Mangold: useful properties, varieties, cultivation

Planning a homestead, I want to make it not only beautiful, but also useful. In such cases, plants that have a magnificent appearance and a lot of vitamins come to the rescue. To such include and chard. Useful properties of this plant have long been known. It is successfully cultivated in many countries, and the birthplace of chard is considered the Mediterranean. Unfortunately, in our country he is given little attention, undeservedly ignoring. But this is a storehouse of vitamins and minerals. Perhaps this article will change the situation for the better.

What is chard?

It is a variety of beet, which has a high content of nutrients. Mangold is referred to as two-year-old plants and is considered a subspecies of common beet. There is this culture for more than 3 thousand years. In ancient Rome, no feast could not do without dishes from chard. That's why this vegetable is called "Roman cabbage". Mangold, whose useful properties are known all over the world, is also a beautiful ornamental plant. Its bright ground part will decorate any flowerbed. Different varieties of this vegetable have a red, yellow, silver and green color. Mangold, the cultivation of which does not give much labor, will become a favorite plant in your area.

Kinds

Unlike beets, chard is lacking in chard. He does not make it. Its main advantage is the leaves and petioles. It is in them accumulates the bulk of useful substances. There are two types of this vegetable: leaf and petiolate. Chardled beetroot has a well-developed, lush rosette. Her juicy leaves are located on thin petioles. They are used to make salads or cabbage rolls. The caramel chard has its own differences. First of all, it is thick wide petioles, which are used similarly to asparagus. They, like the leaves, cook, cook for a couple and use to prepare other dishes. The root of all species has a rod shape.

Beneficial features

Mangold, useful properties of which can be used to enrich the body with vitamins already in early spring, are often compared with spinach. The leaves of these plants are a low-calorie product, but very useful. Leaves of chard contain about 13 antioxidants. One of the main components is lilac acid. This substance is able to control the level of sugar in the blood. In addition, leaf beet is a source of phytonutrients or betalaines. They excrete toxins from the body. Chard contains a lot of vitamins, phosphorus, iron and carotene. Its use improves the digestive tract and normalizes blood pressure. 100 grams of boiled chard contains 38 percent of the daily intake of vitamin A, 300 percent of the daily intake of vitamin K, and 22 percent of the daily intake of vitamin C. These figures exceed only spinach. That's why beetroot is considered one of the most useful vegetables.

Sowing

Mangold, the cultivation of which does not require much agrotechnical knowledge, is sown from the beginning of spring to June. Preliminary it is necessary to soak seeds in warm water for a day. Containers for sowing should be spacious. It is better to plant seedlings in the open ground, because the land should be warm. Soil for planting should not be acidic. Mangold, whose useful properties are fully manifested in an adult plant, needs a natural diet. Therefore, a little organic fertilizer or charcoal can be added to the soil, which will reduce acidity and enrich it with potassium. The seeding depth is 2-3 centimeters. Landing is carried out at a distance of 5 centimeters. As germination, plants must be thinned to ensure good ventilation and good nutrition. Between adults, the distance should be 10-12 centimeters. Only in this case it is possible to get large and juicy rosettes.

Cultivation

This plant does not require special care. It is necessary to conduct standard agrotechnical measures. First of all, this is the loosening of the soil. The roots of the plant are very long and branched, therefore, before planting, it is necessary to dig deep and well into the soil. The second stage is the fight against weeds. Plants-parasites will interfere with the full development of culture. Watering of the leaf beet must be carried out as necessary. Excess moisture does not like the plant, but the drying of the soil also can not be tolerated. Chard is a light-loving plant, so it is better to plant it in well-lit areas. The optimum temperature for growing is -25 degrees, but this vegetable easily tolerates heat. Chard is well adjacent to carrots, lettuce, onions and cabbage. It is not advisable to plant it next to spinach.

Harvesting

The first fruits of their labors can be obtained as early as 30 days after planting. The more cut off the leaves from the outlet, the thicker they will grow. Usually, large leaves are collected. After 7-8 days, the small leaves will grow and make the next harvest. From one bush at a time you can cut about 25% of the leaves. They are located on the outside of the outlet at a height of about three centimeters. The main thing is not to damage the center of the outlet, the point of growth. There is an opinion that if the chard is grown in the dark, its leaves turn out to be more tender. In autumn, you can leave the plant in the ground, as it is not afraid of frost. But if severe frosts are expected, it is better to dig up the roots, bury them in a box of sand and put them in the basement. Mangold is a two-year-old plant. In the second year, the plant will develop flowers and seeds. The most popular varieties are Spinach, Scarlet, Red-bellied, Belovinka.

Chard in cooking

How to use chard? Varieties of this plant are successfully used for food, since its main feature is the presence of a large number of useful substances. It is added to salads, canned, used to prepare cabbage rolls and soup. Thick stems of this vegetable can, cook, fry in breadcrumbs. Cooking plants is a special process. The first water after boiling must necessarily be drained, since it accumulates about 50% of all nitrates. Next, you should cook the vegetable in fresh water. In salads, chard is well combined not only with other vegetables, but with different types of meat and cheese.