Green Leafy Vegetables

Fertilization of Sweet Corn, Celery, Romaine, Escarole, Endive, and Radish on Organic Soils in Florida

George Hochmuth, Ed Hanlon, George Snyder, Russell Nagata, and Tom Schueneman

Spring Mix—An Emerging Crop for Florida

Santiago Rosaro, Alan L. Wright, David D. Sui, Nikol Havranek, and Yigang Luo

Leafy Greens in Hydroponics and Protected Culture for Florida

Natalie B. Parkell, Robert C. Hochmuth, and Wanda L. Laughlin

Cabbage, Sea-Kale—Brassica oleracea L. (Tronchuda group)

James M. Stephens

This cabbage-like plant is easily confused with sea-kale (Crambe maritima) due to the similarity of common names. Sea-kale cabbage is classified as one of the Savoy cabbages, meaning its leaves are crinkled rather than smooth. Other names for it are couve tronchuda, Braganza cabbage, and Portugal cabbage.

Pepper Spot ("Gomasho") on Napa Cabbage

Eric Simonne, Jeff Brecht, Guodong Liu, and Monica Ozores-Hampton

Purslane: The Reigning Champion of Vitamins A and E among Vegetables and a Potential Crop for Home Gardens

Xueyan Zhang, Mary Dixon, and Guodong Liu

Purslane is often labeled as a noxious weed in Florida; however, this seemingly pesky plant is perceived as a nutritional powerhouse in Asia and other continents. Levels of vitamin A and E in purslane far surpass those found in broccoli, tomato, and lettuce. A mere 3.5 ounces of purslane can fulfill 81% of an individual's daily vitamin requirements, and up to half a pound can meet the daily needs for both Vitamins A and E. Sustaining this nutritional wealth hinges on the timing of harvest when purslane plants attain a height of 5 to 6 inches. Beyond this stage, purslane becomes excessively fibrous and aged, making it unsuitable for consumption and necessitating removal through weeding. This publication article provides a comprehensive overview of purslane, delving into its botany, garden production, harvest practices, and both culinary and medicinal uses to assist growers and consumers in understanding when to savor its nutritional benefits and when to weed it from farmlands.

Chapter 9. Leafy Vegetable Production

Germán Sandoya-Miranda, Ramdas Kanissery, Nicholas S. Dufault, Johan Desaeger, Anna Meszaros, Julien Beuzelin, and Katia Viana Xavier

Chapter 9 of the Vegetable Production Handbook of Florida

Escarole and Endive: Nutritious Leafy Vegetables with High Potential for Floridians

Germán Sandoya, Makou Lin, Jeongim Kim, and Steven Sargent

Escaroles and endives are two leafy vegetables of the Compositae family rich in nutrients and minerals. Both crops are uncommon in the United States, but both are planted in wintertime in Florida and in other states such as California and New Jersey. This publication aims the public and inform of their use in the leafy vegetable industry in Florida. As other leafy vegetables, escaroles and endives are susceptible to pests and diseases and other physiological disorders such as pink rib at postharvest. Using the correct management practices and the correct cultivars adapted for Florida could help producers in fields and in the home garden to achieve a successful crop.

Waterleaf, a Potential Leafy Vegetable for Florida

Christianah T. Oladoye and Guodong Liu

Waterleaf is a vegetable crop whose edible leaves are soft, succulent, and highly nutritious. It is available in some local grocery stores in Florida but is new to most people in Florida and its environs. Waterleaf production is economically attractive due to low cost for seeds, pesticides, and herbicides for producing the crop. Like other leafy vegetables, waterleaf can be grown in home gardens as well. This new 6-page article will give an overview of this emerging vegetable in Florida. The intended audience is county Extension faculty, students, growers, and consumers. Written by Christianah T. Oladoye and Guodong Liu and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department.