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Silverbeet
Botanical Name:
Beta vulgaris (Chenopodiaceae)
General Description/History:
Select silverbeet with fresh, dark green, crisp leaves and stalks. Avoid leaves which are wilted or scarred.
Trim and remove stalks. Wash leaves and slice. Use in stir-fries, steamed, pureed, combined in quiches, pies or filo parcels.
Silverbeet is either raised as seedlings or directly sown. Silverbeet needs to be grown quickly with regular watering and generous fertilising. Silverbeet prefers cool temperatures, but it can tolerate high temperatures better than spinach can. High temperatures will slow down leaf production.
Silverbeet is closely related to the beetroot. It is basically a beet without a bottom. Silverbeet has been popular even before the days of the Roman Empire and originated in Europe around the Mediterranean.
Alternative Names:
Swiss Chard
Growing Areas:
QLD - Brisbane, Lockyer Valley, Redland Bay, Stanthorpe,
NSW - Camden, Dareton, Gosford, Hunter Valley, Windsor
VIC - Melbourne Metropolitan Area
SA - Adelaide Hills, Adelaide Plains
WA - Perth Metropolitan Outer Areas
NT - Darwin, Katherine
Nutritional Value:
A good source of dietary fibre, folic acid, and vitamin C. Contains vitamin B6 and riboflavin and is low in sodium. 65kj/100g 009.
Storage/Handling:
0°C and 90 -100% relative humidity.
Consumer Storage:
Cut off a large section of white stalk, and store stalks and leaves in an airtight plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper.
Interesting Facts and Myths?
How do you tell the difference between chard and silver beet? You don’t – they are two names for the same vegetable.
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Pea Snow
Botanical Name:
Pisum sativum (Leguminoseae)
General Description/History:
Snow peas
Select young, tender pods with good green colour.
Edible podded peas grow in cool, moist conditions. The crop is sensitive to heat. Pods can be damaged by frost, but stems and foliage are seldom affected. Peas thrive on a wide range of soils as long as the soil is well drained. Some varieties of peas require trellising and some grow on a dwarf shrub. Peas are grown from seeds in seedbeds and transplanted to paddocks with trellises, if required by variety. Peas are a legume crop and therefore some varieties are capable of manufacturing their own nitrogen. Peas require frequent irrigation to maintain optimum soil moisture.
The snow pea was developed in China thousands of years ago and is still used in Chinese cuisine today.
It should have the tough strings removed before being blanched very briefly and seasoned or cooled and used with dipping sauces. Snowpeas can also be shredded and added raw to salads.
Alternative Names:
Chinese: Hoh laan dau
English: sweet pea or Chinese pea
Thai: tua lan tau
Growing Areas:
QLD - Bundaberg, Childers, Fassifern Valley, Lockyer Valley, Stanthorpe,
NSW - Bathurst, Gosford, Hunter Valley, Sydney
VIC - East and South Gippsland, Sunraysia
SA - Adelaide Plains, Riverland
WA - Perth Metropolitan Outer Areas
Nutritional Value:
An excellent source of dietary fibre and a good source of protein, vitamin B, B2, B3, C and folic acid. Contains some calcium, phosphorus, potassium and iron. 138kJ/100g.
Storage/Handling:
0°C and 90 -100% relative humidity.
Consumer Storage:
Store in an airtight plastic bag in the vegetable crisper.
Interesting Facts and Myths?
Peas have come a long way to the tender, sweet varieties that we enjoy today. Archaeological have found them in cave dwellings dating back to 9750 B.C but the remains suggest that these early peas were not all that tender and that they were roasted over open flames and then peeled, much like the way we eat chestnuts today!
The average pea-pod contains eight peas.
Today there are 939 varieties of edible peas.
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Spinach
Botanical Name:
(Chenopodiaceae)
General Description/History:
Select clean, fresh leaves with no signs of wilting or blemishes.
Spinach is best suited to cool climates with short days. Under warm conditions, and with long days, most spinach varieties will quickly produce flower stalks. The average monthly temperature for optimum growth is approximately 15-18°C. Spinach is fairly resistant to frosts, and high temperatures cause older leaves to yellow and die. Spinach can be grown in a wide range of soils. Adequate irrigation is required throughout the growing season, but spinach will not tolerate wet conditions.
Spinach originated in Asia and was introduced to Europe by Arab traders during the 13th century. It is often confused with silverbeet. Although both belong to the same family, spinach is less vigorous, smaller in leaf and has green veins. Spinach is grown during the cooler part of the year, whereas silverbeet is grown in the warmer months.
