I don't know who is into growing something different in the veg
garden, but if you are then have a look at www.realseeds.co.uk or
their news letter at http://www.realseeds.co.uk/Newsletter08.html
I'm growing "OCA" ~(Latin name: Oxalis Tuberosa) and the plants are
growing well, I'm going to try a few other things next year.
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries

In article ,
Dave Hill writes:
|
| I don't know who is into growing something different in the veg
| garden, but if you are then have a look at www.realseeds.co.uk or
| their news letter at http://www.realseeds.co.uk/Newsletter08.html
| I'm growing "OCA" ~(Latin name: Oxalis Tuberosa) and the plants are
| growing well, I'm going to try a few other things next year.

I grow it, lacksadaisically. Unless there is a long, warm, damp
autumn, it produces ridiculously small tubers. They fall apart,
rather, when cooked , but have a flavour rather like a cross
between a potato and sorrel. I have boggled guests with it!

I have also grown chufa, but forgot it one year and so no longer
do. That produced a reasonably number of tiny tubers, that tasted
exactly like fresh coconut with the skin on. If I were to make
Horchata, that is what I would use.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Dave Hill" wrote in message

I don't know who is into growing something different in the veg
garden, but if you are then have a look at www.realseeds.co.uk or
their news letter at http://www.realseeds.co.uk/Newsletter08.html
I'm growing "OCA" ~(Latin name: Oxalis Tuberosa) and the plants are
growing well, I'm going to try a few other things next year.

Ah "New Zealand Yams"! I've always wanted to try them but my supplier of
unusual stuff sold out of them for this coming growing season. I have
managed to get from them physalis edulis and physalis ixocarpa.

The message
from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:

I have also grown chufa, but forgot it one year and so no longer
do. That produced a reasonably number of tiny tubers, that tasted
exactly like fresh coconut with the skin on. If I were to make
Horchata, that is what I would use.

Ah, that may be what I have - small tubers not entirely unlike Chinese
gooseberries to look at? Leaves a bit like arum lily, but thicker?

I bought some (and some turmeric, which is rooting, but hasn't
up-periscoped yet) in an Asian foodstore. If you want some, I can
usually get it.

--
Rusty
Men love women, women love children, children love hamsters.
(Alice Thomas Ellis)

In article ,
Rusty Hinge writes:
|
| I have also grown chufa, but forgot it one year and so no longer
| do. That produced a reasonably number of tiny tubers, that tasted
| exactly like fresh coconut with the skin on. If I were to make
| Horchata, that is what I would use.
|
| Ah, that may be what I have - small tubers not entirely unlike Chinese
| gooseberries to look at? Leaves a bit like arum lily, but thicker?

No. Small tubers rather like shrivelled hazelnuts, and leaves like
a reed - it is a Cyperus, after all!

I think you are thinking of taro - that needs tropical conditions.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 17/8/08 22:42, in article , "Nick
Maclaren" wrote:


In article ,
Rusty Hinge writes:
|
| I have also grown chufa, but forgot it one year and so no longer
| do. That produced a reasonably number of tiny tubers, that tasted
| exactly like fresh coconut with the skin on. If I were to make
| Horchata, that is what I would use.
|
| Ah, that may be what I have - small tubers not entirely unlike Chinese
| gooseberries to look at? Leaves a bit like arum lily, but thicker?

No. Small tubers rather like shrivelled hazelnuts, and leaves like
a reed - it is a Cyperus, after all!

I think you are thinking of taro - that needs tropical conditions.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Colocasia? Or is it Alocasia? We grow them in a large greenhouse for the
decorative leaves, not the tubers. If they're what I think they are they
make poi in Hawaii which is most certainly an acquired taste.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

Thanks for the post concerning the OCA. I've been racking my brains for months about this root. It was featured on a gardening program on the BBC several months ago, and I didn't catch it's name. Most certainly will give it a try. Let's just hope that next year will be a little dryer and we will have better look with it. I hear that it is a great source of starch.

J Middleton
http://www.theallotmentgarden.co.uk

New Zealanders once again (as with kiwi fruit) try to rename a plant from another part of the world as if it was theirs. It actually comes from Bolivia/Peru area.

