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Post by Laura_in_FL on Dec 18, 2017 9:10:24 GMT -5
I guess I have had all oxhearts then - wispy foliage. But most (of the few that I've grown) were not very manageable!
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Post by Gianna on Dec 18, 2017 16:59:13 GMT -5
Oddly, I've tried three times to grow chard and failed. Can you grow beetroot/red beets? They are in the same family - same species even - as chard. Beta vulgaris. Also in that species are sugarbeets, and mangel root (forage crop). There is a non-native wild-type that grows near our salt marshes too. Perhaps an ancestor to the cultivated forms.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Dec 18, 2017 18:48:59 GMT -5
Okay, I find that ironic. I can't kill chard, but I have yet to succeed with beets!
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Post by meandtk on Dec 18, 2017 19:41:03 GMT -5
Oddly, I've tried three times to grow chard and failed. Can you grow beetroot/red beets? They are in the same family - same species even - as chard. Beta vulgaris. Also in that species are sugarbeets, and mangel root (forage crop). There is a non-native wild-type that grows near our salt marshes too. Perhaps an ancestor to the cultivated forms. I don't know if I can or not. I may need to try.
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Post by Gianna on Dec 18, 2017 22:51:56 GMT -5
meandtk, Laura_in_FL, When/if you have trouble, respectively, with chard or beets, at what stage do you run into difficulties? Germination, or when growing them up?
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Post by meandtk on Dec 19, 2017 13:33:46 GMT -5
meandtk , Laura_in_FL , When/if you have trouble, respectively, with chard or beets, at what stage do you run into difficulties? Germination, or when growing them up? I never got chard to germinate. Several years ago I grew some tiny beets, perhaps as large as a quarter in circumference.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Dec 19, 2017 13:55:41 GMT -5
Something strange about beets and chard: those seeds are actually a bunch of seeds clustered together, and it speeds up germination if you break them up some. It's like a glue holding them together, and it seems to me that the older they get, the slower they germinate, and the slower they grow once they germinate. Anyone else find this?
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Post by brownrexx on Dec 19, 2017 16:18:59 GMT -5
I have never had trouble with growing Swiss chard but I have noticed that beets are very slow growing. Actually they are both really slow to germinate but the beets grow slower than the chard. I grow the rainbow (Bright Lights) chard meandtk,and it grows great for me. Usually it grows too much for me and I have to cut it back and compost some of the leaves because we can not keep up with the supply with all of the other veggies getting ready at the same time. It grows from early spring until way into the fall though. I don't know why they do that with the seeds pepperhead212, I always have to thin my beet plants after they germinate because they are too close together.
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Post by Gianna on Dec 19, 2017 17:08:44 GMT -5
When I used to direct sow beets, I often would have poor germination. Than I read in a seed-starters book that beet seeds should be firmed down really well, and given lots of water. Perhaps because they have multiple seeded clusters.
I also now sow beet and chard seed in plug flat sections, firming them down well, as well as making sure they are watered well. With few exceptions, I grow Detroit Dark Red, and my seed is old - close to 10 years. (I'm too lazy to go check right now) I'm still getting good germination. And my beets do grow slower than the chard, but I don't think that is a function of the seed age. My chard seed may be just as old.
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Post by brownrexx on Dec 19, 2017 17:40:06 GMT -5
My beet seeds are also Detroit dark red. For the last several years when I direct sow seeds I walk down the row to compact the soil over the seeds so that they make good contact with the soil and this seems to help germination.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Dec 19, 2017 18:29:47 GMT -5
I don't know why they do that with the seeds pepperhead212, I always have to thin my beet plants after they germinate because they are too close together. That's actually how the seeds grow on the plant! They grow as little "balls o' seed" on stalks that grow out of the chard and/or beet plant.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Dec 19, 2017 19:09:56 GMT -5
I get beets to germinate just fine, but the often grow slowly. Even the few that I got to grow greens to a decent size had no root development - just a long skinny tap root.
I'm not sure it's worth the effort to troubleshoot, though. The family is not fond of beets.
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poppopt
Junior Member
Posts: 89
Joined: May 2017
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Post by poppopt on Dec 20, 2017 11:14:24 GMT -5
... Seriously, on the not growing again list is chard. It grows beautifully with no care. I just don't particularly like the flavor. Kale, either. (I think I just heard ladymarmalade faint.) I like spinach, collards, and mustard much better. Tatsoi is nice, too. ... Laura, I had to chuckle a little when I read your comment on kale. Kale is one of those veggies that my wife and I tried that we wanted to like way more than we do. I mean, it sounds so wonderful and nutritious when we read about it. And yet, when we tried it, numerous ways, we always seem to go back to referring to it as "grass clippings". Sorry to any that really like it. It just doesn't do it for us either.
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Post by paquebot on Dec 20, 2017 21:01:19 GMT -5
Beets and chard appreciate some extra nitrogen. I grow chard in 7-gallon pots since a few plants can produce a lot of leaves. Had 3 pots this year, 3 different varieties, 3 per pot. Medium was almost pure old horse manure. Plants were giants. Beets were in ground but with manure and compost tilled in. One monster was 8" across.
