Vegetable of the month for January

[Andy Hamilton]

OK so broccoli won last month, so what will win for January. It is over to you.

[Emma]

What about leeks? I made some leek and potato soup yesterday it was lurvely

[Honey monster]

I want to grow some carrots so I would not mind some advice on growing them.

[Wombat]

Yay! I'll go for carrots also!

[Dave]

I might do carrots a bit later when it's time to plant them. Unless there is a big call for it. Leeks, purple sprouting broccoli and beet spinach will be the only things I'll harvest in Jan. Is there anything else anyone is expecting to be ready in January, I wouldn't mind doing one with a seasonable veg and put some recipes with it too.

[gill didsbury]

Tomatoes would be a fave here in Australia also Lazy housewife beans.cucumbers too. But NOT what you would be picking in the UK LOL

HAppy Gardening

Gill (Australia)

[Andy Hamilton]

What are lazy housewife beans Gill? Not the most PC of names.

What about if we can come up with a veg that is being harvested in UK whilst being planted in Aus or the other way round. That would be useful for all visitors. Can't think of anything off the top of my head.

[Guest]

Hi Andy,
Lazy house wife beans are a heritage bean. I got them on the exchange on the garden web australia site. There supposed to be a bushy bean plant with lots of pods of beans, hence the name lazy house wife. They are easy to pick too. Its the first time I have grown them, they do take a while to "take off" but are doing well now.Will let you know what the beans are like and how much I get from each bush ok?

Happy Gardening

Gill

[Dave]

I was wondering, is there any native Australian Veg? It seems when the new world was discovered loads of new veg came back - tomatoes, potatoes, squashes etc but I can't think of a single thing native to Oz. I am I just being ignorant or was there anything sent back from down under?

[Wombat]

G'Day Dave,

As far as commercial production goes, the only native edible that has done any good to my knowledge is the Macadamia nut.

Over the past 10 years or so there has been an upsurge of interest in Australian bush foods or "bush tucker". There have even been eateries based at least in part on bush tucker, but I dont know of anything much that has been exported to the rest of the world.

There are the "Warrigal Greens" which are also called New Zealand Spinach (Tetragonia Tetragonoides), which I think is grown outside Australia but I am not sure.

I guess it will take some time for us to catch up to the rest of the world