I have normally found oca (no need to write it in caps) to have a texture like salad potatoes, but no doubt there are hundreds of varieties. I've eaten them in Bolivia (roasted), and found them occasionally in Waitrose (imported from, er, New Zealand). They are useful in the Andes because they can be grown at a higher altitude than potatoes. I saw them being cultivated on steep hillsides above 4200m (14,000 ft). A lot of plants like this don't grow so well in the long daylengths of higher latitude summers, which may be why they do their main tuber formation in the autumn here.

The message
from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:
In article ,
Rusty Hinge writes:
|
| I have also grown chufa, but forgot it one year and so no longer
| do. That produced a reasonably number of tiny tubers, that tasted
| exactly like fresh coconut with the skin on. If I were to make
| Horchata, that is what I would use.
|
| Ah, that may be what I have - small tubers not entirely unlike Chinese
| gooseberries to look at? Leaves a bit like arum lily, but thicker?

No. Small tubers rather like shrivelled hazelnuts, and leaves like
a reed - it is a Cyperus, after all!

Ah. Tiger nuts!

I've got a bag full of those, and some growing ATM.

Want some?

I think you are thinking of taro - that needs tropical conditions.

Come to Sunny Norfolk and cut your way out of mt rhubarb...

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

The message
from Sacha contains these words:

Colocasia? Or is it Alocasia? We grow them in a large greenhouse for the
decorative leaves, not the tubers. If they're what I think they are they
make poi in Hawaii which is most certainly an acquired taste.

Apple poi, or snake and pigmy poi?

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

In article
Rusty Hinge 2 writes:
| The message
| from Sacha contains these words:
|
| Colocasia? Or is it Alocasia? We grow them in a large greenhouse for the
| decorative leaves, not the tubers. If they're what I think they are they
| make poi in Hawaii which is most certainly an acquired taste.
|
| Apple poi, or snake and pigmy poi?

One of my uncle's uncles ended up that way.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 18/8/08 21:50, in article ,
"Rusty Hinge 2" wrote:

The message
from Sacha contains these words:

Colocasia? Or is it Alocasia? We grow them in a large greenhouse for the
decorative leaves, not the tubers. If they're what I think they are they
make poi in Hawaii which is most certainly an acquired taste.

Apple poi, or snake and pigmy poi?

Polyfilla poi.


--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

The message
from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:
In article
Rusty Hinge 2 writes:
| The message
| from Sacha contains these words:
|
| Colocasia? Or is it Alocasia? We grow them in a large greenhouse
for the
| decorative leaves, not the tubers. If they're what I think they
are they
| make poi in Hawaii which is most certainly an acquired taste.
|
| Apple poi, or snake and pigmy poi?

One of my uncle's uncles ended up that way.

One of my cousins went to Eton

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

On 18/8/08 23:18, in article ,
"Rusty Hinge 2" wrote:

The message
from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:
In article
Rusty Hinge 2 writes:
| The message
| from Sacha contains these words:
|
| Colocasia? Or is it Alocasia? We grow them in a large greenhouse
for the
| decorative leaves, not the tubers. If they're what I think they
are they
| make poi in Hawaii which is most certainly an acquired taste.
|
| Apple poi, or snake and pigmy poi?

One of my uncle's uncles ended up that way.

One of my cousins went to Eton

Steady on.....

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

Rusty Hinge 2 writes
The message
from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:
In article ,
Rusty Hinge writes:
|
| I have also grown chufa, but forgot it one year and so no longer
| do. That produced a reasonably number of tiny tubers, that tasted
| exactly like fresh coconut with the skin on. If I were to make
| Horchata, that is what I would use.
|
| Ah, that may be what I have - small tubers not entirely unlike Chinese
| gooseberries to look at? Leaves a bit like arum lily, but thicker?

No. Small tubers rather like shrivelled hazelnuts, and leaves like
a reed - it is a Cyperus, after all!

Ah. Tiger nuts!

Is that the same tiger nuts that the Spanish make a splendid drink out
of - Horchacha das chufas?
--
Kay