The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: Lostlambs on February 21, 2011, 01:02:01 pm
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Don't know if I spelled it right but the older people here talk about mangles their parents grew to feed the cows and sheep. From what I understand they are a type of turniplike root. I found a seed source but would like to find out how to grow and how to store them for next winter for the cows and sheep. :)
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They're a large variety of beet that can grow up to about 15lbs in weight but apparently easy to grow and used to be used a lot for animal feed.. That's all I know, no idea where you get them nowadays ::)
Modified cos I just found http://www.seeds-by-size.co.uk/beet98.html (http://www.seeds-by-size.co.uk/beet98.html)
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I also am interested in mangles. I think they are making a comeback.
Jung seed Co
335 S Hight St.
Randolph, WI 53957, USA
Above is just one of many US seed catalogs carrying Mangles/sugar beets.
I'm going to give them a try this year.
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Look up 'mangelwurzles' in Wikipedia. :)
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Mangolds or manglewurzels - what a brilliant name ;D Mostly grown further south (than Scotland) but my BiL in E Lothian grows them very well. Apparently the leaves are poisonous so make sure they haven't sprouted when you feed them. Seem to be grown pretty much like neeps (swedes/rutabaga), fodder beet and sugar beet. Have the reputation of making ewes and cows 'milky' ie promoting milk production and they are rather less harsh on the teeth. I would think they would need large amounts of manure to grow well, as they are so large. I have seen seeds for sale in the organic gardening catalogue - have even bought some but not got round to sowing them. I will be interested in how you get on.
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I'm trying to imagine myself pulling on a 15 lb beetto get it out of the ground lol!! I'll have to get the video camera out. I'm going to try to grow them this year and see what happens thanks