King carrot
KEEP super fit by growing your own superfoods.
CARROTS are nutritional heroes. Never mind seeing in the dark, they provide vitamins that nourish the skin and protect it from sun damage.
They also come in yellow, purple, white and red, with yellow or orange cores. The purple ones are really worth growing – they are packed with antioxidants said to help prevent heart and lung diseases, diabetes and cancer.
Grow in well- drained soil that doesn’t have lots of stones because these can distort roots. Do not feed them. That only encourages greenery at the expense of root growth.
For a steady supply in summer and autumn, sow in batches every two to three weeks from mid-March to the end of May. That way you will be pulling up mature roots within four months and can use early thinnings for salads, soups and stir fries.
BEETROOT is fat-free and a good source of fibre. It helps prevent cancer and is especially good for pregnant women.
Fresh beetroot has a wonderful sweet and earthy flavour. There are red, candy striped and yellow varieties that look inviting on the plate.
Sow in batches from March to July in light, cultivated soil and full sun.
Powerhouses
They will be ready for harvesting 90 days later, when they are between the size of a golf ball and a tennis ball.
BEANS are nutritional powerhouses too, containing protein, fibre, iron, calcium plus fatty acids thought to nourish the colon lining and protect it from cancer. The chefs’ choice of bean from shells is the attractive borlotto – plural borlotti – the Italian version of the kidney bean, suitable for eating fresh, freezing or drying.
Sun, warmth and a soil packed with moisture and nutrients are essential for good crops. Sow indoors from March for early crops that produce to August. Plant out after the frosts. No staking required.
BROCCOLI offers us great disease resistance and is said to help delay the aging process. Just two florets of broccoli count as a veggie portion for your five a day. It is rich in folic acid, so goof for mums to be.
Broccoli can be sown March to May and grown in full sun or partial shade in fertile soil. CAULIFLOWERS can also go in at this time. They even come with orange, green and purple curds to brighten gardens – and are said to keep your memory sharp.
Tip
Grass is greener when fed and nourished. It is also healthier and can withstand drought much better than grass that is starving. Give dull, faded grass a boost with a nitrogen liquid tonic. PLANTING garlic between roses will help keep But them free of aphids. do not let the garlic flower or it will taint your the fragrance of rose blooms.