Every year we try growing at least one new thing and usually we just stick it in the ground and hope for the best without doing a bit of research. That means that half of the time we are disappointed and the other half of the time we fall upon dumb luck and are rewarded with a great harvest. While this is our second year growing fenugreek, we had a pretty lack luster ‘crop’ last year and this year it isn’t going so fantastic. Or is it? Is it only supposed to grow about 6 inches tall and produce only two seed pods? Can you eat those tiny little leaves or do you only harvest the seeds? Does it require shade or sun? Do they like water or to be on the drier side.
See, how can we ever be successful with growing it when we don’t know a darned thing about it. So I’m going to go research fenugreek (and horseradish for that matter) so I know how we should nurture them. What do you want to research?
Vetch. I need to know more about this cover crop. Does it take over? Although it is supposed to return nutrients to the soil (after summer crops like tomatoes and zucchini suck the life out of the soil), I don’t want to have to contend with trying to irradicate the stuff.
Furthermore, I would like to know where to get the seed.
Hi Maybelline, We grow vetch every winter and so far we haven’t had it take over at all. We’ve never noticed a problem with it. We get the seed from our local nursery, but there must be an online place somewhere that sells it.
I am being “mentored” by a friend from India. Just recently he gifted me with some Fenogreek leaves… they are dried and are available in Indian shops. (There are several in Contra Costa Co.)I am still researching how to use them.
Patricia, are the leaves teeny tiny? Ours are, but I don’t know if that is how they should be or not.
Sarah – we haven’t grown sweet potatoes before, let me know how it goes!
In the package they are very broken the largest piece I can see measures a bit more than a quarter inch and appears to be the tip of a leaf, but the majority of the leaves are very, very fine. There doesn’t seem to be any way to tell how big there were when they started.
The package says “Kasoori Methi”. On the back it says (in English, French and Spanish) dried feugreek leaves and instructs one to mash and sprinkle over curries and non juicy vegetable dishes just before serving for an unforgetable exotic flavour (sic). Or to add to the dough for making Parantha and Naan (breads). The latter I hope do soon.
By the way, what I am researching is Fava, when to eat what part of the bean i.e. the dry bean, the bean out of the pod, the bean in the pod? And what does one do with the tops one pinches off?
Thanks Patricia! Fava bean season is over for the most part in our neck of the woods. We harvest and eat ours in early spring, but you should plant the beans in fall. I’ll do a post when we plant ours so you can follow along, okay?
We are in the same neck of the woods.
I planted them favas last winter for the first time and they grew beautifully. When it came to picking I was having trouble distinguishing those that were small enough to eat pod and all, from those to be eaten after they were shelled. I didn’t bother with those large enough that the inner coating had to be removed. I saved those for seeds this winter.
Did you pinch the tops of the plant and eat that part, too … or is that just an English thing?
Sweet potatoes – This is my first year of growing them. I just cut them up and planted them after they sprouted in the kitchen. I’ve been meaning to do some research so that I will know when it is time to harvest and if they need any sort of feeding throughout the season. I love to eat them, so I am really hoping they work out. Have you ever grown them?
Looks beautiful!
Fenugreek is great for breastfeeding mothers, really helps with the milk supply.
You are right Lisa. When I was nursing, I used to chew on the seeds and I did notice that it really did increase my milk supply!