Can’t beet it! Humble mangelwurzel to star at Chelsea flower show | Chelsea flower show

They are an unpopular root vegetable traditionally grown as cattle feed, and when pulled from the ground they look like ingredients for a witch’s cauldron.

But the humble mangelwurzel will take pride of place in the Grand Pavilion at this year’s Chelsea flower show (19-23 May) after becoming the subject of an internet frenzy among young gardeners.

In the past, the vegetable stand at the pavilion displayed perfectly spherical tomatoes and arrow-straight carrots. But Kate Cotterill and Lucy Hutchings of She Grows Veg, who will grow the vegetables on display at this year’s fair, are more interested in showing off new heritage vegetable varieties than showcasing symmetrical sprouts.

The duo, who own a seed company and aim to attract the younger generation’s interest in growing their own food, have grown a giant, bright red mangelwurzel variety that has gone viral on Instagram, with many people growing and admiring its size and vibrant color.

Cotterill said manglewurzels are now the best-selling seed on their website.

“What we found is that when the vegetable is really different, people get really excited about it,” he continued. “They usually grow the same thing every year, so it’s exciting that it’s new.

“The people who are part of it are very competitive about what produce they grow, and the mangelwurzel looks so strange when it comes out of the ground it’s almost like a mandrake in Harry Potter. Lots of people have entered vegetable growing competitions and won prizes.”

Vegetables are very popular on social media. A mangelwurzel reel on the She Grows Veg Instagram account received 2.8 million views and 58,000 likes.

“Mangelwurzel has inspired a nation to grow a variety that is diverse, delicious, highly productive and very easy to grow, accessible to everyone,” Cotterill added of the online craze.

It is stated that the vegetable is halfway between sugar beet and beet and is easy to grow. Cotterill said it was “delicious roasted or pickled” and was “sweeter and less earthy than beetroot.” Its greens were also edible and also made “wonderful” wine.

Mangelwurzel is commonly known as fodder beet as it has been used as animal feed in farming for centuries. The dish was outdated and considered a peasant product because people only ate it when other vegetables were in short supply. The vegetable’s spooky appearance also led to it being carved for Halloween before pumpkins became popular.

Other vegetables at their stands will include unusually colored produce. The best-selling color of tomatoes, carrots and peppers this year is black. Pink endive, purple cauliflower and unusually colored radishes will also be on display.

Black vegetables have become bestsellers, Cotterill said. “That deep, dramatic color comes from anthocyanins, the same compound that makes blueberries a superfood. It’s a powerful antioxidant that makes the black vegetable really good for you, and it also adds a nice, earthy depth of flavor.” Varieties on show will include the “intensely sweet” black cherry tomato and the Machu Picchu chili pepper, which has a “dark and smoky flavor.”

Another traditional plant that has returned to the large pavilion is wisteria, a climbing purple flower that has not been seen in the tent for 15 years.

Charity Plant Heritage will host six nurseries in the Grand Pavilion, where a range of national collections will be displayed. One of these is the Brantwood Trust, which will display its national wisteria collection.

Simone Daye, head gardener at the Brantwood Trust, said: “I think the reason there’s such a big difference is the unpredictability of wisteria. When we look at our wisteria over the last three years we’ve never been fixed on just one week; there’s been a difference of up to three weeks in bloom. Bloom times are affected by fluctuations in winter and spring. We’re desperately trying to hold it back at the moment, which is extremely difficult to do. It also needs to be moved with extreme precision.”

“As far as I know a few people have tried and failed to bring it to RHS Chelsea in the past; I hear it bloomed and was ready to go and then died suddenly.”

He said he was “extremely confident” his wisteria wisteria would be a success because “we put them in pots and move them around constantly in the weeks before the show. They are moved and monitored every day – in the sun or in a cold barn depending on the weather.”

Recipe: Mangelwurzel gratin

Contents:

• 600g mangelwurzel, peeled and thinly sliced

• 200ml double cream

• 100ml milk

• 1 clove of garlic, crushed

• 100 g mature cheddar cheese (grated)

• 1 teaspoon of coconut

• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan).

2. Heat the cream, milk, garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a saucepan until it reaches the boiling point.

3. Layer sliced ​​mangelwurzel on a baking sheet. Pour the cream mixture over it.

4. Sprinkle cheese on top.

5. Bake for 40-45 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.