Alternative Names:
Malabar Spinach
Slippery Vegetable
English Spinach
Swamp Cabbage
True Spinach
Water Spinach
Growing Areas:
QLD - Fassifern Valley, Lockyer Valley, Stanthorpe
VIC - Melbourne Metropolitan Area, Sunraysia
SA - Adelaide Plains WA Perth Metropolitan Outer Areas
Nutritional Value:
A good source of dietary fibre, vitamin A and folic acid. Contains vitamin B2, B6 and is low in sodium. 50kJ/100g
Storage/Handling:
0°C and 90 -100% relative humidity.
Consumer Storage:
Store in an airtight plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper.
Interesting Facts and Myths?
Spinach was the first frozen vegetable to be sold commercially.
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Squash
Botanical Name:
Cucurbita spp. (Cucurbitaceae)
General Description/History:
Skin should be glossy, tender and free from decay. Avoid squash that show any soft or watery areas.
Squash varieties will not tolerate frosts, therefore winter planting should be made in warm frost-free sites. Growers generally avoid production during wet summer months because of the pest and disease problems common to this time of the year. There are four methods to choose from when planting squash seeds or seedlings.
Squash are said to be among the oldest edible plants grown by man in the Americas. As the Indians migrated northward, they carried with them squash seeds and planted them along the way. The squash became a staple in the diet of Indian tribes throughout America. From there, the friendly natives taught the settlers in the ‘New World’ how to plant, grow and cook this versatile vegetable. The Spanish Conquistadors were the first to spread squash world wide. Squash was originally an American term for various edible gourds including pumpkin and zucchini. Today they are grouped into White, Button, Scallopini, Acorn and Zucchini.
Alternative Names:
Button Squash
Scallopini
Growing Areas:
QLD - Atherton Tablelands, Granite Belt, Southern and Central Coast
NSW - Bathurst, Cowra, Dareton, Finley, Forbes, Gosford, Griffith, Hunter Valley, Mudgee, Naro, Windsor,
VIC - Melbourne Metropolitan Area
SA - Adelaide Plains
WA - Perth Metropolitan Outer Areas
NT - Darwin
Nutritional Value:
A very good source of vitamin C and A, low in sodium. 60kJ/100g.
Storage/Handling:
7-10°C and 90 - 98% relative humidity.
Consumer Storage:
Store in an airtight plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper.
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Swede
Botanical Name:
Brassica napus
General Description/History:
Select well rounded, smooth skinned turnips and swedes. Check stem end for deterioration or softness.
Wash and peel. Small turnips can be used whole, but large ones should be cut into chunks. Use in soups, stews or roasted. Use steamed and pureed for baby food as an introduction to solids.
Turnips and swedes are cool climate vegetables. They are resistant to mild frosts and are grown from seed in moderately deep, well drained fertile soil. Seeds are sown in late summer to mature in autumn, or in autumn to mature in winter or spring. They have a relatively short growing period of 60-70 days for turnips and 100-120 days for swedes. Swedes and turnips are at their best when they have gone through a period of cold frosty weather.
Turnips have been grown since about 10,000BC. It was used for medicinal purposes as well as a food source. Today the turnip is valued for its distinctive flavour. Both the leafy stalks and the root can be eaten. The swede is a variety of turnip and is a relatively recent root vegetable, believed to have been developed in the 17th century.
Growing Areas:
QLD - Fassifern Valley, Lockyer Valley
NSW - Finley, Griffith, Windsor
VIC - Melbourne Metropolitan Area
TAS - Inland, North West
SA - Adelaide Plains, Riverland
WA - Perth Metropolitan Outer Areas
Nutritional Value:
An excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of dietary fibre. 80kJ/100g.
Storage/Handling:
0°C and 90 -100% relative humidity.
Consumer Storage:
Store in a cool, dark, well ventilated place. Can be stored in the refrigerator crisper
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Sweet Corn
Botanical Name:
Zea mays var. rugosa (Gramineae)
General Description/History:
Select sweet corn with a fresh husk. Kernels should be plump, shiny and fairly straight.
Remove husks and silky threads and cut off base. Cook by boiling, steaming, microwaving or barbecuing. Corn can also be used in fritters, soups and relishes.
Sweet corn is a warm weather crop. It is sensitive to frost, but can be grown in a wide range of climates. Well drained sandy soils are essential. Sweet corn is planted from seed and has a high water requirement, particularly during the early growth period, at tasselling and up to harvest.
