the following in a blender: 3 seedless cucumbers (peeled and chopped), ¾ cup sliced green onions, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon white pepper, and 1 ½ cups cold vegetable or chicken broth. Stir in ½ cup of sour cream and chill for one hour; garnish with chopped cucumber and green onion.
Written by Shilo Urban
Snap beans, also called green beans, are one of those must-have vegetables in the garden. They're easy to grow, are bothered by few pests, and if you choose a pole type, they take up hardly any square footage in the landscape. Or get creative and grow pole beans on fences or any other upright support
Beans come many colors, shapes, and sizes. Pods may be green, yellow, purple, or speckled. The plants range in size from 2 feet tall for bush types to pole types that may climb to 12 feet. A bean harvested when young, before the seeds fully develop, is called a snap bean. Once the seeds have reached full size, but pods have not turned brown, it's called a shelling bean. After the pod dries and seeds mature, it's called a dried bean.
Light:
Sun
Plant Type:
Vegetable
Plant Height:
24-30 inches tall (bush types); 8-12 feet tall (pole types)
Plant Width:
18-30 inches wide
Top Varieties
'Blue Lake 274' bean
is a bush type that produces 6-inch-long green pods on bushy plants.
'Derby' bean
produces tender, 7-inch-long pods that are easy to harvest. Plants resist disease well.
'Jade' bean
offers slender, deep green pods that remain tender and productive in the heat of summer.
'Roc d'Or' snap bean
is a yellow-pod type that's also called wax bean. 'Roc d'Or' bears 6-inch-long yellow pods 52 days after planting.
'Royal Burgundy' bean
bears nutritious purple pods that turn green when cooked.
'Romano' pole bean
forms a vigorous vine, which features pods that remain stringless even when large.
'Scarlet Runner' bean
is named for its attractive orangy-red flowers produced on vining plants. It is a different species (Phaseolus coccineus) than snap beans. It is most often grown for its ornamental value, but it also produces tasty shelling beans.
Harvest Tips
Harvest most snap beans when pods are 6-8 inches long, before pods and seeds reach full size, 45-55 days after planting. Specialty bush beans called filet beans should be harvested when pods are only 1/4-inch in diameter. Harvest shelling beans once seeds have reached full size, about 80 days after planting. Dried beans take approximately 100-120 days to reach maturity. Because dried pods may split open and drop beans to the ground, place a large pan or bucket under the plants when harvesting dried beans.
