Lentils are now ending up on our plates more often. Here you can find out how you can plant the he althy lentils in your own garden.
The lentil (Lens culinaris) is probably one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world. It was already being cultivated in the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East around 10,000 years ago. From there, the nutritious legume (Fabaceae) spread all over the world. He not only played an important role in ancient Egypt, but also in the food of Stone Age people. An outdated fruit, you might say. But no, far from it, because the lentil is refreshingly versatile and extremely he althy.
The lens has always shaped the history of mankind, but it never gets boring. Although it has been pushed back in Europe in recent decades, since meat was now one of the main sources of human protein, the trend is now changing again. The lens is once again on a new triumphal march through the German-speaking world, and rightly so.
Lentils: origin and properties
The lentil was bred by our ancestors from the two wild lentils Lens nigrans and Lens orientalis in ancient times. Both species are native to the Mediterranean region and can still be crossed with the kitchen lens. The annual lentil plant grows up to 50 centimeters high and likes to climb up other plants. Its leaves are finely pinnate and delicate tendrils adorn the plant. It has long been, and still is in parts of the world, an important staple of human nutrition. It used to be planted in regions with unfavorable soils because it doesn't require many nutrients to grow.
Types and varieties of lentils
There is a bit of chaos in the classification of the lenses. Although only one of the six species is actually used, it has a myriad of different varieties. A rough classification can be made according to the size of the lens grains: small lenses have a maximum diameter of five millimeters, while large lenses can be over seven millimeters in size. Known lentil varietiesare, for example, the Teller lens or the Beluga lens. You can find out everything about lentil varieties here.
Buying lentil plants: you should pay attention to this
Lentil Seedlings are hard to find in stores. So if you want to plant lentils, you have to use seeds for better or worse. When buying, make sure that the lentil seeds are pest-free.
Plant lentils
Lentils are extremely undemanding and thrive without much effort. If you have chalky soil in your garden that is not particularly nutrient-rich, then the lentil could be just what you need. The easy-care plant is sown in spring and is ready to harvest in mid or late summer. Instructions for planting lentils can be found here.
Tip: In order to ensure a rich harvest, the soil can be improved with some peat-free organic universal soil.
Care for lentils: water and fertilize properly
Lentils are very drought tolerant and can handle very little water. Casting is therefore not necessary. Fertilizing is also kept to a minimum, because lentils are so-called legumes. Through a symbiosis with a group of bacteria, they are able to fix nitrogen from the air. You therefore do not need this very important nutrient. By fixing, they even improve the soil for subsequent plants.
Fertilization with phosphorus or potassium is possible, but usually not necessary. The nutrients in the soil are usually completely sufficient for the plants. In gardens, the soil is often too nutrient-rich for the plants, resulting in increased growth and lower yields.
Increase Lentils
Lentils are only propagated by seeds. In late summer, when the lentils are bearing fruit, you can simply save part of the harvest and sow again next spring. This works best when no other types of lentils are growing nearby, so your lentils remain unmixed. Otherwise it can happen that the varieties cross with each other and a mixture is the result.
Harvesting, storing and preserving lentils
Lentils are naturally durable. After harvesting, however, you should dry them for a while so that the residual moisture is removed. Then you should keep the small seeds airtight and dark, preferably in a screw-top jar. This is how you avoid an infestation with insects. During theStorage changes the color of many lenses. Plate lentils in particular are becoming less and less greenish and more and more yellowish. This is how you can tell the age of the lenses. Although lentils don't generally go bad, you shouldn't keep them for longer than two years, as the taste will deteriorate over time.
If you have accidentally cooked too many lentils or would like to have a few prepared lentils ready, you can also freeze them. The lentils will keep for a few months in the freezer. You can also preserve lentils, for example as ready-made lentil soup. Make sure you sterilize the preserving jars sufficiently at 150 °C in the oven before filling them.
Lentils: Ingredients and Use
Superfood doesn't always have to come from the other side of the world: With the lens we have a real he alth bomb right on site. Lentils are not only delicious, but also extremely filling. They also provide the body with vitamins B and E and provide valuable amino acids such as histidine and lysine. Even important minerals such as iron and magnesium are sufficiently available. Lentils are also an excellent source of protein, as they consist of up to 25% protein. He alth organizations around the world are therefore advising to reintegrate lentils more into the diet.
Note: Lentils should be cooked before consumption as they contain the toxic substance phasin. This causes the blood to clot, but is decomposed during boiling and thus rendered harmless.
Lentils can be prepared in the most delicious way. Be it classic Swabian lentils with spaetzle, Asian lentil curry, a light lentil salad or lentil spread.
In addition to lentils, other types of vegetables also contain a lot of iron. We have compiled these for you in our article on vegetables containing iron.