How Do They Grow?

[Barsel]

I'm putting a list together of which veg grow below the ground and which grow above, but I can't find out how these veg grow. Any help appreciated. TIA
Sprouts
Mangetout
Celery
Butternut squash
Leeks

[burlyshirley]

Sprouts, butternut squash and mangetout - above.
Celery and leeks - below.

[sandyRoe]

Leeks and celery in the ground. Sprouts on a cabbagy stem and mange tout in a climbing plant.

[Vagus]

Celery grows above ground.

[bhg481]

I find that confusing because celery and leeks you eat the part that grows above the ground.

[Tilly2]

Funnily enough, potatoes are not root vegetables even though you have to dig them up,

[Vagus]

Interesting Tilly.
Actually, leeks aren’t grown underground, the white bit is actually the stem and is made white by heaping up soil around the stem.

[DTCwordfan]

it's why the Welsh love the leek, Tilly - all that crud around the base of the stem.....(ps - I love those baby ones - just as I have had with a parcel of wrapped lightly smoked salmon.

[Togo]

Sweet Corn is the most amazing. Even fertilises itself. Potatoes are from the same family of plants as Tomatoes. They share common ailments and it is best not to grow them in proximity. Blight being one such transmissible problem. The same years that potato blight caused famine in Europe, Tomato crops failed in Italy and Spain. Indeed both plants were brought to Europe from the Americas.

[Togo]

Good Thread.

[burlyshirley]

Oops looks like I got it wrong about celery and leeks - sorry !

[Togo]

Celery is itself a bit of a conundrum. We all know and love the celery hearts and stalks that we crunch with a dip or in a salad, even a stew. We know the "celery tops" that again were used by my grandmas in a soup or stew, but did you know that celeriac is the knobbly root part of them and is underground?

[Barsel]

The reason I wanted to know is because I'm on a low carb, low sugar diet (trying to lose weight) and I heard or read that root veg like Beetroot are carbs and possibly high in sugar.
So I thought Beetroot is a root veg and grows underground, but wasn't sure about butternut squash.
I'm still a bit confused about Leeks and Celery and if Sweetcorn is high in sugar.
Would those 3 be high in carbs?

[Togo]

You were not entirely "wrong" Shirley. The Celeriac part of the plant does grow underground and is actually more versatile. It keeps well and although it takes a bit of effort to prepare( never worry about chucking away all the outer layers) it is a very tasty and healthy dietary ingredient.

[Barsel]

I like to make stews and have always added potatoes, swede, turnips, celery, carrot and onion. I need to think of different veg I can add that are not high in carbs but still suitable to put in a stew.

[Barsel]

Off to eat my tea now, will pop back later. x

[DTCwordfan]

both beetroot and celeriac feature in the Canyon Ranch dietary cookbooks, excellent that they are as they brilliantly balance proteins vs carbs - even down to dishes as roasted duck breasts, (no skin), shallots, steamed green beans, roasted beet and with a blueberry sauce.....

[Togo]

Pulses are probably one of the best additions to make to a stew or soup. A whole thread in itself going begging there.

[Jackdaw33]

When I was young celery was white with yellow florets and a delicate flavour. Now it's all green, bitter and thoroughly nasty, What happened?

[Togo]

That was "forced" Jackdaw, like pink tender Rhubarb is, kept covered in the dark in spring and harvested early. No profit margin for the business growers but a treat from the allotment or Estate Gardens that were the forerunners of our Garden Centres when it comes to method.

[Tilly2]

Pulses are fine if you can cope with the probable flatulence. I can't, and don't eat them although I can cope with peas...just.