Blanching (horticulture)

Blanching is a technique used in vegetable growing. Young shoots of a plant are covered to exclude light to prevent photosynthesis and the production of chlorophyll, and thus remain pale in color. Different methods used include covering with soil (hilling or earthing up) or with solid materials such as board or terracotta pots, or growing the crop indoors in darkened conditions.^[1][2] Blanched vegetables generally tend to have a more delicate flavor and texture compared to those that are not blanched,^[3][4] but blanching can also cause the vegetables to be lower in vitamin A.^[5]

Examples

Vegetables that are usually blanched include:^[6][7]

• Cardoon
• Celery
• Belgian endive (though it is not a botanical endive, but a chicory), also referred to by its names in French, chicon, and Dutch, witlof.^{[9][10][11][12]}
• Good King Henry (
  Chenopodium bonus-henricus
  )
• Leek
• Potato
• Sea kale (Crambe maritima)

Vegetables that are sometimes blanched include:^[6]

• Alexanders
• Asparagus grows stems that can be consumed naturally green, while young. Blanching cultivars by hilling results in the stem remaining white.
• Cabbage
• Dandelion
• Endive^[4]
• Lettuce
• Lovage
• Rhubarb

See also

• Etiolation – the botanical term for plants growing in insufficient light

References