By Lori Rose
Although there is no official definition of superfoods, there are fruits and vegetables that contain lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that help prevent cell damage and disease. Here are some of the best that you can grow in your home garden.
Spinach is so easy to grow, and it thrives in all but the hottest and coldest months. Spinach is a fast-growing plant that will yield many leaves during spring and fall. Although it prefers full sun, it will tolerate partial shade. To grow spinach twice a year, plant it about four weeks before the last frost in the spring and again six to eight weeks before the first frost in the fall. Space plants twelve inches apart.
Spinach leaves are ready to harvest as soon as they are big enough to eat. Harvest by removing only the outer leaves and allow the center leaves to keep growing. Once the plants start to bloom in spring, harvest and enjoy the entire plant before the leaves become bitter.
Antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and vitamins that promote vision and bone health are what make spinach so super. One cup has enough vitamin K to help prevent bone loss.
Like spinach, kale is cold-hardy and resilient. If you set the plants out in early spring, they will grow steadily until the weather gets too warm. Plant kale again in the fall when cool weather brings out its sweet, nutty flavor. Set out plants about four weeks before the last frost; in late summer, plant kale again six to eight weeks before the first frost for fall harvest.
Kale grows best in full sun, but will tolerate partial shade. Set plants about eighteen inches apart. The leaves will grow bigger if given the space, but smaller leaves are the tenderest.
Kale has more antioxidants than most other fruits and veggies. It's also a great source of fiber, calcium and iron. Whether raw, steamed, sautéed or juiced, kale is a versatile superfood.
Garlic, the world's first superfood, has been used in cooking and medicinally for centuries. Garlic is fun to grow—for every clove planted, a full-sized head will be harvested. To get beautiful garlic heads that will store well, plant the cloves right around Labor Day. Getting the cloves in the ground during warm weather promotes good root formation. Don't plant garlic from the supermarket—it has been treated not to sprout. Get "seed" garlic from a local nursery or an internet supplier.
To plant garlic, carefully break it into individual cloves. Do this right at planting time so the cloves don't dry out. Plant each clove, pointy end up, four to six inches deep and six inches apart.
Harvest the bulbs when the lower half of the leaves have turned brown. Harvest can begin as early as the first week of July depending on the variety. To get the bulb out of the ground, carefully loosen the soil around each plant with a pitchfork, then lift out the whole plant.
Garlic has been used to treat everything from high blood pressure and heart disease to certain types of cancer. Studies suggest garlic extract can be used to treat yeast infections in women and prostate issues in men.
Homegrown strawberries may be tiny, but they are huge in flavor. The best strawberries you’ll ever taste will come from your own garden. Strawberries are best planted in spring. They need at least eight hours of full sun each day, and they prefer slightly acidic soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.8. If the soil is alkaline or clay, it is best to grow strawberries in containers filled with potting soil. Set the plants eighteen inches apart, and cover the roots with soil but leave the central crown exposed to light and fresh air to prevent rot.
Strawberry plants rest in late summer. Even though it may look like nothing is happening, the plants are busy during the fall months developing the buds that will grow into next spring’s flowers. The plants will die back in winter and start growing again as the soil warms in spring. Containers can be replanted in late summer and moved to a cool, protected place such as a shed or garage during the coldest months.
Strawberries are ready to harvest when they are completely red, not green at the tip. Strawberries can be hard to find so lift up the leaves to find the berries hiding underneath. Since they are easily bruised, pinch or snip the stem instead of pulling the berry. Strawberries store well in the refrigerator for about a week. One cup of delicious strawberries satisfies the daily requirement for Vitamin C. Studies suggest Vitamin C helps build and repair the body's tissues, boosts immunity and fights excess free radical damage.
Blueberries are another superfood. They are low in calories but high in nutrients like fiber, Vitamin C and Vitamin K. They have also been linked to lowering blood pressure and improving memory. Blueberries are high in antioxidants, the main one being flavonoids. One flavonoid found in blueberries, anthocyanin, has been shown to have beneficial anti-diabetes effects on insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.
Good garden soil is fine for strawberries, but blueberries have different needs. A little extra work before planting blueberry bushes will prevent a disappointing harvest. Blueberries grow in the same acidic conditions that rhododendrons and azaleas enjoy. If the soil pH is too high, (not enough acid) blueberries can turn yellow from lack of iron. Get a soil test kit from a local nursery or your county extension. It's easy, and it's worth the effort.
Lowbush Blueberries like ‘Polaris’ and ‘Northblue’ are delicious. They are short, spreading shrubs that make a good groundcover at less than three feet tall. Highbush Blueberries like ‘Blue Moon’ and ‘Jersey’ grow five to six feet tall and are long-lived and hearty.
Pick blueberries in the morning every third day or so, starting a few days after they turn blue. Eat or refrigerate them as soon as possible.
Plan a healthy superfood garden now to enjoy the delicious benefits this spring, then try this recipe using a number of homegrown superfoods:
Spinach Strawberry Salad with Garlic Balsamic Vinaigrette
Salad:
2 cups baby spinach
2 cups fresh sliced strawberries
4 Tbsp crumbled feta
4 Tbsp toasted sliced almonds
Sliced grilled chicken breasts (optional)
To assemble the salad, sprinkle a bed of spinach with freshly sliced strawberries, crumbled feta, and toasted slivered almonds. Top with sliced chicken breast if desired. Serve with garlic balsamic vinaigrette, below.
Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil (another superfood)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Place all of the ingredients in a bottle and shake until combined.
Lori Rose, the Midnight Gardener, is a Temple University Certified Master Home Gardener and member of GardenComm: Garden Communicators International. She has gardened since childhood, and has been writing about gardening for over twenty years