silly silly q

[karrot]

hi all, i read grow your own and kitchen garden, they talk about, 'pinching out', and many other phrases i haven't a clue what this means. sorry if this is a really stupid question  ::)

[karrot]

[grawrc]

Silly expression iMHO. Pinching out or pricking out refers to thinning out seedlings what you have planted in a tray or a seedbed. After a bit they are growing too thickly so you thin them out (pinching out) and once they have 4 true recognizable as carrot or whatever leaves as opposed to the two "baby" leaves they start off with which could be anything you might well "prick them out" ie get them out of seed tray/ seedbed and plant them where you want them to grow.  I  think...... ::) ::) ::) :P

[Georgie]

My understanding is slightly different when it comes to 'pinching out'.  Pinching out to me means removing the growing tip by pinching it out with your thumb and fore finger to encourage bushier growth.  Sorry to confuse the issue.

G xx

[Hyacinth]

I'm with Georgie on this. :)

[karrot]

oh bummer still non the wiser, whenever Ive read about it its been in the context of ' when the plants are tall enough pinch out the leaves to prompt growth' so georgie i think you may have it.
although i prefer grawrc version i understand it better ;D
another one is blanching ???

[Curryandchips]

Blanching is essentially flash boiling the produce before freezing, the technique being to immerse the produce in boiling water for a short period, eg 60 seconds, then removing and immediately plunging them into cold (or iced) water to remove the heat. The object is to 'sterilise' the produce so it will freeze without the flavours deteriorating due to traces of nasties which can affect the produce, even at freezer temperatures.

Personally I never blanche, since the intention is to consume my produce within about 6 months of storage. It rarely gets that long.

[adam04]

you can usually work it out from the context.

thinning out is graw's explanation. Pinching out sideshoots is Georgies explantion.

But using you head will make the right desicison. Obviously it would be silly to pinch out a sideshoot of a carrot. Most seeds need to be thinned out, but things like tomatoes you pinch out the side shoots.

[karrot]

sorry Adam, i dug my brain cell in with the manure ;D. thanks for clearing that up for me though. i still think ill be asking one of my jolly old fellas to show me how. my lovely Lotty neighbours think I'm crackers anyhow ;D
forcing ?

[supersprout]

Blanching is depriving a veg of light (partially or fully) to a) force long slender growth (like rhubub, looking for the light) or to to restrict production of chlorophyll (like endive and chicory) which makes the plant taste less bitter and more toothsome ::). You just put a bucket over tall, roundy plants e.g. rubub or plate over flat plants e.g. endive, dandelion. Check for slugs every few days though :-X Blanching will also whiten and tenderise edible stems e.g. for seakale and celery, often done by earthing the stems up in a trench, though you don't deprive the plant completely of light - so long as the top leaves wave in the sunshine and the stems will be blanched ;D
IMHO, forcing means to grow OR blanch in heat or in a warmer atmosphere than outdoors, like a cellar or shed, to 'force' a crop in an earlier season. That's why the terms are often used interchangeably, and why it can be used for carrots (which aren't blanched) and for chicory (which is!).

[flowerlady]

karrot never hold back on asking questions, we all do it!  ;D

please don't despair at me if you think I am stating the obvious!!  :-\ but the best example I can think of for 'pinching out' is this ...

when starting to grow sweet peas ... one is encouraged to 'pinch' off the leading shoot,  the result it has gives you 3-4 side shoots ... you sacrifice the leader to make a stronger plant ...

obviously plants are fiddly little blighters and it's easier to use finger and thumb to pinch out the shoot instead of scissors, hence the terminology!!

OK so I'll shut up now ... next question?

btw, I love your dog, always wanted one of them

[karrot]

flowerlady i love you thats done it for me ;D. it was reading about peas that got me into this confused state :-[. i think Ive got it.
sprout i can always rely on you :D

[flowerofshona]

'Blanching' to me is the plunging into boiling water and 'forcing is what you do to rhubarb  ???
Pinching out is mainly done on plants like fuchias and its done to make the plant have more side shoots so you get a biggger plant and more flowers, you 'pinch out' the growing point of the plant.
Thining out is what you do to over crowded plants like carrots ect so the ones left have room to grow to there full size.

[lorna]

Karot. Yipee!! For once I know exactly what the experts are talking about.
I haven't grown veg before (having a go this year) but I do have quite a few fu*hsias and take cuttings every year. I pinch out the tips of the plants to make nice bushy plants. As for silly questions I think I am the champion for asking them. Sometimes I even PM folk in case my question is really too silly ::) Keep em coming. ;D
Lorna.

[Hyacinth]

You 'blanche' or force,  endive to get them to grow white, by putting a bucket over them and/or growing them in the dark, too.

No...NOT endive the salad stuff....the other stuff..(just to add to this most enjoyable thread...)

;) ;D 8)

[derbex]

Blanching in gardening is depriving (part of) the plant of light -you end up with a whiter stalk -hence blanched. Cardoons & Celery have their stalks blanched by wrapping them in newspaper.

Blanching in cooking is the sticking it in boiling water for a few mins. like par-boiling but not so much.

Forcing is, I think, getting things to come earlier, for instance I'm forcing my strawbs in the greenhouse at the mo. -but they're not deprived of light.

With Rhubarb though you do deprive them of light, to get the stalks to grow out, and they get a bit of shelter from the elements so they come a bit earlier. So you're blanching and forcing there.

That my 2 ha'porth anyway.

[Dan 2]

I was wondering what blanching (garden wise not cooking wise) meant as Im trying cardoons this year. Thansk!

[supersprout]

oh this is such a fun thread karrot, look what you started :o. Hi ho off to the lottie with fresh boiled kettle and supersized forcing bag to give Mr Rubub a good seeing to ;D ;D

[karrot]

he he I'm so glad Ive got everyone thinking over this one ;D,
good job i don't like rhubarb otherwise I'll be trying to pinch, pluck, blanch or force it now I'm so well informed.
I'm sure Ive got some more up my sleeve somewere  ;)