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Thread: Hobbits Unusual Edibles

  1. #1
    Hobbit Guest

    Default Hobbits Unusual Edibles

    Hi all, i love my vegetable garden but lately I am a bit tired of growing so many of the traditional plants we associate with our vegetable gardens. Also tired of growing plants that are constantly having to be guarded against pest and diseases. I want to start filling my garden with things that are different and more pest resistant. Hope you can all offer some ideas on here of herbs and veg that are easy and economical to grow while giving good yields and being resistant to the nasties. Cheers All, Ps could a mod change this to Hobbits not Hbbits Unusual Edibles.

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  3. #2

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    The trouble is, every plant has pest enemies

    (Fixed your title)
    It's Not What You Know, It's What You Can Prove

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  5. #3
    Hobbit Guest

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    Cheers M_C, I agree mate everything has its pest but some much less than others. I use only organic methods in my garden but it can be a real heart breaker when you nuture a crop and it gets a problem that you didnt catch. For example I have a problem with lady beetles decimating my potatoes. They can wipe out a whole crop in a coule of days if your not looking. And we cant always be looking as things come up. If I get busy or forget to spray my cucurbits with copper oxychloride every 10 days I get heavy infestation of downey mildew. All that being said my chickens are my worst enemy lol.

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  7. #4
    Hobbit Guest

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    I meant to put this up yesterday with my original post but i got side tracked. Its a bit long winded but interesting i think. Here is a a plant Im growing at the min so far it has not had any issues in my garden whatsoever. I have them in pots and they are about six months old. One is already fruiting heavily the other not yet. I think the early fruiting may have been caused by heat and lack of water stress. It is extremely fast growing and crops for a long time. It has many uses. In my climate I can grow it almost year round. It is a great lookng plant as well.. I have mine in 10 ltr pots and neglected them most of the summer. The flowers appear at every axis hence my early fruitier wont produce so many fruits. ( still loaded) The other plant is very bushy and should give me loads of fruit.
    Sorry people pics are all the way down the bottom.


    Roselle is a species of Hibiscus native to West Africa, used for the production of bast fibre and as an infusion, in which it may also be known as carcade. It is an annual or perennial herb or woody-based subshrub, growing to 2–2.5 m tall.
    Scientific name: Hibiscus sabdariffa


    USES
    The plant is primarily cultivated for the production of bast fibre from the stem of the plant. Hibiscus, specifically roselle, has been used in folk medicine as a diuretic, and mild laxative.

    The red calyces of the plant are used as food colourings. It can also be found in markets (as flowers or syrup) in some places such as France, where there are Senegalese immigrant communities. The green leaves are used like a spicy version of spinach. They give flavour to the fish and rice dishes. Also in Burma their green leaves are the main ingredient in making chin baung kyaw curry.

    Brazilians attribute stomachic, emollient, and resolutive properties to the bitter roots.

    In Andhra cuisine, roselle is called gongura and is extensively used. The leaves are steamed along with lentils and cooked with dal. The other unique dish prepared is gongura pachadi which is prepared by mixing fried leaves with spices and made into a gongura pacchadi, the most famous dish of Andhra cuisine and is often described as king of all Andhra foods.

    In Burmese cuisine, called chin baung ywet (lit. sour leaf), the roselle is widely used and considered an affordable vegetable for the population. It is perhaps the most widely eaten and popular vegetable in Burma.[12] The leaves are fried with garlic, dried or fresh prawns and green chili or cooked with fish. A light soup made from roselle leaves and dried prawn stock is also a popular dish.

    Among the Bodo tribals of Bodoland, Assam (India) the leaves of both hibiscus sabdariffa and hibiscus cannabinus are cooked along with chicken, fish, crab or pork, as one of their traditional cuisines.

    In the Philippines,the leaves and flowers are used to add sourness to chicken dish "Tinola" (Polynesian Chicken Stew).

    BEVERAGES
    In the Caribbean, sorrel drink is made from sepals of the roselle. In Mexico, 'agua de Flor de Jamaica' (water flavored with roselle) frequently called "agua de Jamaica" is most often homemade. It is prepared by boiling dried sepals and calyces of the Sorrel/Flower of Jamaica plant in water for 8 to 10 minutes (or until the water turns red), then adding sugar. It is often served chilled. This is also done in Saint Kitts and Nevis, Guyana, Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago where it is called 'sorrel' (for Jamaica, it was introduced by Akan slaves in the late 1600s). The drink is one of several inexpensive beverages (aguas frescas) commonly consumed in Mexico and Central America, and they are typically made from fresh fruits, juices or extracts. Something similar is done in Jamaica but additional flavor is added by brewing the tea with ginger and adding rum, making a popular drink at Christmas time. It is also very popular in Trinidad & Tobago but cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves are preferred to ginger.[citation needed] In Mali, Senegal, The Gambia, Burkina Faso and Benin calyces are used to prepare cold, sweet drinks popular in social events, often mixed with mint leaves, dissolved menthol candy, and/or various fruit flavors. The Middle Eastern and Sudanese drink "Karkade"(كركديه) is a cold drink made by soaking the dried Karkade calyces in cold water overnight in a refrigerator with sugar and some lemon or lime juice added. It is then consumed with or without ice cubes after the flowers have been strained.[citation needed] In Lebanon, toasted pine nuts are sometimes added to the drink. Roselle is also used in Nigeria to make a refreshing drink known as Zobo.