If there is trouble with germination, pre-soaking for 48 hours will help. Or, place a board over the row and leave it there for 10 to 14 days. That will assure constant moisture.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Dec 20, 2017 22:05:34 GMT -5
All this talk about those that don't like some of these greens made me think about those that hate cilantro, due to a generic difference. I love chard, but I can't stand beets. Years ago I tried a bunch of different colors, thinking that they may taste better, but all of them taste like DIRT to me. After that bit came out about genes causing us to taste things differently, I thought that may be my problem with the beets. And now, maybe the reason for the greens problems.
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Dec 20, 2017 22:25:27 GMT -5
Forelle Fliederfarben beans. They are the most beautiful looking dried bean, mauve with racing stripes. But of all the pole beans I grew this year, they were the least productive. And tonight, I put some in a bowl to soak overnight and they have the most misshapen, miscoloured of all that I have eaten so far from 2017.
Unless I decide to make jewelry out of them, I won't waste the garden space on them.
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Post by Gianna on Dec 20, 2017 23:53:21 GMT -5
All this talk about those that don't like some of these greens made me think about those that hate cilantro, due to a generic difference. I love chard, but I can't stand beets. Years ago I tried a bunch of different colors, thinking that they may taste better, but all of them taste like DIRT to me. After that bit came out about genes causing us to taste things differently, I thought that may be my problem with the beets. And now, maybe the reason for the greens problems. There definitely are genetic differences. There is one large classification of people that are referred to as super-tasters. This does not mean they have any sort of superiority, but in real life, almost the opposite. Super-tasters are about 10% of the population. Some say up to 25%, but I don't think it's that high. Super-tasters have a far greater number of taste buds on their tongues than 'normal' people, and are particularly sensitive to bitter tastes making many foods unpalatable.
Supertasters really dislike things with strong flavors such as coffee, beer, grapefruit, arugula, mustards, radish, Brussel sprouts, black licorice, horse radish, broccoli/radish sprouts, most olive types, green tea, most hard liquors.
Most super tasters prefer white to red wine, milk to dark chocolate, margaritas to whiskey, weak tea over strong, ... Too much heat (peppers), and perhaps too salty might also be in play.
These lists are not fool-proof. There is much cross over. And I suspect there is a bell-shaped curve hiding somewhere. But if you are an extreme super taster as I am, you'll know what I mean.
As you can tell by the list, super tasters miss out on many of the taste sensations and pleasures many foodies totally enjoy. We are often accused of having wimpy palettes... which I guess is true. But it's more about genetics than lack of adventure.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Dec 21, 2017 10:11:02 GMT -5
I've often wondered whether I'm one of those super-tasters. I have a hard time with most of the foods on your list, though there are a few that I like and a few more that I was able to develop a taste for over time. Bitter foods I really dislike, and I am a pepper wimp. And while having enough salt is important to flavor, when food is even a little too salty, I can hardly choke it down. Speaking of choking things down, I can't choke down beer or hard liquor at all - and I did try very hard to learn to tolerate beer when I was in college. Didn't work - I still always want to as soon as beer touches my tongue. I eventually gave up learning to like beer as a bad job and accepted that all college parties would be BYOB for me. But dark chocolate rocks , as long as it is good quality chocolate. Super-taster or not, I love to try new foods and flavor combinations, and I get sooooo bored if I eat the same thing everyday. My taste issues are definitely not because I'm not adventurous with food. Gianna, I think you're on to something with the "bell curve" notion about taste sensitivity. Maybe I'm more bitter-sensitive and salt-sensitive than most, but it sounds like I am not as extreme a super-taster as you are.
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poppopt
Junior Member
Posts: 89
Joined: May 2017
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Post by poppopt on Dec 21, 2017 10:21:20 GMT -5
I'm pretty much convinced I'm not a super taster. Oh, well. Though I don't like beer, wine or other alcoholic drinks, I do like dark chocolate, and most all of the brassica family, including Brussels sprouts. I like sauerkraut. I like beets. I like most spices. Cilantro is OK, it's not one of my favorites, but salsa isn't the same without it.
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Post by mgulfcoastguy on Dec 21, 2017 12:00:32 GMT -5
I'm definitely not a super taster, I love most things on that list.
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Post by brownrexx on Dec 21, 2017 12:34:10 GMT -5
I don't think that I am a super taster either but many of the leaf lettuce varieties taste bitter to me when no one else can taste it. it's disappointing because they look so frilly and pretty but taste awful to me. Black Seeded Simpson is especially bitter to me.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2017 2:37:30 GMT -5
Off the garden list is the whole group of bush type beans, only pole beans. And less swiss chard, not because I do not like it, but it just doesn't stop and there is only so much chard you can eat.
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Post by paquebot on Dec 28, 2017 7:44:48 GMT -5
@imp, with chard, the thing to do is to force yourself to just grow what you can use. I grow chard in 7-gallon pots. Start by sowing in 6-packs. Transplant 3 into the pot. Did that with 3 varieties this past season and it was still about 6 plants too many.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by brownrexx on Dec 28, 2017 9:14:30 GMT -5
with chard, the thing to do is to force yourself to just grow what you can use That's the truth. The first time I grew Swiss Chard I planted an entire row of it and I spent the entire summer cutting off and composting leaves. I guess that I could have pulled some plants but I always hate to do that. They were so pretty are were growing so well.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Dec 28, 2017 10:16:52 GMT -5
I had this same issue with some of the Asian greens that I grow - Komatsuna and senposai. They produce even more than chard, being larger and growing back faster, and I also have the chard there to harvest, as well. A lot of that went into my compost, as well, until I cut way back on planting.
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