What is the most nutrient-dense, "come again" garden plant?

[Ernie]

I'm looking for the most nutrient rich, healthiest plant I can put into the garden.

We primarily focus here on "come again" plants like chard, okra, zucchini, and beans. Things that you aren't pulling up the entire plant and which will feed you throughout the entire gardening season.

I'd like to see some discussion on what y'all feel would be the most nutritionally dense, as in packed full of healthy vitamins, proteins, and fats.

[K.B.]

Collards and kale are pretty hard to beat. We like the flavor better than chard (but chard is also easy to grow, too, and works well in many dishes).

I tend to saute the greens with a bit of salt and hot pepper. By sauteing them down a bit, you can cram a LOT of greens in to a serving.

I also like asian cabbage and other greens for making kim-chi.

[littlebitfarm]

Nettles or Lambs Quarters

[Cabin Fever]

Originally Posted by littlebitfarm

Nettles or Lambs Quarters

...and, purslane.

Purslane may be a common plant, but it is uncommonly good for you. It tops the list of plants high in vitamin E and an essential omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Purslane provides six times more vitamin E than spinach and seven times more beta carotene than carrots. It’s also rich in vitamin C, magnesium, riboflavin, potassium and phosphorus.

Omega-3s are a class of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids. Your body cannot manufacture essential fatty acids, so you must get them from food. Unfortunately, the typical American diet contains too few omega-3s, a shortage that is linked to a barrage of illnesses including heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

ALA is most commonly found in plants and grass-fed meat and eggs. Artemis Simopoulos, co-author of The Omega Diet, says purslane is one of the richest known plant sources of ALA: It contains 15 times the amount found in most iceberg lettuce.

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/organ...#ixzz2ZE91BX2z

[JoePa]

broccoil - I'm sure you know that when you cut off the main head - small heads grow within the plant again - you can have broccoli all summer long - and as far as being nutrious - its hard to beat -

[suitcase_sally]

Purslane....if only it tasted good. My gardens are over run with the stuff.

[Ernie]

There's a little bit of purslane growing around here, but no lambs quarters. A shame because I love them both.

The purslane I planted last year didn't survive the summer. You don't even see much of it growing in the sidewalks and stuff around town. I'm somewhat limited by the climate.

[Cabin Fever]

Originally Posted by suitcase_sally

Purslane....if only it tasted good. My gardens are over run with the stuff.

Only a slight lemony taste, other than that it tastes like many other non-descript green veggies....at least to me it does. Not bitter, not sweet just kinda bland. We always harvest only the new, young purslane. Maybe older plants taste different.

[ldc]

Winter squash (or pumpkin) for Vit A. Bell peppers do well for me in this climate; that's part of the equation, what does well in your area?

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by Cabin Fever

Only a slight lemony taste, other than that it tastes like many other non-descript green veggies....at least to me it does. Not bitter, not sweet just kinda bland. We always harvest only the new, young purslane. Maybe older plants taste different.

There is no really bad purslane. If you're used to only weak iceberg lettuce as your "greens" then it won't taste good to you because it actually has its own flavor. But both the new leaves and the old ones taste about the same to me .. delicious.

It's also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which is unusual in the plant kingdom.

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by ldc

Winter squash (or pumpkin) for Vit A. Bell peppers do well for me in this climate; that's part of the equation, what does well in your area?

Anything that loves heat I can make grow here. Root crops mostly have to be put in the winter garden. We've got about a 300 day gardening season, if you take a few precautions.

But space is limited, and labor is limited. Nothing grows here unless you haul it water and I do not like hauling water for plants that don't provide me with much nutrition.

This year, the plants in our diet constitute primarily cucumbers, zucchini, chard, tomatoes, and beans. I'm looking for places where I can expand that a bit and perhaps fill in some nutritional gaps.

[partndn]

What about cactus paddles?
I'm not that familiar as it doesn't suit my area, but googled and found

from an article:
http://marieoaks.hubpages.com/hub/No...ican-Superfood

For people with diabetes, the addition of nopales to the diet may lower blood glucose. Additionally, studies have shown that the regular consumption of nopales leads to a reduction in LDL cholesterol. And for vegetarians who need to have higher awareness of getting amino acids, nopales contain 17 amino acids (including 8 essential amino acids)! The cactus pads are also packed with vitamins, fiber, and minerals.

