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Unusual veggy varieties

• Message 1. 

  Posted by youngandallotmenting (U14434252) on Friday, 10th June 2011

  I have a seemingly unhealthy obsession with the wierd and wonderful members of the veg families! I love growing something a little different, something you are not only unable to find in the supermarket but preferably things I have never seen before...
  
  ...I currently have, Kohl rabi, Cardoon, Lab lab beans, Strawberry sticks, Edamame beans and Elephant garlic.
  
  Is anyone else enjoying the slightly unusual choices?!

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Bubble Works (U14532674) on Saturday, 11th June 2011

  chuckle about Kohlrabi - you can buy it at most chinese stores and it is very common in Germany (Turnips on the other hand are not...)
  
  Make sure you harvest it early enough - if harvested too late it gets woody and stringy and is a pain to eat - if harvested young it is delicious!

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• Message 3

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  Posted by northwards (U14324094) on Saturday, 11th June 2011

  Well, I've grown most of those but the only one I now grow regularly is kohl rabi, which I don't think is particularly unusual any more!
  
  However I don't bother with elephant garlic any more - it may be big but it tastes (to me) pretty awful. I've heard that people who don't like garlic enjoy it, but I much prefer the real stuff
  
  But what is "strawberry sticks"? I've never heard of that. Do you mean strawberry spinach? Again I've grown that but don't bother any more. If it's something else, please tell us about it - it sounds interesting!

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• Message 4

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  Posted by Saravisiae (U2247962) on Saturday, 11th June 2011

  I like growing unusually coloured vegetables. I have yellow courgettes, yellow climbing french beans, purple dwarf french beans and I've grown lots of different coloured carrots before too. I'm also growing borlotto beans which are maybe not that common. I'd like to try some of the blue potatoes but haven't got round to it yet.
  
  I grow some things that you can't usually find in supermarkets like Kale (sometimes you can these days) and swiss chard. With swiss chard I again grow multicolured types (rainbow or bright lights chard on seed packs) and once took some to a friend who thought it so pretty she put it in a vase for a few days before eating it!

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• Message 5

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  Posted by northwards (U14324094) on Saturday, 11th June 2011

  There are also some interesting beetroot which come in white (Albina Verduna) and yellow (Burpees Golden and others) These can be really good eating
  
  Also there are some red-fleshed potatoes (something Burgundy, I think) Definitely worth growing, as well as the blue kinds!

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• Message 6

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  Posted by youngandallotmenting (U14434252) on Saturday, 11th June 2011

  Bubbleworks I haven't been to a chinese store (Don't think we have one locally) and I am yet to visit Germany. I'm suprised to hear kohl rabi is so well heard of, all the oldies at my allotment didn't know what is was, those who did hadn't grown it...I assumed that was the same everywhere, Obviously not!
  
  Yes Northwards strawberry sticks is the same as strawberry spinach, it has several different names...also called beet berry. I'm not sure which one is most correct...?
  
  I like the different colours as well, especially with courgettes and all the different types of squashes. Should have seen the confused faces of my colegues when I brought in some of my glut of round yellow courgettes last summer! Loved it!
  
  Next year I will have to try some of those beetroot varieties and funky potatoes!

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• Message 7

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  Posted by radiantJoGreen (U4363043) on Sunday, 12th June 2011

  I used to be a seed guardian and have grown some weird tomatos Buffallo Horn.
  Am growing a Latvian pea at present The idea is to sow seed and save and send a proportion to the seed library. Lovely idea.
  Have some ruby sprouts to try once I have a bit of space. The heriitage varieties are very interesting. Try searching google for seed guardians and you will have the contact details.Just glad it is raining today

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• Message 8

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  Posted by nooj (U13729031) on Sunday, 12th June 2011

  Mooli radishes - not that I've been successful!

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• Message 9

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  Posted by figrat (U3054696) on Sunday, 12th June 2011

  No, I havn't been as adventurous as you, but am thinking of trying lab lab beans next year. Have far too many beans already as it is!
  How are you getting on with it?

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• Message 10

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  Posted by windmill19 (U14444596) on Sunday, 12th June 2011

  I would say that it is a very healthy obsession youngandallotmenting! I am growing 21 different varieties of tomatoes 9 types of squash plus melon pears, asparagus peas, achocha, yellow mangetout, purple podded peas as well as carrots, raddish and beetroot in an assortment of colours. I also grow runner beans grown from seeds that my grandad gave me 29 years ago which he had been growing since the end of the war.

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• Message 11

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  Posted by youngandallotmenting (U14434252) on Sunday, 12th June 2011

  Windmill I like the sound of some of those! Where do you buy your seeds?

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• Message 12

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  Posted by windmill19 (U14444596) on Monday, 13th June 2011

  Plants of Distinction simply vegetables have a good selection of different veggys also Garden Organic and the Heritage Seed Library through them. You have to pay a yearly membership of the Heritage Seed Library for which you can choose 6 packets of seeds from their catalogue but I joined at either Malvern show or Gardeners World Live and was given another 6 packets bonus when joining there.

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• Message 13

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  Posted by dirtyrob (U14395261) on Monday, 13th June 2011

  For the past six years i've been growing Pepino's. A weird and wonderful fruit that has never caught on over here. I'm guessing, but it would be because it would not export very well. Also i grow Celeriac, a veg which is not a common sight in stores or in allotments.

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• Message 14

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  Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Monday, 13th June 2011

  I also grow runner beans grown from seeds that my grandad gave me 29 years ago which he had been growing since the end of the war 
  
  Have you checked the species recently? They might be quite rare.
  
  I had a pal who did the same with potatoes for about 60 years. They may have been named after him in the end. Bill's spuds.

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• Message 15

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  Posted by windmill19 (U14444596) on Wednesday, 15th June 2011

  Not sure how to check the variety gardda. Suppost I should contact the Heritage Seed bank and ask them?

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• Message 16

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  Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Friday, 17th June 2011

  Enjoy them any way.

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