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ORGANIC FIELD GUIDE ORGANIC FIELD GUIDE
COMMON EDIBLE PLANTS GROW IT EAT IT LOVE IT
Health Power
A great vegetable for defending against cell damage in digestive tract. Color
comes from betacyanin, which prevents pre-cancerous cell damage. Fiber
induces liver production of antioxidants (glutathione peroxidase and glutathione
S-transferase) for detoxifying body from damaging, potentially carcinogenic
chemicals. Stimulate production of immune cells in animal colon and protect
from damage by nitrosamines (created from nitrates) in stomach. Phytonutrients
choline and its metabolite betaine correlate with lower levels of C-reactive
protein, tumor necrosis factor alpha and homocysteine. All help reduce
inflammation and blood vessel damage, loss of cognitive function and insulin
resistance. Folate deters blood vessel damage by lowering concentrations of
homocysteine and prevents neural tube defects in fetus. Lowers total cholesterol
and triglyceride levels, which is great for the cardiovascular system. Magnesium
assures calcium absorption in gastrointestinal tract. Calcium helps make healthy
bones. Iron essential for hemoglobin to deliver oxygen to all body tissues.
Vitamin and Mineral Content
Vitamins – B9 (Folate) and C
Minerals – Manganese, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, Copper and Phosphorus
Disease Prevention
Beets lower risk of heart disease, colon cancer, stomach cancer, birth defects,
type II diabetes, osteoporosis and anemia.
How to Grow
Beets prefer a deep soil rich in organic matter, microbes and nutrients. Work in
some aged compost or planting mix to both fertilize and improve drainage. Like
other root vegetables, they benefit from raised beds but not needed if soil is
naturally deep and worked well. Grow best at 60-65˚F. If summer is scorching,
grow beets in winter/early spring and fall. Prefer full sun, but in hotter areas,
part shade prevents scorching. Seeds come in groupings; one “seed” is a group
of 7-8 seeds. When soil is workable, create shallow drills at 1 foot apart or more.
Rinse seeds vigorously in a filter or soak overnight to promote germination. One
month before the last frost, sow each cluster of seeds 1 inch deep and 2.5 inches
apart within the drills. Since each seed is a cluster, thin out seedlings by pulling
up roots. Once seedlings reach a few inches tall, thin out to about 6 inches
between plants. For continual harvest, sow the seeds successively every couple
weeks until weather heats up (midsummer). Keep beds weed free, but be careful
not to damage roots. Mulch between plants with compost or other organic
matter. Last sowings will be the main crop. Keep soil moist by watering roughly
one inch a week or more during hot stretches. Harvest early ones when they are
smaller (ping pong ball size) and later ones when they reach baseball size. When
separating leaves from beet, make sure not to damage skin. Leave about an inch
of the stems on so they don’t bleed. Store some undamaged ones for winter in a
container surrounded by peat, sand, vermiculite or sawdust.
Insect Control
Grown in healthy conditions, usually develop pest free. You may see flea beetles
(small, dark creatures that jump up when approached) and leaf miners (tiny
black insects that burrow into the leaf leaving yellow tunnels). To rid crop of flea
beetles, cut out a rectangular card (plastic or cardboard) and cover one side with
sticky material (thick grease works). Slowly run the sticky side of card about an
inch above plants and watch flea beetles jump up and get stuck to the card. Leaf
miners are tiny black insects that burrow into the leaf, leaving yellow tunnels.
Remove the leaves and destroy them as soon as you notice them.
Tips
Key to tender beets is to grow quickly and harvest when they reach full size.
To encourage growth, fertilize every few weeks with compost tea or liquid
seaweed extract.
INGREDIENTS
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
3 medium red or golden beets (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1¼ teaspoons ground black pepper, divided
1½ cups arborio
4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons heavy cream
INSTRUCTIONS
■ Add broth and 5 cups of water to a large pot and bring to boil. Reduce
heat and simmer.
■ Peel beets and shred in a food processor.
■ Heat butter and oil in large sauté pan until butter melts. Add onion and
sauté until translucent. Add shredded beets, salt and pepper. Sauté until
softened.
■ Add arborio rice, stirring constantly. After 2 minutes, add 1½ cups broth,
3 teaspoons vinegar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Lower heat to medium and
stir constantly until liquid has evaporated. Stirring constantly, add broth
¾ cups at a time as rice absorbs liquid and simmering until rice is tender.
About 2 minutes before rice is done add cream, 2 tablespoons parsley,
remaining vinegar and pinch of salt and pepper
■ Divide among 4 plates or bowls and serve right away.
