Branchin' Out - growing something NEW!

[digitS']

So Cane', mung beans are out?

Smithyard, think about kale in the spring. It is a biennial so the plants can be very large by fall but have no blooms. I can still remember wading out thru deep snow to my kale plants in the winter to harvest leaves!

I don't do that anymore. The kale leaves are harvested right thru the growing season! Sweeter, not-so-sweet? I don't think there's one thing wrong with young, tender kale leaves! I never really ate much of it out of the winter garden anyway.

Steve

 

[Ridgerunner]

I try to grow something different every year, totally new things plus usually a new variety of a stand-by. Some of the ideas come from people on here, like Seedcorn turning me on to Jade Okra last year instead of my standard Clemson Spineless. I liked it. I practically always try a new variety of tomato, just an impulse purchase when I see what varieties the organic guy that sells plants at the Natural Foods store parking lot once a year has. Last year it was Ukranian Purple, a total failure.


Two seasons ago I grew cotton for the first time at the urgings of my wife. Actually she gave me some seeds and said “Grow these”. I guess that’s urgings. Last season I grew black eyed peas for the first time. I’ll do them again. This year I’ll try a melon. I have the seeds but don’t remember the variety. It’s hard to remember everything I’ve tried in the past, celery, New Zealand spinach, and fennel come to mind.

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

I like to try new varieties every year. I can't remember all of them as of right now and they are locked up in a safe in the basement. I don't know how much I will fit in this season as the lease ends fairly early this year. All I can say is I'm definitely not going without beans and okra! (I'll be trying Hill Country Red Okra, that I do remember.)

Ridgerunner; try Arkansas Razorback Southern Peas (same as Black-Eyed). They were developed in your state so should do well and are open-pollinated. They taste great and are neat-looking with there red and white splashes.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Seedo, do you mean Ozark Razorback? They are a bush not vining, which is what I want. If see some I may give them a try. I had purple hull last year, which made it pretty easy to know when to harvest. Just wait until the hull turns purple. They are a lot easier to hull when ripe instead of when they are still immature.

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

Yup, that's exactly what I meant! This year is going to be the first time that I try southern peas. What makes it hard to tell that the peas are ready?I'm trying Grey-Speckled Palapye (was 50% off) and Holstein because I like the looks. They are both bush; If I like both I may try to cross the two and make a southern pea version of the Dapple Grey bean.

 

[ninnymary]

I am gonna try kale and garlic in the fall... but I like everyones ideas so I may have to steal them....

Smithyard Farm, those two are the easiest to grow. Even I can grow them! lol I love kale salads and putting it into spaghetti to get another veggie in.

Mary

 

[majorcatfish]

for years being limited to growing in the main garden ,it has always been a canning/fresh garden. with the experiment into raised bed gardening and the expansion. oh my oh my this years list of veggies to grow has changed dramatically..
with that said the main garden is going to be more focused on long term plants and straighter rows for ease of watering, have been improving on that every year just never seem to get the plants just right...hate soaker hoses snaking everywhere.

main garden is going to consist of a majority new or some oldies that have not been planted in a while, and will be the long term area.

2 new tomato varieties need to try something new...
opalka.... canning
american red...fresh eating

3 new cucumbers
salt and pepper
lemon
diva

peppers.. will still grow the usually red and green
since bonnies can not get their labels straight decided to start my own.
sweet banana pepper
sweet heat... red bell with a hint of heat
golden greek...pepperoncinis
ancho pepper
fooled you pepper

squash..... of course on top of couple zucc and yellows
alexandria
tromboncino

and of course...
blue lake pole beans.
eggplant


for the raised bed area.. this is where it gets exciting

beets.
red ace
bolder. new

radishes...
rover
white icicle
nero tondo ....new
watermelon...new

bok choy..
mei qing
black summer..new

carrots...
romance
bolera.. replacement for laguna
white satin...new
yellow sugarsax..new
deep purple..new

parsnip...
going back to harris model

yellow wax ...
rocdor.....new

burrells sprouts.....
cumulus....going to plant a whole bed
rubine.. purple ...new

lettuce....
green bibb
butter oak loose...new
red romaine..new

herbs...
stevia.....new
orange thyme ....new

repeats...
bunching onions
spinach
red & yellow onions
shallots
basil
yukon gold potatoes
yellow wax bean

other new...
coloron ..sweet corn
bintje late potato
kohlrabi
virginia jumbo peanuts

shall be a very busy season.... stay tuned to this bat channel for results

 

[bobbi-j]

Garlic - that's already planted. And I'd like to try blueberries, if I can figure out where to put them. My new daughter-in-law said she'd like to share a garden, so we'll see what all we end up with. After doing some reading here, I will have to test the soil to see if it will need to be amended or not for the berries.

 

[hoodat]

I grew several things last Summer that were new to me. Quinoa was a big success, as was kalalloo (also called tampala) a great green for Summer use. I've often heard it compared to spinach but to me the flavor is quite different, much heartier and gives real character to soups. I've been told I'll never have to plant it again and from the millions of seeds it produced I believe it. After it matured my rabbits had a ball pulling the seed clumps off the dried stems.
I'm trying to rest my garden by going extremely light on the nightshade family this year. I've been planting tomatos and peppers in the same ground for several years and I don't want to get viruses built up in the soil.
I've been meaning to try Egyptian spinach for quite a while so maybe I can get to it this year. I also want to try grain amaranth but I'l have to be careful not to let my kalalloo bloom if I want to save seed. They're closely related and will cross.

 

[digitS']

Maybe I can split the difference, Hoodat.

One of these days, I might get around to growing the grain but 1st I'd need a better idea of its use. Redroot Pigweed is a good thing - on a plate, cooked. So, that makes me think that Amaranth would be tasty! Pigweed?!!

Kitazawa Seed has that aaannd that other green you mentioned. It's a jute. Jute?!! Another choice for leaf amaranth seed would be AgroHaitai in Canada!

I might go that route! There is a smaller bunching onion at AgroHaitai that I'd like to try. Amaranth sown late for summer greens, huh? Some other varieties should occur to me! Good idea for a topic, Cane'!

Steve