TIME FOR MORE COLOUR
IF you are looking for a challenge in the vegetable garden, kohl rabi may be it. Strip this odd-looking vegetable of its leaves and it looks as if it could have dropped from space. This is due to its swollen stem base, which may be purple or white and is surrounded by antenna-like stems.
It’s part of the huge brassica family but unlike its close relatives such as kale and broccoli it is yet to become trendy.
Indeed, it is down near the bottom of the popularity list along with turnips and mangelwurzel.
Kohl rabi is well worth growing.
The stem is crisp and sweet can be eaten in many ways. It is rich in vitamins (especially vitamin C) and potassium and a good source of dietary fibre.
One of the major pluses however is that it is fast growing. It forms a thick stem, which swells into a large bulbous shape. Well grown the stems are ready to harvest in eight to 12 weeks from sowing seed.
This vegie grows well through winter and early spring but can be grown for most of the year. It isn’t worried by cold although young seedlings may need protection from heavy frost.
Start from seed or look out for seedlings at the garden centre.
Quiz answers 1. Madagascar, Mozambique 2. John Howard 3. 2007 4. Hungry Jack’s 5. Robin Williams 6. Rooster 7. In the Night Garden 8. Italy 9. False 10. 19th century 11. Adelaide United, Melbourne City, Melbourne Victory, Wellington Phoenix 12. Macbeth 13. Osher Günsberg 14. Italy, Brazil, Jamaica 15. Mozambique 16. Cuba 17. 16th and 17th 18. Steve Moneghetti 19. Saskatchewan 20. Outwitting the Devil 21. False 22. Tomb Raider 23. 2001 24. Guitar 25. Canberra Capitals 26. Budapest 27. Miami Vice 28. Ten 29. A. A. Milne 30. Bolivia
Target word answers: cent, cento, cetin, cine, coin, coined, condemn, CONDIMENT, cone, coned, conned, conte, contend, ctenoid, demon, demonic, denim, dent, dine, dint, docent, done, icon, income, indent, intend, into, intone, intoned, mend, meno, mention, mien, mince, minced, mind, mine, mined, mint, minted, monte, neon, nice, nide, nine, node, nodi, noetic, nonce, none, nonet, note, noted, notice, noticed, omen, once, ontic, tend, tendon, tenon, tine, tined, tinned, tone, toned, tonic, tonne.