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by partndn

What about cactus paddles?
I'm not that familiar as it doesn't suit my area, but googled and found

from an article:
http://marieoaks.hubpages.com/hub/No...ican-Superfood

For people with diabetes, the addition of nopales to the diet may lower blood glucose. Additionally, studies have shown that the regular consumption of nopales leads to a reduction in LDL cholesterol. And for vegetarians who need to have higher awareness of getting amino acids, nopales contain 17 amino acids (including 8 essential amino acids)! The cactus pads are also packed with vitamins, fiber, and minerals.

That's a wild food, and plentiful around here. So plentiful, in fact, you've got to walk carefully to avoid it.

But it's awful. Just awful. I put it on my "avoid starvation" list. They taste like the slimiest, foulest green beans you've ever eaten.

They're also pretty seasonal. Only the young pads are really palatable and they're only that way for about a 3 week period out of the year.

[Belfrybat]

New Zealand Spinach. Not really a spinach, but used as a substitute. It loves heat and does well in our climate. I'm at Santa Anna and successfully grew it except last year when the heat and water restrictions did the garden completely in.
Also, do you grow 21 peas? Does very well around here, very prolific, and a couple of folks on this board have seed. Too late for this year, but put it on your list for next year. As nutritious as blackeyes, but since its a climber, takes up much less space.

[partndn]

Well, ewwww! <green puking smilie>
sorry bout that on the cactus!

Maybe you should square you off a little stone walled hoop house kinda thing. Put it close to the house with teeny trickle tubing from your water for evaporative cooling when it's real hot.. ??

[partndn]

There's also some good info on youtube sometimes.
I just thought of a guy who lives in Arizona desert area who is in the landscaping business and very knowledgeable. He's had some luck with digging some unique trench type trails for keeping rain where he needs it, and also with hugelculture. Helps a lot with hauling that water.
He's called 420Homestead. ahem, yeah that 420.. hahaha. When I first saw his channel, there was a lot more gardeny growie type stuff. I'm way behind on my youtube watching due to seasonal work, but I think he's gotten a bit more political, so ya know, just take that for what it's worth and weed through what you don't want if you check it out. I love his dog.

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by Belfrybat

New Zealand Spinach. Not really a spinach, but used as a substitute. It loves heat and does well in our climate. I'm at Santa Anna and successfully grew it except last year when the heat and water restrictions did the garden completely in.
Also, do you grow 21 peas? Does very well around here, very prolific, and a couple of folks on this board have seed. Too late for this year, but put it on your list for next year. As nutritious as blackeyes, but since its a climber, takes up much less space.

You know, someone sent me a bunch of New Zealand spinach seeds but out of 30 seeds I planted, I only got 1 to germinate and the grasshoppers ate it! I guess it must have been tasty ...

I haven't grown 21 peas. I'll have to check those out. I need more climbers. Thanks!

You're in my area. What's in your garden?

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by partndn

There's also some good info on youtube sometimes.
I just thought of a guy who lives in Arizona desert area who is in the landscaping business and very knowledgeable. He's had some luck with digging some unique trench type trails for keeping rain where he needs it, and also with hugelculture. Helps a lot with hauling that water.
He's called 420Homestead. ahem, yeah that 420.. hahaha. When I first saw his channel, there was a lot more gardeny growie type stuff. I'm way behind on my youtube watching due to seasonal work, but I think he's gotten a bit more political, so ya know, just take that for what it's worth and weed through what you don't want if you check it out. I love his dog.

Heh. I'll check him out.

I've got a pipe system and a siphon system that comes down from the pond, so (right now) water isn't a huge problem. We trickle water down at the base of the plants normally.

[Andrei]

Vegetable ..... soy.
Tree ..... walnut, pecan, filbert, almonds.

[Andrei]

Vegetable ..... soy.
Tree ..... walnut, pecan, filbert, almonds.