Topic: ideas for something different next year

[bedrockdave]

was thinking after reading Shelle planning for next year ,we try to grow something each year that you don't get in the shop , We have had a lottie for only 3 yrs and we are deep in  the valleys of south wales right by the side of a river, so it can get quite cold when the sun goes behind the mountain . The 1st year we grew salsify and scozonera ,loved it!  last year Kohl rabi ,Great, this year chard not impressed and Jerusalem artichoke  ,we'll wait and see but have been told to eat these when we're on our own!!!
 anyone got any suggestions    I'm sure you have

[carolinej]

Hello,

I grew globe artichokes from seed this year. They have made really impressive plants, even in the awful summer we had. I'm in the valleys too, so I dont know how well they will overwinter, but they are well worth planting as annuals.

You are supposed to take the heads off for the first year, to get the plant stronger for next year. I couldnt bring myself to do that till the heads were small, but still big enough to have a try. I had never tasted them before. They are delicious, especially with loads of melted butter.

Have you tried pumpkin and squash. My first year for these too. Again, not a good summer for them , but I have had some success, and they look really nice .

cj :)

[antipodes]

yes i too am looking for unusual things. I might try salsify next year, it is delicious canned so maybe fresh even better. Jerusalem artichokes are WONDERFUL! why would you have to be alone? mashed into a puree with cream and nutmeg they are divine, but I believe that teh plant takes a lot of space. Here in France they are called a topinambour ("toe-pee-nom-boor") and are starting to come back into fashion.
that was the 1st time I had heard of artichokes from seed! I have two plants maybe I will get artichokes off it next year.
The surprising thing I grew this year was the Cape Gooseberry (physalis). Attractive plant, it gets very big!!! They are in fruit now, I am waiting for them to ripen. I believe they last 2 or 3 years so I will defnitely keep them for next year.
To amuse you, I am the only person on my lot to grow parsnips!!!! Other gardeners have asked me what they are and when I pull them and show them their eyes pop out of their heads (actually I got a bit carried away, I sowed loads and they have done really well. Luckily I have an English friend here who likes them too  ;D

[calendula]

if it is something different you are after and generally not found in the shops then try L'agretto - it is a salsola, which has chive like foliage but thicker, looks a bit like samphire - the italians use it braised in olive oil and its great in stir fries and frittatas adding that extra flavour and appearance, goes good with fish as well. flavour I found to be mild but apparently can be quite intense, can be grown in pots on in situ - there are oriental versions as well

[markfield rover]

Grew Land Cress for the first time and it's brilliant!

[tin can]

Chestnut and spaghetti squash.....mmmmmm

[Suffolklad]

why would you have to be alone?

Because artichokes make you give you terrible wind!
We stick an "f" in front of their name   ;D

[manicscousers]

we've grown climbing barlottis this year, brilliant success, banana passionfruit, lots of growth, no fruit
next year, we have cape gooseberries and sweet cicely ? spelling..this will be used to sweeten our fruit as ray's diabetic..we like to grow something different each year as well  ;D

[Suzanne]

I have grown Oca this year - don't know wat it is going to be like as you aren't allowed to lift the tubers until the plant has been killed in the first frosts. Has anyone grown this before and is it worth the wait? :-\

[bedrockdave]

thanks suffolklad... very well answered ,that's exactly what we had heard about Jerusalem artichokes , Ive been told they make excellent chips too. like the sound of the globe ones too  carolinej ,we're just the other side of the mountain from you so should be able to compare notes.

 thanks to all that have answered so far ,you've given me food for thought and  thought for food !

[calendula]

thanks suffolklad... very well answered ,that's exactly what we had heard about Jerusalem artichokes , Ive been told they make excellent chips too. like the sound of the globe ones too  carolinej ,we're just the other side of the mountain from you so should be able to compare notes.

 thanks to all that have answered so far ,you've given me food for thought and  thought for food !

comparing notes of jerusalem artichokes you'll be able to fire a hot air balloon over that mountain  ;D ;D

[cambourne7]

I have just ordered some Chinese Red Noodle Beans for £1.49 to try next year from http://www.rareseeds.com
Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company in the states with the exchange rate at the moment i could not resist £1 = 50cents in the states roughly.

Have a look i am sure you will find some intresting things to try :)

[Deb P]

Not really sowing, but I would recommend yellow raspberries. I've tried 'All Gold' this year and they are delicious!

Also recommended are 'Jack be Little ' pumpkins, I'm growing mine up a low teepee and the kids love having individual roasted pumpkins!

There is quite a bit in the Real Seeds catalogue that looks tempting Louise...... ;D

[tim]

Without really reading back, are we just going to grow for a lark?, or are we intent upon being organic & saving money?  A flush of this & that is not the thing. We want real food over as long a period as possible -  in ground, stored, frozen....?

So many 'exotic' items meet none of those criteria.

[calendula]

oh yes they do  :o

[tim]

Tell me?

[calendula]

everything so far mentioned here has added to the possibilities (which was the whole point of the thread)

I am deadly serious about growing food, I aim to harvest all year round and I do just that but there has to be room for experimentation otherwise you just never know and in fact if you want to harvest something almost everyday from your plots then it is essential. Obviously there is no point growing food you or your family/friends do not like but there is so much out there to try and discover - it is all 'real food' to me and I am a little surprised at your conservatism  :)

[bedrockdave]

I totally agree calendula.As I said from the start we have tried a few things and keep growing the ones we like e.g. wont be growing Swiss chard next year, and there is no harm in trying something new . Even some of the more experienced older gardeners are considering other things now. My mother always says you have to try things to see if you like them and I am really interested in a lot of the suggestions, many thanks

[Suffolklad]

Many of the fruit and veg that I grow now, I wouldn't have dreamed of eating three years ago........

[Eristic]

A flush of this & that is not the thing. We want real food over as long a period as possible -  in ground, stored, frozen....?

So many 'exotic' items meet none of those criteria.

Like Tomato, peppers, aubergines ........

The 'Exotics' of 20-30 years ago are the staples of today's diet and really there is nothing odd or rare about either of the artichokes. They simply fell out of fashion for one reason or another.

There has to be pioneers, particularly with the changing climate otherwise we're all going to starve. I always grow a few 'new' items each year as many of you know, in fact I grow so many odds and ends but no potatoes I've earned the reputation of not growing food. But those who have grown plots full of potatoes will be visiting the shops long before me.

What exotics have I grown this year?

Artichokes globe and Jerusalem.
Grapes
Patti-pan squash
Dhudi
White beetroot
yellow carrot
Exploding cucumber
Oca
Ullucus
Sweet potato
(The last three not yet harvested)

Also amongst the trades I made I have one plum tomato plant that is standing alone ripening fruit a whole month after all the others were ripped out and consigned to the fire due to blight/blackstem infection. Needless to say the seeds are being saved for further experimentation.

I believe that it is vital that all members of this forum carry out experiments otherwise there may not be any life after blight.