Almost half of universities face deficits, merger mania is taking hold, and massive fee hikes that will lock out working-class students are on the horizon, write RUBEN BRETT, PAUL WHITEHOUSE and DAN GRACE
Whoever heard of tree spinach?
Well, MAT COWARD did, and here’s his introduction to it
Tree spinach
DAVID RABY reports on the progressive administration in Mexico, which continues to overcome far-left wreckers on the edges of a teaching union, the murderous violence of the cartels, the ploys of the traditional right wing, and Trump’s provocations
As the cover-ups collapse, IAN SINCLAIR looks at the shocking testimony from British forces who would ‘go in and shoot everyone sleeping there’ during night raids — illegal, systematic murder spawned by an illegal invasion
Thousands rallied for the Irish rapper charged with a terror offence, singled out by the pro-Israel Establishment for taking the cause of Palestine on stage and to a mass audience, reports LINDA PENTZ GUNTER from Westminster Magistrates’ Court
GLYN ROBBINS celebrates how tenant-led campaigning forced the government to drop Pay to Stay, fixed-term tenancies and council home sell-offs under Cameron — but warns that Labour’s faith in private developers will require renewed resistance
There is no doubt that Trump’s regime is a right-wing one, but the clash between the state apparatus and the national and local government is a good example of what any future left-wing formation will face here in Britain, writes NICK WRIGHT
I ALWAYS think Tree Spinach is a slightly off-putting common name for what is known botanically as Chenopodium giganteum. The mental image of a spinach plant the size of a tree really doesn't capture the essence of a quite delicate looking annual, with foliage in bright and almost playful green and magenta.
Admittedly, it can grow pretty tall — between 3 and 6 feet (1-2m) — though it is easily kept below that by removing the growing tip.
The “spinach” part of the name tells you that it has edible leaves, the word spinach being in this context a general rather than specific term. The older leaves can indeed be used as cooked greens; they’re OK, nothing special.
It’s the young foliage that really earns Tree Spinach its place on the allotment or veg patch. Not only are the new leaves pink, but they also appear to be dusted with glitter.
Served raw in a salad they are quite spectacular. In the mouth the young leaves have a slightly floury texture, and a gentle flavour often compared to peas or asparagus.
Tree Spinach (sometimes listed by seed companies as Magenta Spreen) is pretty much a weed, so it’s not hard to grow or fussy about its conditions. You can sow it in trays of compost in an unheated greenhouse from March, or unprotected from April, and later put the seedlings out at about 10 inches (25.5 cm) apart.
Or, in April and May, you can sow it directly into the soil. Just randomly scattering a handful of seeds around the garden after rain will probably do the trick, though to be more certain you can sow them in shallow drills where you want it to grow.
This is a fast-growing plant which prefers a position in full sun in reasonably moist and rich soil, but will survive almost anywhere. It rarely needs watering and never needs feeding.
You can start harvesting the leaves and young shoots as soon as they’re big enough to be worth bothering with. Picking them regularly will keep the plant short and bushy with plenty of replenished young foliage on it.
Alternatively, you can let it grow to its full height which is when it is at its most ornamental. If you do that, it’ll eventually produce red flower spikes followed by seeds.
Tree Spinach is related to fat hen and quinoa, and the grain can be dried and used in cooking.
If allowed to flower it will self-seed very freely, meaning that you won’t need to sow it again next year — seedlings will pop up of their own accord all over the garden.
In theory Tree Spinach could become invasive this way, but in practice it’s not difficult to control. The roots aren’t that deep and you can just dig it out when it comes up in the wrong place.
More from this author
A corrupted chemist, a Hampstead homosexual and finely observed class-conflict at The Bohemia
Beet likes warmth, who doesn’t, so attention to detail is required if you’re to succeed, writes MAT COWARD
MAT COWARD tells the extraordinary story of the second world war Spitfire pilot who became Britain’s most famous Stalag escaper, was awarded an MBE, mentored a generation of radio writers and co-founded a hardline Marxist-Leninist party
Generous helpings of Hawaiian pidgin, rather good jokes, and dodging the impostors
