Food Gardening | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener

Chinese Cabbage

Brassica rapa var. pekinensis Chinese cabbage is another of the cole crops, cultivated in China for 1,500 years. Its mild taste (compared to regular cabbage) makes it excellent when eaten fresh, steamed, or as “stir fry.” • More detailed information...

Kale

Brassica oleracea Kale is a cool-season cooking green used similarly to collards (most Southerners prefer collards in taste). Seed in late summer or very early spring. • This information can be found in The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book by...

Rhubarb

Rheum rhabarbarum Rhubarb is not a “traditional” Southern vegetable, though many cooks look forward to harvesting the leaf stems from this cool-season perennial plants for making pies, sauces, custards, and Because of its intensely bitter flavor, they usually combine it...

Radish

Raphanus sativus Radishes are fast-growing, cool-weather vegetables. They grow any place they can have some sun and moist, fertile soil. They do well in gardens, pots, planters, flower beds, and cold frames. Some people grow them in boxes of sand...

Pumpkin

Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita mixta Pumpkins are much-loved decorations for the fall, but many people grow these warm-season vine crops for their flavorful flesh and for their seeds too. Actually, pumpkins are winter squashes, picked when they...

Horseradish

Armoracia rusticana This hardy, easy-to-grow perennial member of the cabbage family is unforgettable! The roots of this coarse, weedy-looking plant contains an oil that has a hot, biting, pungent taste, making it valuable as a condiment. • This information can...

Origin of Big Boy Tomato Hybrid

This was written by Gerald Klingaman, retired Extension Horticulturist – University of Arkansas Agriculture has gone through a number of technological revolutions, but few have been as dramatic as was the introduction of hybrid seeds. While hybrid corn is the...

Beans

Phaseolus vulgaris Beans may be the most diverse garden vegetables, ranking second only to tomatoes in popularity. Common beans are probably native to South America and were grown there for centuries before Europeans began growing them. • More detailed information...

Brussels Sprouts

Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera Named for the city in Belgium where they first attained popularity, Brussels sprouts have been grown there since the early 1300s. Gardeners usually refer to them as a cole crop. • More detailed information can be...

Cabbage

Brassica oleracea var. capitata Cabbage is a cole crop, a member of the mustard family, Cruciferae. It is one of the oldest recorded vegetables, mentioned in literature 3,000 years ago. • More detailed information can be found in The Georgia...

Rutabaga

Brassica napus Rutabagas, also known as “Swedes” or “Swedish turnips,” are a cool-weather, giant cross between the turnip and cabbage. The rutabaga is also related to collards, kohlrabi, and Brussels sprouts. • More detailed information can be found in The...

Parsnip

Pastinaca sativa Parsnips were among the first vegetables brought to Virginia and Massashusetts by colonists in the early 1600′s, and Native Americans quickly began growing these large, white-rooted plants in their own gardens. • More detailed information can be found...

Carrot

Daucus carota var. sativas These vegetables with their bright orange roots may not appeal to the youngest family member as part of a favorite meal-or any meal for that matter. It seems that early peoples may have shared the youngster’s...

Turnip

Brassica rapa var. rapifera Turnips are cool-weather members of the cabbage family, which includes broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi. • More detailed information can be found in The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing...