The Mustard –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Mustard is yet another member of the brassica family, a huge family of vegetables, all of which developed from the wild cabbage and include cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, kale, collards, turnips and Brussels sprouts. Mustard probably originated somewhere in eastern Asia and has been cultivated for nearly 3000 years in central Asia,…
The Melon and the Watermelon
The Melon and the Watermelon –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Melons are native to the continent of Africa. Many wild forms of melons and watermelons can still be found there today. Though it is not known when melons were first cultivated, it is believed that prehistoric man may have gathered and saved the seeds of the sweetest melons,…
The Lettuce and the Mesclun
The Lettuce and the Mesclun –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Lettuce appears to have been domesticated from a weedy species of wild lettuce that produced lettuce leaves on the top of a tall stem. Evidence which supports this theory comes from Egyptian tomb paintings dating back 4500 years which show bundles of stem lettuce being transported. The first…
The Leek
The Leek –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions The leek is a member of the onion family with a flavor that is much more refined, subtle and sweet than the standard onion. Wild leeks called ramps more closely resemble scallions and have a much harsher flavor than their cultivated cousins. Leeks are thought to be native to the Mediterranean…
The Kohlrabi
The Kohlrabi –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Kohlrabi is yet another member of the ubiquitous brassica family which includes cabbage, kale, collards, turnips, rutabagas, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Kohlrabi and Brussels sprouts are probably the only commonly known vegetables of northern European origin. Kohlrabi apparently developed from the marrow cabbage a wild form of cabbage which frequently…
The Horseradish
The Horseradish –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Horseradish is a member of the mustard family and as such is related to kale, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and radishes. It is grown for its thick, fleshy white roots which are ground into a paste and used as a condiment. The zesty bite and distinctive aroma of the horseradish are not…
The Gourd
The Gourd –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Gourds are believed to be one of the earliest cultivated species. Because the only known populations of wild gourds exist in certain areas of Africa, archaeologists have theorized that prehistoric humans who lived near the rivers on the West Coast of Africa first used the small gourds that grow wild in…
The Garlic
The Garlic –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions GARLIC, which is a member of the same group of plants as the ONION, has been cultivated for millennia. As a cultivated plant, it is so old that it is difficult to credit a country of origin for this vegetable. Some historians believe that the onion was indigenous to the southwest…
The Eggplant
The Eggplant –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Eggplants originated in China and India and have been cultivated there for thousands of years. The Spanish Moors introduced the eggplant into southern and Eastern Europe where it became very popular. The early explorers of the New World introduced eggplant into the Americas in the 1500s, but the plant never caught…
The Cucumber
The Cucumber –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions It is generally agreed that cucumbers originated in India and have been under cultivation for at least 3000 years. From India, the pant was introduced into China and then into the West. Both the Greeks and the Romans knew and grew the cucumber. With the possible exception of some gherkins grown…