As the seasons change and everything is harvested or preserved, we thought we’d give an update on what we are currently doing. During the last week we’ve had our first covering of snow followed by a high of 14 degrees which has certainly had an interesting effect on the garden!

YACON

WITLOOF CHICORY

WHAT IS IT?

Witloof Chicory

Chicory is cultivated for its highly prized salad leaves.

WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH IT?

George is the expert here, wielding his knife trimming Witloof tops off ready for the clamp. We’ll be storing the roots in boxes of soil ready for forcing later in winter. They are warmed for 4-5 weeks and re-sprout new lettuce like leaves called chicons with a slightly bitter chicory taste. Grown in the dark the leaves are blanched white – hence the name Witloof meaning ‘white leaf’ in Dutch.

HOW WILL IT BE USED?

It’s a great way of growing leaves all the year round. The forcing gives them a sweetness and fingers-crossed we should have a few chicons to try before Christmas.

 LEMON BALM

BLUE BANANA WINTER SQUASH

CARDOON

WHAT IS IT?

Cardoon

Cardoon is a thistle-like plant also in the Sunflower family. It’s a very ancient crop said to be an ancestor of the globe artichoke and ever-so-slightly Scottish.

WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH IT?

The flower buds can be eaten like a small spiny artichoke and the stems can be blanched and eaten like celery. The stalks need to be protected from sunlight to blanch them white so we’ve had our cardoons covered in fabric for several weeks.

HOW WILL IT BE USED?

We have no idea what to expect in the way of flavour, but it should be fun trying it. Hopefully next year we’ll get some seed. Apparently there’s potential to produce an oil for cooking or a vegetable rennet for cheese making. We’ll see!

LEMON VERBENA

WHAT IS IT?

Lemon Verbena

A flowering plant that we use regularly as a substitute for lemon/citrus flavours in both dishes and drinks.

WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH IT?

It can’t stand a hard frost, so we have recently moved most of the plants into the tomato tunnel for winter; having harvested and dried a huge lot of leaves. Our private dining room has underfloor heating which is perfect for drying verbena overnight. The smell is wonderful!

HOW WILL IT BE USED?

We use lemon verbena in the kitchen, for cocktails and for tea. In addition to drying, we’re making oil, syrup, shrubs and several other experimental concoctions.

 OCA 

WHAT IS IT?

Oca (Oxalis tuberosa) or New Zealand Yam. We are growing it primarily for the tuber, but stems, leaves and flowers are all edible. The tubers have a great flavour with acidity from oxalic acid; a starchiness similar to potatoes; and wonderful red and yellow colours.

WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH IT?

A very important crop for us, but it’s tricky to grow. The problem is that it’s killed by frost, but doesn’t start to produce any tubers until after the autumn equinox in mid September. It has to be protected from an early frost or it could be killed before there are any tubers worth having. Harvest is ideally not until late December. We have covered the oca with plastic cloches which is working well so far. Just look at the photo where the plants left outside to have been knocked down by last week’s cold.

HOW WILL IT BE USED?

The stems and leaves are used for pestos and oils or simply for decorative garnish. The tubers themselves will be used instead of potatoes in dishes or snacks, but can also be good eaten raw in a radish-like way.

BEETROOT