[oroma]

I have a brand new allotment in the South of England and I was wondering if I could grow lentils on it.   I know that the Ancient Romans used to grown lentils in Britain but perhaps the temperature was a degree or two warmer then.  Does anyone know if it would be possible, and if so where can you get seed from?

 

[liz from the fizz]

Hi Oroma and welcome to the forums, this is a good question,  have you tried google or any of the seed companies:- T&M, Heritage, Marshalls maybe Secret Seeds.
Rest assured someone will be along quite soon to give a better response.
Its good to have you on board and i hope its the first of many posts. liz

[WG.]

Hi oroma.  Welcome to the gang.

I have (as have others I'm sure) sprouted lentils to use in stir fries but I have never tried growing them on in soil so could not comment on which type is best to try (I'd just plant some whole unhulled lentils from the supermarket).

This link http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/~es0man/andrews2.html suggests that they should be overwintered.

I am interested in your reasons for trying since - even if they did crop - it would seem like a total nightmare to have to sit down and shell 2 cups of lentils for a pot of soup.  They are so cheap to buy.    

[Oscar Too]

I'm sure that with enough input and energy, you could grow anything.  I saw an article once about growing sunflowers on North Sea oil rigs.

The question is "Why?"  With so many other delicious things to grow, and as WG points out, their being so cheap and so available.  

I wouldn't be wasting my energy, much as I enjoy the many different sorts of lentils and pulses.

[oroma]

Hello - and many thanks for the welcome.  

You're quite right of course, they would be cheap to buy and a fiddle to harvest.  I just got interested after reading a book called 'Roman Gardens and their Plants' and wondered if we are now having warmer weather could they be cultivated here again.  So I and did a little research on the net - finding out that they are good for both the grower's soil (fixing nitrogen) and health (good for your digestive tract evidently).  

Perhaps I'll stick to beans!

[Oscar Too]

The Romans also grew grapes.  Get some wine going, and make Aphrodite's tart (spelt wheat, pine nuts and honey) from Dove's Farm's excellent range, put your caligae up in the domus, and relax....

[mkhenry]

My favourite plant grown by the Romans are the Cherry Trees that grew along side the Roman roads.They grew there because as the troops marched up and down the country they ate cherrys and spat the pips out on to the verges.Some of the cherry trees survived for hundreds of years.I just love the thought of this accidental planting.

[agapanthus]

My favourite plant grown by the Romans are the Cherry Trees that grew along side the Roman roads.They grew there because as the troops marched up and down the country they ate cherrys and spat the pips out on to the verges.Some of the cherry trees survived for hundreds of years.I just love the thought of this accidental planting.

How wonderful is that!!

[Redwellies]

I'm sure that with enough input and energy, you could grow anything.  I saw an article once about growing sunflowers on North Sea oil rigs.

The question is "Why?"  With so many other delicious things to grow, and as WG points out, their being so cheap and so available.  

I wouldn't be wasting my energy, much as I enjoy the many different sorts of lentils and pulses.

They are a very happy sunny flower, which Im sure the oil riggers, would take delight in bet they don't see much in the way fresh flowers out in teh north sea.  Big brawly lads, are soft at heart really!!!

[seadart]

When I was at sea we used to grow Avocados in compost made from tea bags it gives you something green to look at and an interest.

If you drive down the M4 there are loads of Apple trees on the verge of the motorway where apples cores have been thrown out of windows by motorists

Good luck with the Lentils

[WG.]

If you drive down the M4 there are loads of Apple trees on the verge of the motorway where apples cores have been thrown out of windows by motorists

The modern-day equivalent of cherry pips from Roman Legionnaires  

[oroma]

Many thanks for all your replies - I have decided that I will have a go at planting some of the lentils that I gave sprouted in a jar - why? because they are there and I guess I just want to!  

If they  take but dont appear to flourish I can always dig them in as a green manure - but if they do flourish then I shall be very over-excited and wont mind the fiddle of picking out the lentils.

Valete!

[Plot No 2]

Hi oroma
I saw this very interesting take on companion planting at Ryton Gardens. They used brown lentils between Crimson broadbeans as a ground cover. Very green and lush two weeks ago already.
At the end of the growing season it becomes a green manure to boot.
I took some photies as a reminder.

Click for a bigger view.

[WG.]

I have used fenugreek for similar purposes since it grows very fast.  It is also a legume but sadly never seems to develop root nodules.  Perhaps it would need innoculation so I might go with the lentils idea myself.  Thanks.

[spinny]

Hi oroma
I saw this very interesting take on companion planting at Ryton Gardens. They used brown lentils between Crimson broadbeans...

The flowers are crimson rather than the usual white - very eye-catching!!

spinny