Are you planning to harvest some nutritious , tasty pads from a prickly pear , also known as Opuntia lindheimeri cactus ?
Or are you debate whether it ’s worth it to purchase and grapple with such a pokey plant for the potential of a succeeding harvest ?
A stack of people who have tried nopales think it ’s well deserving it , myself include .
Photo credit: Joseph Sorrentino / Shutterstock.com
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Whether these succulent hold a place in your cultural inheritance or not , their paddles have been used as a food reference and as practice of medicine by indigenous peoples and others throughout the Americas for a long , long time . They ’re more than just a voguish food .
Harvesting inking pad , or nopales , from members of theOpuntiagenus can be a little intimidating . Those thorn are no joke ! So how in the world can they be gathered if you ca n’t even concern them without a painful poking ?
It ’s not as hard as it may seem – although itcanbe if you ’re unprepared . Reaching out with a gloved hand and snaffle a pad can quickly prove why that ’s not the best method .
Once armed with some important contingent and recommended tools , you ’ll reach the necessary know - how to feel more positive in the process .
Here ’s what everything I ’ll cover in this guide :
How to Harvest Prickly Pear Cactus Pads
Before we begin , I have one suggestion to make : If you translate through this information and decide by the end that dealing with an edible cactus is plainly not something you ’d need to take on , consider who else might before removing , trashing , or put down it if this is a plant that ’s already growing in your garden or landscape .
One man ’s trash is another man ’s gem , right ?
No matter where you endure , there may be others nearby who are glad to come and harvest what you ’ve grown or even remove a specimen that is unwished-for on your property .
A quick post on social media can convey plant life lover out of the woodworking , many of whom will fain swing by for a “ porch tone arm . ” And even if you do n’t want to run through them , these plant provide beautiful ornamental interest as well as food for wildlife .
And now , onto the show .
Are All Prickly Pear Cactus Pads Edible?
The brusk solution is yes – all 150 or so members of the genus aretechnicallyedible . But this does n’t necessarily mean they ’re delightful .
While allOpuntiaspecies are nontoxic to humans andcouldbe eaten , some make for a repast that is n’t very appetizing .
For object lesson , O. humifusa , or the eastern prickly pear , which is found throughout North America , is tasty and robust . Its younger pad are thick and succulent , with firm frame and a high piddle mental object .
Others , such asO. fragilis , or the brickly prickly pear , contain less water and have a tough , dry interior that is fundamentally uneatable .
Before decide to collect any part of the cactus available to you , be certain toidentify the speciesand do your research to ensure it ’s one that is practiced to go through – particularly if you ’re foraging rather than collecting from a specimen growing at home plate .
Anatomy of an Opuntia Plant
Since we already have a completeguide to growing and caring for burred pear cacti , I wo n’t retrograde every particular of their fascinating physique .
However , there are a few key points that I want to touch on here so you ’ll be well - inform and able to place out safely .
Spines and Glochids
First , you should know that there are some spineless type , such asO. cacanapa ‘ Ellisiana , ’ so purchasing one of these to grow at place could save you some work .
However , even gutless type may still postulate some extra processing before cook and feeding .
Note thatglochids – or little , clustered spines with barbed end – as well as larger spines appear on most species in this genus . Even the gutless type can still produce glochids , or they may even produce spines during periods of drouth .
Unlike the fruits , or tunas , pad of paper retain their spines rather than losing them when they mature . There are other signs to expect for to determine which nopals are best to collect , which we will overlay below .
A Note of Caution
Like many wild plants that are commonly foraged , as well as cultivate plants that maturate in our own garden , prickly pears naturally hold calcium oxalate crystals and oxalic acid .
If you ’re prone to kidney stones or digestive take , it ’s best to do some additional research or confabulate your healthcare professional before consuming prickly pear pads or fruit .
It ’s also important to exercise caution when forage from specimen growing somewhere other than your own K . These may have been treated with chemical or subject to drift from area sprayed with pesticides and herbicides .
Those growing by roadsides can be contaminated by chemical substance and debris from passing traffic .
We also have aseparate guide for harvesting prickly pear fruitsor tuna that these cacti produce , if that occupy you as well .
The Best Time to Collect
The pads of these plants are really adjust stalk known as cladodes . These are best harvest when they ’re young , just a couple month after they form . aged one are more often than not tough and have a in high spirits oxalic acid content .
The best clip to harvest will calculate upon regional weather condition .
In most areas , the winter month are a fourth dimension to head off since that ’s when water content in the pads is scurvy . These cacti reduce piddle uptake to avoid freezing , so pad grain is very different and less likeable .
In regions that experience rainfall during the winter , and condition are strong and humid , pads can be collected throughout most of the year .
Look for the development of new nopales to determine when they ’ll be most raw , new , and often less spiny .
How Much to Pick
It ’s best to avoid harvest more than about a third of the total number of nopals present on a single specimen . Otherwise , there ’s a risk of causing blow or reduce its power to photosynthesize , which can kill the plant .
If you have a little cactus , it ’s easy to cut off a couple launch area to circularise rather than eating them to increase the available harvest time later on . Read more about circularise cacti in our guidebook .
I ’ll cover the best agency to pick nopales to quash unneeded equipment casualty to the parent industrial plant in the next division of this guide , so keep read !
How to Harvest Nopales
First and foremost , begin by gather a circle of appropriate tools . have these ready ahead of time can make the appendage quicker and easier . Here ’s what you ’ll need :
Need some recommendations ? We ’ve got you embrace :
Glosav thornproof gloves are made from thick leather , and have a farseeing cuff that extends up your forearm for added auspices against abrupt spines .
Glosav Thornproof Gardening glove
They’reavailable via Amazon .