Corn is the only cereal known to have originated in America. Sweet corn and maize are from the same family, though corn can be distinguished from common maize by its high sugar content in the milk stage and by its wrinkled and translucent kernels when dry.
Alternative Names:
Corn
Growing Areas:
QLD - Bowen, Bundaberg, Burdekin, Gympie, South East Queensland
NSW - Dareton, Finley, Gosford, Griffith, Hunter Valley, Tumut, Windsor
VIC - East and South Gippsland
TAS - North East, North West
SA - Adelaide Hills, Riverland
WA - Bunbury, Perth Metropolitan Outer Areas
NT - Darwin
Nutritional Value:
An excellent source of vitamin C, a good source of dietary fibre, folic acid and phosphorus, a useful source of thiamine and niacin. 395kJ/100g.
Storage/Handling:
0°C and 90 -100% relative humidity.
Consumer Storage:
Store for a short time in an airtight plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper.
Interesting Facts and Myths?
The average cob of sweet corn contains about 800 kernels arranged in 16 rows.
This bit of information appeared in “The Garden Diary and Country Home Guide” published in 1908. "An old rule is to plant sweet corn in the spring when the leaves of the white oak tree are as large as a mouse's ear or when the soil feels warm to your bare bottom." (Just make sure the neighbours aren't watching if you try this!!)
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Tomato
Botanical Name:
Lycopersicon esculentum (Solanaceae)
General Description/History:
Select tomatoes that are firm, well formed, bright, of uniform colour, and free from blemishes.
Fresh tomatoes are an ideal salad vegetable, served sliced or cut in wedges, either alone or in combination with lettuce, asparagus, celery, cucumbers and onions. It is a standard item in sandwiches, delectable in soups, stews and casseroles and the base for many delightful sauces and dressings. They also make an excellent hot side vegetable. Wonderful when used in traditional Italian dishes and also with Mexican dishes such as tacos, tostadas and enchiladas.
The tomato is a warm-season plant which is reasonably resistant to heat and drought, and grows under a wide range of climatic and soil conditions. Tomatoes grow best when the day temperature is between 15-30°C. Tomatoes must have full sun and need warm, well drained, fertile soil. A tomato plant requires 3-4 months from the time of planting to produce the first ripe fruit.
The tomato thrives best when the weather is clear and rather dry and temperatures are uniformly moderate. If temperatures are too high with accompanying high humidity, foliage disease often results. Quality is strongly influenced by temperature. Hot drying winds also affect the plant, causing the flowers to drop, therefore reducing the quantity of fruit.
The tomato is native to the Peru-Bolivia and Ecuador areas of the Andes Mountains. The tomato must have been cultivated for a great while before the discovery of America by the Spanish, because the tomato was improved far beyond the wild state by that time.
The cultivated tomato probably was carried northward into Central America and Mexico by Indians. For centuries it has been a major ingredient in Mexican cooking.
The earliest recorded mention of tomatoes is by an Italian in 1554, who called them “apples of gold”, referring to a yellow tomato. It was not until 1695 that the term tomato was adopted broadly.
In 1656, the tomato was cultivated in England for ornamental purposes and curiosity only, as it was frequently said to be poisonous. Yet in France, it was termed the “love apple” and presented as a token of affection. By 1752 the fruit was used in England, especially in soups.
Growing Areas:
QLD - Bowen, Bundaberg, Burdekin, Lockyer Valley, Stanthorpe
NSW - Bathurst, Camden, Cowra, Dareton, Far North Coast, Finley, Forbes, Gosford, Griffith, Hunter Valley, Mudgee, Narromine, Sydney Basin, Windsor,
VIC - Bendigo, Goulburn Valley, Melbourne Metropolitan Area, Mid Murray, Northern Victoria, Sunraysia
TAS - North East, North West, South
SA - North Adelaide Plains, Riverland
WA - Carnavon, Geraldton, Perth Metropolitan Outer Areas
NT - Batchelor, Darwin, Katherine.
Nutritional Value:
An excellent source of vitamin C, a useful source of vitamin E, with some vitamin A and dietary fibre. 55kJ/100g.
Storage/Handling:
Mature green 15°C and 85 - 95% relative humidity.
Coloured 7 - 10°C and 90 - 98% relative humidity.
Consumer Storage:
Ripen at room temperature then store in the refrigerator crisper.
Interesting Facts and Myths?
Oranges, lemons, watermelons, and tomatoes are berries.
