Topic: Giving it a go in 2008?

[Amazin]

Following on from the recent threads on Oca and Quinoa, are there any other new, exotic (and exciting!) things you're going to try next season?

My list so far (apart from the Oca and Quinoa) is:

Black Turtle Beans
Beer Friend Soy Bean
Jicama
Fakir Parsley Root
Poona Keera Cucumber
Sikkim Cucumber
West Indian Gherkin
Chia
Amaranth
Stevia
Licquorice
Allspice
Chinese Mustard
Wonderberry
Red Roselle
and several new (to me) chillies.

I'm sure there's more, but I daren't look at my seed collection too closely...

 ;D

[SnooziSuzi]

Kale!

well it's new to me anyway!

[VP]

Like Quinoa, I've got Licquorice, but never sown it   ???

I've just bought some water melon and barley seed  8)

[Jeannine]

Loads of differsnt varieties of my usuals but new to me are lentils and having a go at a selection of Soya Beans, I haven't done these in the UK yet apart from one. more cow pea varieties this year and I am diving head long into a Gourd collection.
 
 
XX Jeannine

[Eristic]

My wacky list for 2008 stands like this at the moment.

• Quillquina. Herb
• Quinoa
• Salsify
• Scorzonera
• Seakale
• West Indian Ghurka
• Lemon grass
• Mangel Worzel
• Casabanana

Plus several new (to me) tomatoes, chillies and squashes. subject to space, weather, germination etc and Santa bringing me a polytunnel.

I will also be re-growing all the oca and ullucus as these did not get a fair crack of the whip with the very early frosts. Looking forward to the jibes from the other plotholders once again such as "You don't bother growing food then?".

[Amazin]

I've grown Cassabanana to flowering stage, but the poor sunshine levels meant the season wasn't long enough for fruit. It has lovely velvety leaves.

[Rob08]

I've grown Cassabanana to flowering stage, but the poor sunshine levels meant the season wasn't long enough for fruit. It has lovely velvety leaves.

I have cassabanana, naranjilla and pepino on my exotic fruit list next year.

Am also growing out:

Maca
turnip-rooted chervil (yes, finally found a supplier)
Liscari sativa (grew once before but did not get past seedling stage)
Moringa oleifera
Madagascar bean
Jicama
skirret
Japanese burdock
And a variety of Japanese melons bought from Bakers Creek.

[saddad]

I feel truely humbled... I like to grow something new and exotic each year but these lists include some things I didn't even know existed!
 :-[

[newbies]

Squash is new to me, so are parsnips.  Only been doing this a couple of years!  My brambles are going great guns though, I may try NOT to grow these next year.
 ;D

[froglets]

Ditto saddad,  our new veg for this year are a pattypan squash, artichokes and a black (ish) kale.   Mind you, that's adventurous for us, OH has really got the bug for this thing since April last year, but he's still at the potato, sweetcorn, carrot , parsnip level, all these varieties are a bit more info than he needs   ;D

Still, if we get a bit more space next year ( rumour has it we may get a full plot to add to our half....) then let me at them catalogues boys, ther'll be no stopping me!

[flowerofshona2007]

Im only growing what we eat but have included Yard long beans and Chinese red noodle beans and i try 1-2 varietys of tomato and chilli/peppers each year.
No point taking up room with loads of things we prob wont eat and space is limited, rather slip a few rows of different potatoes in as we know we will eat them :D

[Rob the rake]

I'm growing bottle gourds in the greenhouse next year. You can use them to make fabulous nesting boxes and bird feeders.

http://www.gitaland.com/tutorials/tutivy.html

http://www.amishgourds.com/site/1278922/page/441648

http://www.ehow.com/how_2090948_raise-bottle-gourds.html

[Tee Gee]

No point taking up room with loads of things we prob wont eat and space is limited, rather slip a few rows of different potatoes in as we know we will eat them

I'm with Dawn on this one!

Perhaps I am a bit old fashioned but I want to master what I do grow, rather than experiment with stuff that I know nothing about or in some cases never heard of.

But it wouldn't do if we were all the same so I wish you all the best of luck with what you grow in 2008.

[Rob08]

No point taking up room with loads of things we prob wont eat and space is limited, rather slip a few rows of different potatoes in as we know we will eat them

I'm with Dawn on this one!

Perhaps I am a bit old fashioned but I want to master what I do grow, rather than experiment with stuff that I know nothing about or in some cases never heard of.

But it wouldn't do if we were all the same so I wish you all the best of luck with what you grow in 2008.

Trick is, there could be some truly delicious vegetable or fruit out there that I have not yet discovered, the only way I will know is to try them.  Plus most of the plants I am trying have the benefit of being hardy and not troubled by pests, so potentially an easier crop to grow.

[Rob the rake]

Give us yer address Rob and you'll have some Apricot Brandywine to grow too!

[Rob08]

Give us yer address Rob and you'll have some Apricot Brandywine to grow too!

Just pm'd you.

[Eristic]

Without us adventurous types, the rest of you would have to play it safe forever with your tomatoes, peppers, sweetcorn, squash and the like.

Also bear in mind that while the changing climate allows greater possibilities for the growing of new 'exotics', some old stalwarts like potatoes may well be on their last decade or so before being reduced to the speciality niche as unsuitable weather and a build-up of pest and disease takes its toll.

I imagine this exact discussion probably took place a few hundred years ago amongst gardeners in the local pub, some bragging about trying the new tater while others digging their heels in because they would rather learn more about growing the worzels that the missus already knew how to cook.

[cornykev]

Wouldn't you need a good summer for that, I seem to remember lots of wind and rain.  ;D ;D ;D

[allanwoolley]

If you want to mess about down on the lotti then try some of the outlandish veggies.   But if you are serious about all the time and commitment you give toyour plot then stick with what you know.   Ask yourself how many packets of these nonentities will be sold in twenty years time and then get back to the good old faithfuls.

[Eristic]

Ask yourself how many packets of these nonentities will be sold in twenty years time

Which nonentities would this be then? If this years weather has proved anything it is that the more variety you have stuffed in the ground, the greater your chances of good harvests. The Irish race was almost wiped off the face of this earth by the failure of a single crop.

As for how many of these nonentities will be around in 20 years time, that is easy to answer: They all will because these so called nonentities are all staple crops from different parts of the globe as is potatoes. If a plotholder wants or needs to play it safe that's fine but do not knock the pathfinders for their experiments. You may be grateful for the knowledge they gain long before your 20 years pass.

Please bear in mind that virtually everything grown today is either a recent introduction or a recent serious improvement of a weed. Somebody has to do the messing about for your gain. Don't knock it.

Some of us expect more from our plots than survival, hence we grow wacky novelties, gourmet delicacies, AND flowers.

While the Ullucus is unlikely to make it beyond a niche crop, the Oka could well be a stalwart staple within 5-10 years time. If you do not had the nerve to try,  just look the other way while I have all the fun.