    With the advent in the U.S. of interest in south-of-the-border cuisine, the calyces are sold in bags usually labeled "Flor de Jamaica" and have long been available in health food stores in the U.S. for making a tea.

    In addition to being a popular homemade drink, Jarritos, a popular brand of Mexican soft drinks, makes a Flor de Jamaica flavored carbonated beverage. Imported Jarritos can be readily found in the U.S.

    In the UK, the dried calyces and ready-made sorrel syrup are widely and cheaply available in Caribbean and Asian grocers. The fresh calyces are imported mainly during December and January in order to make Christmas and New Year infusions, which are often made into cocktails with additional rum. They are very perishable, rapidly developing fungal rot, and need to be used soon after purchase – unlike the dried product, which has a long shelf-life.

    In Africa, especially the Sahel, roselle is commonly used to make a sugary herbal tea that is commonly sold on the street. The dried flowers can be found in every market. Roselle tea is also quite common in Italy where it spread during the first decades of the 20th century as a typical product of the Italian colonies. The Carib Brewery Trinidad Limited, a Trinidad and Tobago brewery, produces a Shandy Sorrel in which the tea is combined with beer.

    In Thailand, roselle is generally drunk as a cool drink and it can also be made into a wine.

    Hibiscus flowers are commonly found in commercial herbal teas, especially teas advertised as berry-flavoured, as they give a bright red colouring to the drink.

    Rosella flowers are sold as Wild Hibiscus flowers in syrup in Australia as a gourmet product. Recipes include filling them with goats cheese, serving them on baguette slices baked with brie, & placing one plus a little syrup, in a champagne flute before adding the champagne when the bubbles cause the flower to open.

    Jam and preserves
    In Nigeria, rosella jam has been made since colonial times and is still sold regularly at community fetes and charity stalls. It is similar in flavour to plum jam, although more acidic. It differs from other jams in that the pectin is obtained from boiling the interior buds of the rosella flowers. It is thus possible to make rosella jam with nothing but rosella buds and sugar.

    In Burma, the buds of the roselle are made into 'preserved fruits' or jams. Depending on the method and the preference, the seeds are either removed or included. The jams, made from roselle buds and sugar, are red and tangy.

    "Sorrel jelly" is manufactured in Trinidad.

    Rosella jam is also made in Queensland, Australia as a home-made or speciality product sold at fetes and other community events.



    Roselle, raw
    Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
    Energy 205 kJ (49 kcal)
    Carbohydrates
    11.31 g
    Fat
    0.64 g
    Protein
    0.96 g
    Vitamins
    Vitamin A equiv. (2%) 14 μg
    Thiamine (B1) (1%) 0.011 mg
    Riboflavin (B2) (2%) 0.028 mg
    Niacin (B3) (2%) 0.31 mg
    Vitamin C (14%) 12 mg
    Minerals
    Calcium (22%) 215 mg
    Iron (11%) 1.48 mg
    Magnesium (14%) 51 mg
    Phosphorus (5%) 37 mg
    Potassium (4%) 208 mg
    Sodium (0%) 6 mg
    Link to USDA Database entry
    Units
    μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams
    IU = International units
    Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults.
    Source: USDA Nutrient Database
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    Last edited by Hobbit; 10-04-16 at 11:53 PM.

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  9. #5
    Hobbit Guest

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    Heres another little fruiter im having great success with. Its been on my fence now for over 6 months without any problems. I planted 5 and they are covering a huge area of my fence and still going. Fruits profusely but likes a fair amount of water. They self sow very easily as well so im hoping for continuous growth. They should survive my mild winter too. They are great in salads tasting like a cucumber with a hint of melo. I spend alot of time standing at that fence eating them.


    Melothria scabra is a vine grown for its edible fruit. Fruit are about the size of grapes and taste like cucumbers with a tinge of sourness. Vernacular names include mouse melon, Mexican sour gherkin, cucamelon, Mexican miniature watermelon and Mexican sour cucumber.

    This plant is native to Mexico and Central America,[1] where it is called sandiita (little watermelon). It is believed to have been a domesticated crop before western contact began.

