Unusual Vegetable of the Week # 1

This week I have been mostly looking at,

Banana Shallots or Echalions.

http://www.interveg.com/shallots.html

 

I've ordered some shallots Pesandor from T & M.
And my daughter has given me a packet of seeds for onions - Long Red of Florence.
I'm getting quite excited about getting started.

 

This one is going to be poplier, now the foodies have discovered it.

http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/food-drink/michelinstarred-chef-reveals-his-secret-ingredient-blog-1-lovefood.html

 

Are they any good Marley ? I'm poppin back up the nursery in a minute, see if they supply them.
Aah, the luxury of living 2 minutes walk from the nursery:D

 

Not really a shallot but I grow "Long Red Florence" onions each year, you would never know the difference cos they taste the same, mild and sweet and easy to grow from seed, just ordered this years seed and will be sowing on arrival :D

 

Just looked at that one in the Nursery Pete !
Blimey its busy in there today.

Now the proud owner of a packet of Bananana Shallots £2.29 for 200 seeds.

Sow direct, March to May. Harvest August onwards.

 

I bought some banana shallots from Asda several years ago and planted a few to go to seed (banana shallots bolt and don't divide like 'normal' shallots) and sowed the saved seeds in early spring the following year.

Unfortunately my in-laws were tending our greenhouse whilst we were on holiday and they never got beyond the crook stage.

 

Update :



Harvested the Bananana Shallots, not a good germination rate, only got about 20 out of the 200, but I did sow them direct.

Might start them off in trays next season.

 

Hiya Ziggy.

As you say, not a very good return on 200 seeds. I've thought about growing from seed, and may well give them a try next year. Thought about maybe re-planting some of those next yearjust to see how they do?

Cheers...Freddy.

 

Wotcha Freddy,

I have noticed that the slugs & Pigeons have them away when they are small, giving up with the direct sowing from now on.

I could replant the smaller ones as an experiment yes

 

I'm fairly sure I read somewhere that proper banana shallots don't work in the normal way if re-planted, because I remember blaming the complete failure of my replanted ones to divide (and bolt instead) on that something I read and deciding they needed to be produced from seed every year.

 

here's one that I have not seen yet in the UK .... it's called a gem squash .... round, and grapefruit size .... we used to cut them in half, (keep hard skins on) ... remove the pips in the centre, then boil till the yellow flesh was soft ... add some salt/pepper and a knob of butter (it's a bit stringy, but melts in your mouth and many people used to give these to their babies as one of the 1st solid foods

another way was to fill the centre with creamed sweetcorn once it is boiled with the outer hard skin , and then place in the oven with a bit of cheese, salt and pepper and grill for a few minutes till melted

served with the skin, and you scoop the flesh with a fork .... always served in South Africa with a sunday roast as a side veg and very popular

when I start growing veg, I will try source these as they are easy to grow