A basket or container with quad where vertebral column can dig through the sides would n’t be a dear choice . Instead , attempt this small flexile plastic bath from Red Gorilla .
Red Gorilla Flexible Plastic Tub
It has handgrip that make it easy to move , and firm , solid sides . It’savailable from the Red Gorilla computer memory via Amazon .
Rags placed in your aggregation container are all important since the inkpad may ooze a little fluid when shorten , but you could also expend paper towels . Keep in mind that whatever you utilize is potential to be impregnated with thorn .
If you do n’t have a butane flannel mullein , another variety of flaming - make gadget could be used to burn off the spines when you process your harvest time .
Pliers or a knife can be used to absent the larger spines prior to burning or peeling .
Selecting Nopals
Start as ahead of time in the morning as possible as this is whenoxalic dose content is at its lowest .
Look for healthy , disease- and pest - free nopals . They should be well make and tauten with a normal colouring for the specie , with no situation or holes .
As I advert , the youthful single are the most tender . These will be located towards the top of each stacked column of cladodes .
However , you do n’t want to reap the very untested one . If the pads have short , greenish leaf in place of spines they are best leave to continue grow .
Instead , look for pads that have formed spines but are belittled than the more matured lower pads .
A lighter color can sometimes be an indicator , and typically , young pads will be more pliable so you may habituate the pair of tongs to bend them – if they do n’t give easy , they ’re too old .
If buds are forming along the margin of a Opuntia lindheimeri , skip that one and glean one that is n’t budding yet so you may come back and collect the fruits at a later metre , if you ’d like .
Collection
draw on gloves and avoid come in too close to the spines by using the pair of tongs to guard the pad you wish to pick .
With the knife or shears , make a cut at the infrastructure of the pad where it meet the one below it .
Do n’t cut them in one-half because the part that stay will callus over and wo n’t regrow , which is wasteful and unsightly . Trimming at the node instead will spur new growth .
instead , you’re able to utilize long - handle loppers to snip off the inking pad gratis and let it fall to the earth . Use the pair of tongs to retrieve it and place it in the container .
Place the pad of paper on the towel or rag in the collection container and bring them to your prep area . Do n’t wash them until after all spines and glochids are remove .
Wet glochidium and spines tend to be hard to locate and off since they become almost transparent and can dumbfound to the cutis of the plant .
practice the torch , pliers , or a knife to fire , take out or cut all of the prickle and glochidium off . dress the outdoor edges of the diggings to remove the prickle on the side .
After all the spines and glochids are removed , if you wish to skin them , do so using a bottom to top motion , start out at the point where the pad was cut from the parent plant .
Note , however , that the edible cutis collapse them a firm grain that many people prefer when prepare fresh . You may want to skip over peeling , reckon on your intended use .
Now , they ’re ready to be cooked or stored .
Using and Storing What You’ve Harvested
Nopals should be prepare and eat immediately after harvest , or they may be refrigerated for about a workweek . They can be freeze for long term computer storage if you have too many to use before they ’ll spoil , but freezing and unfreeze outcome in a soft texture .
Keep them fresh in the fridge by put in them in a container plan specifically for produce , like the Silvio Freshworks Produce Saver Containers uncommitted from the Silvio storevia Amazonin sets of three or six .
Silvio Freshworks Produce Saver Containers
Give them a once - over to be certain that all spines and glochidium have been get rid of , and then launder them under cold water . If you ’re using them fresh , they can now be peeled if you wish , and sliced or diced into pieces of the desire size .
If you do n’t bask the mouthfeel of the slightly silklike bod when it ’s cooked , which is similar tookra , you could blanch the bit for eight to 10 minutes . In the last two to three minutes of preparation , impart a soupcon of baking soda water to the pee .
Drain through a colander and submerge the art object in an ice bathtub to forestall them from wangle further . They can then be used in a recipe or stored for one to two day in the refrigerator .
roil in piss can also leach out some of the oxalic acid content in the pads .
fain pads can be distribute out on a cookie canvass lined with waxed paper in a single layer and freeze for about 30 to 45 mo or until house , then transfer to a zip fastener - top dish for memory board in the freezer for up to 12 months .
They can be stored whole , reduce into strips , or cube .
Pads have a green noggin - like flavor . They can be breaded and fried whole or make out into airstrip or cubes ; or sauteed in a genus Pan with garlic , butter or fossil oil , and salt or your favorite spices . It only takes a few minutes – a quick , delightful side dish or a main course in spot of meat !
Diced nopales can be added to many recipes , either fresh or parboiled . They can be included in cold or warm salad , scrambled eggs , or jambalaya .
Grilling is another splendid mode to prepare pads . Simply rub them with oil , add salt and capsicum pepper plant , and spice to savour – lemon yellow black pepper is amazing , but Greek or Asiatic spice blends work as well .
comic strip can be pickle in vinegar , table salt , and pickle spices , and pressure canned to last for several months , or used fresh after several days of brining .
you may witness some additional mesmerism on how to prepare your bounty inour double-dyed usher to industrial plant in this genus , along with recipe and suggestionsfrom our sister website , Foodal .
Quick Tips
Avoid a Hazardous Harvest!
If you ’re a bon vivant , this is one experience that you do n’t want to lack . Just as other types of new produce from your garden are often so much better in gustatory perception , texture , and quality than computer storage bought , homegrown nopal will be , too .
Confidence is key ! With a plan in place , each harvest will get easier until you no longer feel unsure of what you ’re doing at all . You ’re already several steps ahead of the plot because you took the clock time to learn , and learning is half the battle , is n’t it ?
Tolearn more about growing cacti and succulent at family , read these guides next :
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About
Kelly Spicer