    Development
    These plants are slow-growing when they are establishing themselves, but can eventually grow up to ten feet under proper conditions. They are drought resistant and pest-resistant relative to other cucumbers.[2] Similar to the cucumber, these plants are monoecious, producing both male and female flowers on the same plant. These plants can pollinate themselves, but the individual flowers are not self-fertile. Flowers are small and yellow, about four millimeters in diameter. Fruits develop at the base of the female flower.
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  11. #6
    Hobbit Guest

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    Hi all here is another new addition to my garden this year. Im not sure that it is that unusual, but it definitely is interesting for me. Being a Solanaceae I was expecting it to get hit with the many problems solanaceae tend to have here in my sub tropical climate. This plant was in a pot for about 5 months b4 i gave it a home in the ground. the only problem i have had with it thus far is 3 old leaves yellowed and dropped. The little fruits besides being very interesting to stare at are delicious. I may grow two of these next year, although I am going to try this plant as a bi- annual. I have read that they can be prone to more dramas in the second year so im keen to see what happens there. This is an extremely pretty little plant with its little lanterns hanging from every axis.

    Kingdom: Plantae
    (unranked): Angiosperms
    (unranked): Eudicots
    (unranked): Asterids
    Order: Solanales
    Family: Solanaceae
    Genus: Physalis
    Species: P. peruviana

    Physalis peruviana is a plant species of the genus Physalis. It is originally from Peru. The plant and its fruit is known as uchuva (Colombia), Capuli (Peru) Cape gooseberry (South Africa, UK, Australia, New Zealand), Inca berry, Aztec berry, golden berry, giant ground cherry, African ground cherry, Peruvian groundcherry, Peruvian cherry, amour en cage (France, French for "love in a cage"), and sometimes simply Physalis (United Kingdom). It is indigenous to South America, but has been cultivated in England since the late 18th century and in South Africa in the region of the Cape of Good Hope since at least the start of the 19th century.

    Physalis peruviana is closely related to the tomatillo and to the Chinese lantern, also members of the genus Physalis. As a member of the plant family Solanaceae, it is more distantly related to a large number of edible plants, including tomato, eggplant, potato and other members of the nightshades. Despite its name, it is not closely related to any of the cherry, Ribes gooseberry, Indian gooseberry, or Chinese gooseberry.

    The fruit is a smooth berry, resembling a miniature, spherical, yellow tomato. Removed from its bladder-like calyx, it is about the size of a marble, about 1–2 cm in diameter. Like a tomato, it contains numerous small seeds. It is bright yellow to orange in color, and it is sweet when ripe, with a characteristic, mildly tart flavor, making it ideal for snacks, pies, or jams. It is relished in salads and fruit salads, sometimes combined with avocado. Also, because of the fruit's decorative appearance, it is popular in restaurants as an exotic garnish for desserts.

    A prominent feature is the inflated, papery calyx enclosing each berry. The calyx is accrescent until the fruit is fully grown; at first it is of normal size, but after the petals fall it continues to grow until it forms a protective cover around the growing fruit. If the fruit is left inside the intact calyx husks, its shelf life at room temperature is about 30–45 days.

    Geographic and cultivation origins
    Native to high-altitude, tropical Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, where the fruits grow wild, physalis is locally eaten and frequently sold in markets. Only recently has the plant become an important crop; it has been widely introduced into cultivation in other tropical, subtropical and even temperate areas.


    The plant was grown by early settlers of the Cape of Good Hope before 1807. It is not clear whether it was grown there before its introduction to England, but sources since the mid-19th century attribute the common name, "Cape gooseberry" to this fact. A popular suggestion is that the name properly refers to the calyx surrounding the fruit like a cape. This seems however, to be an example of folk etymology or false etymology, because it does not appear in publications earlier than the mid 20th century.
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  13. #7

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    Found it and subbed up hobbit, good to see some other veggie diaries ... All looking very good so far

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  15. #8
    Hobbit Guest

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    Cheers Blue I am only putting new things im trying in here or things that are not soo common in our veg gardens. Otherwise mate shed be chocker block full. Be nice if others would post in here as well as i started it really to get more ideas. Mon the fruit and veg mate really tickles me. That Cape Gooseberry is such a beautiful looking plant mate i spend alot of time staring at it.
    Last edited by Hobbit; 20-05-16 at 11:40 PM.

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  17. #9
    The Aspie Toker Guest

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    The only unusual thing I am growing, is an Egyptian Walking Onion.

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  19. #10
    Hobbit Guest

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    Aspie I never know when to take you seriously mate lol. Soo i googled that. Sounds tip top Aspie this is the kind of feedback im chasing. I have never seen these b4. Wonder how they handle warmer temps as I see they are a cold climate plant. Some bulb plants really need that cold kick to perform well. I also wonder if given a warmer climate if they could become an environmental pest. If they passed those couple of things I could probably grow them year round here and onions are one of those things we use year round. Cheers for your input mate.

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