The lentil is one of the oldest cultivated plants. We report on their triumphant advance and almost forgotten knowledge from cultivation to harvest in their own garden.
The lens (Lens culinaris Medic) once their trip to Europe. As a nutritious and at the same time grateful culture, it was quickly valued and anchored for example as a Westphalian stew or the Swabian lentils with spaetzle dish in our traditional dishes Cookbooks.
However, in the early 1950s, the lens almost completely disappeared from our fields and gardens. They displaced inexpensive imports from abroad. The result: the loss of native varieties. As in a criminal case, around 2006 a lens-loving detective went in search of the missing varieties. He found what he was looking for in a gene bank in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Since then, lentil cultivation in Germany has had a tailwind again and the small, versatile legume has regained its place.
contents
- Grow lentils
- Lentil types: The colorful variety
- Diseases and pests
- Harvest and store lentils
- Using the lens in the kitchen:
Grow lentils
On St. Jacob's and Philip's Day (May 3rd), the farmer carries the lentils to the field.
Thanks to more cold-resistant varieties, gardeners no longer have to adhere to this old farmer's rule. Still, the lens loves warm and dry conditions. From the end of March it can be sown in a finely crumbled seed bed. The placement depth should be max. 3 cm, the distance in the row approx. 8 cm and between the rows approx. 15 cm. When choosing a location, it is important not to choose a soil that is at risk of backwater. However, their low nutrient requirements make it possible to choose locations that are otherwise less productive.
As an annual, herbaceous plant with a graceful shape, the lens grows (semi) upright or expansive and is between 15 cm and 75 cm high. Similar to beans, the lentil is not a stable culture and needs support and tendril support. In the home garden, a fence system (chain link fence 20 x 20 mm) has proven itself, on which the lens can find support. Additional stability can be achieved with a string stretched between the rows of lenses. The lens with its tendrils can support itself on this. Another alternative is to grow the lentil in a mix with another plant. Mixtures of lentils with peas or buckwheat are possible. However, patience is required when harvesting and separating the mixture!
Lentil types: The colorful variety
Rich in proteins, minerals and vitamins, the lentils are particularly valuable for vegetarian or vegan diets. Whether red, black, yellow, green, brown, marbled, large or small, flat or round, the variety of lenses seems immeasurable. Two of the lost and rediscovered varieties from southern Germany are the small and large Späths Alblinse. The two light green varieties are adapted to the weather conditions in Central Europe and are very promising.
While the small Späths Ablinse is suitable for lentil salads due to its aromatic taste, the large Alblinse is convincing when it comes to making soup dishes. A color contrast to both is the little black one, a small-seeded lens from Switzerland. A red dal dish, for example, can be conjured up from the originally French Rosana variety. The French DuPuy lens, a green-blue marbled lens, is also very popular. Your cultivation is also possible with us.
Diseases and pests
The lentil is easy to care for and is grown according to the 3-G method: sown, looked, harvested. Treatment of diseases and / or control of pests is not necessary.
If red-purple discoloration of the leaves occurs, which in the worst case leads to the death of the entire plant, there may be an infestation with anthracnose (Colletotrichum truncatum) before. Curative measures against the fungal disease are not possible. As a preventive measure, it should be ensured that no beans, peas or other legumes have been grown in the same bed for at least 3 years. These provide the fungus with a medium for survival.
Caution is advised in gardens near the forest or with rabbits living in the wild. The little lentil plants are a treat for the palate for the animals! The black bean louse (Aphis fabae) and the green pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) Cause damage to the leaves.
Harvest and store lentils
The lentils are ready for harvest as soon as the pods “rattle or rattle”. Then the seeds have the necessary degree of maturity or a grain moisture of <20%. For harvesting, the plants are cut close to the ground with secateurs. It is then advisable to put the plants in a burlap sack or a similar breathable sack and carefully knock out the pods by tapping the sack. The crop can be separated from the straw by sieving and a stream of air (blow-drying). On average there are 2 seeds in each pod.
In order to be able to store the lenses for a longer period of time, a subsequent drying is advisable. For this purpose, lentil seeds are spread over a large area and dried in a dry and warm location.
Using the lens in the kitchen:
