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Color adds interest, attracts pollinators
October 22, 2021
by Debbie Hopper/Victoria County Master Gardener
Edited by Suzanne LaBrecque/Victoria County Master Gardener
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER DEBBIE HOPPER
White Casper Pumpkins are stunning against the standard orange pumpkins.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER DEBBIE HOPPER
Japanese Eggplant are easily grown, tender, and not bitter. They are good in soup and spaghetti.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER DEBBIE HOPPER
Purple Potatoes taste the same as regular potatoes but are prettier.
SOURCES:
Source: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, rareseeds.com; Burpee, burpee.com; Johnny Seeds, johnnyseeds.com; Agricultural Research Service US Department of Agriculture, ars.usda.gov; aarp.org7info Sept 2017; health.harvard.edu 7blog; Balcony Garden balconygardenweb.com; GroVeg, growveg.com; Michigan State University, canr.msu.edu.
The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.
Due to the COVID-19 virus, we have seen a lot of changes and adaptations in how we live and interact with others.
I believe many people began to grow their own vegetables at home. Many seed catalogs were sold out of seeds when I tried to order for the spring. When I pick out my varieties, I am like a kid in the candy store. There are so many pretty seeds, colors and tastes. I am a risk-taker and am willing to try growing those eye-catching varieties.
Eating a variety of colors in plants can improve our well-being by offering a nutritional advantage. Color may actually encourage us to eat more vegetables. Color adds interest and attracts pollinators. Gardens with color may encourage children to want to garden and even eat their vegetables.
Take a carrot, for example. Yellow carrots have a high concentration of lutein, a yellow to pale green-colored pigment shown to slow hardening of the arteries. Red carrots are rich in lycopene, a red color that safeguards eye health. Purple carrots are higher in anthocyanins that give them a blue to purple color and contribute to heart health.
Late this summer, I planted some dragon tongue beans. The dried beans look similar to pinto beans, but when picked fresh, the pods are light yellow-green streaked with purple color. They are a Dutch heirloom with a delicious flavor.
Plant dragon tongue beans 1/2- to 1-inch deep and they will sprout in seven to 14 days when planted in full sun. They grow as a bush with no staking required. You want to pick frequently to keep the plants productive. They have high yields and are good in salads or cooked. I read where these beans were a farmers market favorite and popular with chefs.
A best-seller, golden beet is a very sweet beet and will not bleed like red beets. The inside is a rich golden yellow. The greens tops are described as being very tasty. These heirloom beets date back to before 1820. They will sprout in 14 to 21 days and should be planted 1/2-inch deep. They need full sun and are frost-hardy.
The Japanese eggplants are pretty vegetables and come in near black, dark purple, green, white and violet color. Many of the varieties grow long and slender with some being more compact. The Nagasaki long is very tender, not bitter and easy to cook. I even froze some of mine. This variety is liked by chefs and home cooks, and it has a nutty flavor.
Radishes are very easy to grow. They are normally red with green tops, but a friend of mine introduced me to the watermelon variety. They are round but inside it looks like a watermelon with dark pink flesh. The outside skin is white on the bottom and green on top. They are sweet, the flesh is crisp and they are good for pickling.
Swiss chard bright lights mix is one of my favorites. It is often used for its ornamental value in flower beds and landscapes. It tastes similar to spinach and has neon-like colors of yellow, pink and red stems. It is of the beet family and very easy to grow.
As our weather cools, it will be time to think about the spring garden and wait on the seed catalogs to come in the mail. Read up and decide if you want to try something new and pretty, tasty and nutritional.
ph: 361-935-1556
nancyk