Beet Risotto
RECIPE CARD
Beets
Health Power
Provide only small amounts of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients (from
garnishing dishes with chives), but they add to the overall health of meals.
High vitamin K, A and C content by weight. Vitamins A and C have antioxidant
properties that help rid body of damaging free radicals. Vitamin K helps build
bone and form blood clots. Some suggest they have antibiotic action, aid
digestion, improve blood flow and stimulate appetite. Research still young
on this member of the onion family, but more study may reveal potentially
great benefits.
Vitamin and Mineral Content
Vitamins – K, A, C and B9 (Folate)
Minerals – Manganese
Disease Prevention
Much more research needed. Thus far, researchers say eating chives regularly
may reduce risk of prostate cancer. Chives may be as beneficial as its cousins in
the Allium family (onions, garlic, leeks, shallots and scallions).
How to Grow
A great addition to the garden. Useful as ornamental piece along borders or
inside garden. Nice flower blooms. Take well to containers, too. Hardy perennial
herb tolerant of both sun and shade. Only soil preference is keep it moist.
The pH can vary and chives will still thrive. Sow seeds in early spring spaced
12 inches apart. Or separate already-developed plants and replant 12 inches
apart in early spring or fall. Keep them watered and watch them grow. Every
three years or so, dig up the groups, divide in half, and replant in fresh soil. If
you don’t want to move, dig them up and plant temporarily in a pot or unused
section of soil. Rework the original soil and amend with compost or planting
mix. Then replant back in for another few years. Chives are stimulated to
re-grow quickly when cut, so cut down to about half inch above ground as
needed. Remove weeds as soon as noticed. Or lay down layer of mulch.
Insect Control
No specific or common pests that damage them. If problem occurs, consult
local nursery for treatment.
Tips
Chives store well frozen, but not as well as dry herbs. Lose much of their flavor
when stored. If they become woody, trim down to about an inch above ground.
Health Power
Cilantro leaves and coriander seeds both packed with beneficial
phytonutrients. Animal research shows promising health benefits for humans.
Regularly eating coriander may reduce bad cholesterol levels (the LDL form),
control blood sugar by stimulating insulin production in pancreatic cells
and reduce cellular damage by free radicals. Coriander contributes fiber that
promotes healthy digestion and nutrient extraction from foods. Coriander has
antibiotic components. The volatile oil dodecenal kills Salmonella bacteria
responsible for many food poisonings. Cilantro helps remove potentially toxic
heavy metals that damage nerve functions. Many popular antioxidants help
defend important cells from damage that could lead to reduced vision, higher
cholesterol, weakened blood vessels and minor inflammation.
Vitamin and Mineral Content
Vitamins – traces Minerals – Manganese, Iron and Magnesium
Disease Prevention
Cilantro in the regular diet may help reduce symptoms or even prevent heart
disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and anemia. Cilantro has also been a popular
treatment to help defend against urinary tract infections.
How to Grow
Cilantro is an annual plant with very aromatic leaves. Also known as the
producer of coriander seeds, it grows easily in a container or on the plant bed
in a garden. Grows best in sheltered, rich, moist and well-drained soil in full
sun. If you get extreme heat, consider a site shaded part of the day. Difficult
to transplant. If growing outdoors, plant seeds in spring after the last frost.
Weeds tend to grow faster at first than your herb, so keep them weed free
early on. Plant seeds half inch deep and spaced out about an inch. If growing
in rows, keep rows 12-15 inches apart. Begin to harvest leaves when the plant
is roughly 6 inches tall. Harvest outside leaves first, and thin out the plant as
you go to maintain good air circulation. For maximum leaf production, cut
off the flower stalks when they develop, which forces more energy into leaf
production. When the plant bolts to seed, collect seeds and use them as a spice
or a way to get more cilantro later on. Cilantro loses its flavor quickly when it
dries out, so keep it fresh in a cool area.
Insect Control
Cilantro’s pungent smell keeps most pests away. If any, aphids or white
flies might attack. Aphids can be expelled with a strong stream of water,
but cilantro is too weak to withstand it. Instead, destroy aphids, (which
attack many plants) by planting French marigolds to attract their predators.
Hoverflies and ladybugs eat aphids by the thousands. White flies are strongly
attracted to the color yellow. Get rid of them by creating an old fashioned
flytrap with yellow paper and a gooey substance to cover the paper.
Tips
Another way to experiment with the initial planting is to start a few indoors and
transplant them outside after the last frost while also planting seeds directly
outdoors. Get a continuous sowing of seeds going in the spring for continuous
harvest, because cilantro runs to seed rather quickly after sprouting up.
Chives Cilantro