The Pilgrim Fathers considered growing tomatoes an abomination - equal to dancing, card-playing and theatre-going. Those caught with the fruit were often displayed in the public square and ridiculed!
Tomatoes were originally thought to be poisonous.
"A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins" Laurie Colwin, Home Cooking.
"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a home-grown tomato." Lewis Grizzard.
Today's gardeners are always trying to grow the biggest tomato, watermelon or pumpkin. Back in the 1800's the prize of every gardener was a gigantic turnip. Fifteen-kilogram monsters were quite common and a grower in California was said to have grown a turnip of over 45 kilograms in 1850.
The tomato is the most popular home-garden plant. Over 90% of all home gardeners cultivate tomatoes in their garden. There are currently over 500 tomato varieties on the market. As with many fruits and vegetables, tomatoes should be consumed fairly soon after picking, as their sugar content decreases in storage.
Are tomatoes a fruit or a vegetable? Any edible plant part that contains seeds is considered a fruit, so that means tomatoes are a fruit. The confusion persists largely because cookbooks persist in listing the tomato as though it is a vegetable.
There are at least 10,000 varieties of tomatoes.
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Tomato - Cherry
Description:
Growing Area:
QLD - Bowen, Bundaberg, Burdekin, Lockyer Valley, Stanthorpe
NSW - Bathurst, Camden, Cowra, Dareton, Far North Coast, Finley, Forbes, Gosford, Griffith, Hunter Valley, Mudgee, Narromine, Sydney Basin, Windsor,
VIC - Bendigo, Goulburn Valley, Melbourne Metropolitan Area, Mid Murray, Northern Victoria, Sunraysia
TAS - North East, North West, South
SA - North Adelaide Plains, Riverland
WA - Carnavon, Geraldton, Perth Metropolitan Outer Areas
NT - Batchelor, Darwin, Katherine
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Turnip
Botanical Name:
Brassica rapa var. rapa (Brassicaceae)
General Description/History:
Select well rounded, smooth skinned turnips and swedes. Check stem end for deterioration or softness.
Wash and peel. Small turnips can be used whole, but large ones should be cut into chunks. Use in soups, stews or roasted. Use steamed and pureed for baby food as an introduction to solids.
Turnips and swedes are cool climate vegetables. They are resistant to mild frosts and are grown from seed in moderately deep, well drained fertile soil. Seeds are sown in late summer to mature in autumn, or in autumn to mature in winter or spring. They have a relatively short growing period of 60-70 days for turnips and 100-120 days for swedes. Swedes and turnips are at their best when they have gone through a period of cold frosty weather.
Turnips have been grown since about 10,000BC. It was used for medicinal purposes as well as a food source. Today the turnip is valued for its distinctive flavour. Both the leafy stalks and the root can be eaten. The swede is a variety of turnip and is a relatively recent root vegetable, believed to have been developed in the 17th century.
Growing Areas:
QLD - Fassifern Valley, Lockyer Valley
NSW - Finley, Griffith, Windsor
VIC - Melbourne Metropolitan Area
TAS - Inland, North West
SA - Adelaide Plains, Riverland
WA - Perth Metropolitan Outer Areas
Nutritional Value:
An excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of dietary fibre. 80kJ/100g.
Storage/Handling:
0°C and 90 -100% relative humidity.
Consumer Storage:
Store in a cool, dark, well ventilated place. Can be stored in the refrigerator crisper.
Interesting Facts and Myths?
Today's gardeners are always trying to grow the biggest tomato, watermelon or pumpkin. Back in the 1800's the prize of every gardener was a gigantic turnip. Fifteen-kilogram monsters were quite common and a grower in California was said to have grown a turnip of over 45 kilograms in 1850.
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Watercress
Botanical Name:
Nasturtium officinale (Acquaticum)
General Description/History:
Select fresh looking bunches with healthy stems. Avoid wilted or marked leaves.
Tear leaves and use in salads and sandwiches. Use as a garnish with meat dishes.
Watercress grows in shallow, running water. In about 3 weeks from sowing and transplanting, it is ready to harvest.
Originated in Europe.
Alternative Names:
Chinese: sai yeung choi
English: watercress
Thai: phakkat-nam
Vietnamese: xà lách son
Growing Areas:
NSW - Camden, Windsor
SA - Adelaide Hills
Nutritional Value:
A good source of vitamin C and A, niacin, thiamine, riboflavin and iron.
Storage/Handling:
0°C and 90 -100% relative humidity.
Consumer Storage:
Store in an airtight plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper.