Veggies you wish you could grow!

[smallblueplanet]

On the tail of the other thread....

What veggies do you wish you could grow, or could grow better? Maybe we can get some tips.

I love broccoli but it just seems to take up sooo much time & space.

Grew a few artichokes this year, very tasty indeed may try for more next year.

[shirlthegirl43]

Wish the things whose stems are supposed to swell - kohl rabi, radish, turnip - would swell!! Also wish I could keep the bugs off my brocolli, cabbage and cauli. Definately want more success with peas next year but this year was first try and I know I need to plant more for starters next time.

[smallblueplanet]

...Definately want more success with peas next year but this year was first try and I know I need to plant more for starters next time.

I think we do the same, we only plant about 14 (for two of us) but they seem fairly ordinary croppers compared to french beans?

Oh and the only time we managed decent caulis & a some broccoli was when we made an environmesh cage (out of 3ft canes and wire with mesh draped over the top).

[MissGreen]

Oh the list is so long! I haver never had much luck, except with potatoes, jerusalem artichokes, squash, pumpkin and sweet corn. I would love to be able to grow everything from the brassica family, including broccoli, cauliflower, purple sprouting etc. asparagus, artichokes, carrots and beetroots. This year I have a new plot in full sun and not close to any birch trees so I'm hoping for more luck

[smallblueplanet]

Someone on 'another' list was asking about butter beans, I'd like to be able to grow them but I think we'd have to move to a warmer country!!! (oh good!)

[Phreddy]

What are butter beans? White things out of tins. I know what I mean but my wife thinks that they are broad beans. What plant do they come from.

Peas: I discovered Alderman this year 7 ft tall big, sweet pods. Old heirloom type. Cannot afford to give any away this year but next autumn...

[HeyWayne]

Parsnips! I didn't get one germination this year - ok, so it's my first year but still.

Other than that, I've been pretty lucky with everything growing to a certain extent. Begginers luck I guess.

[Cutecumber]

I'd like to be able to have the space to grow asparagus, and some fruit (other than the few strawberries that I have).

In terms of things I'd like to be able to grow better...

sweetcorn - I'd like to get more than one cob per plant
tomatoes - I'd like to be able to offer them more shelter and support their growth more effectively, amongst other things! I think my crops could easily be improved in quantity and quality.

[veg4681]

Nice one SBP, I wanted to put forward this question too but thought I'd be pushing my luck a bit, so thanks.

Okay my first choice of veggies I'd love to grow (yet uncertain of their success) are those seriously expensive to buy in stores.

Asparagus (> £2.50 per bunch)
Artichoke (£1.50 per bud)
Florence Fennel (£1.50 per bulb)
Baby Corn (fabulously expensive I believe)

Exotic Veggies
Okra! Okra! Okra!
Soya, Soya, Soya Beans!
Chayote/Cho Cho, Luffa, Bittergourd, Yard Long Beans, Hyacinth bean

I would have loved to continue exploring different varieties of:
Winter Squashes (they're just so adorable)
Heirloom Tomatoes (dangerous obsession)
Various Leafy Veggies (Chinese, Japanese, Spinach type, Salad leaves)
Various Lettuce (just plain crazy about different shapes, sizes & colours)

[smallblueplanet]

Artichoke (£1.50 per bud)
Florence Fennel (£1.50 per bulb)

We've grown some artichokes, green not purple I think, they seem relatively straightforward, but big - absolutely LOVE the taste. I think its best to take sideshoots off successful plants to keep them going. Maybe next year we'll start an artichokes thread veg4681?

The only FF we had success with was a variety called Zefa Tardo (from DT Brown?), but they seem temperamental regarding temperature - we planted early.

[Protea]

I'd really like to be able to grow a good crop of peas - there's nothing better than popping them open straight off the plant (the ones that do make it to pea size rarely make it home!). the only way i can guarantee germination is by sowing into half drain pipes but this severely restricts the size of the crop

I've not had much luck with sweetcorn the last 2 years, but 4 years ago i had a cracker of a crop (on a different allotment mind you). it is probably my absolute favorite vegetable grown at home so fingers crossed for next year.

I've discovered the type of dwarf french bean i need to grow (kenyan), the ones i grew this year were really fat and tough.

Sprouts - not had much luck with these for the last 2 years either. last year they had terrible aphid and catterpillar attack and the buttons were covered in frass and unmentionables, those that weren't blown that it, and this year - well, its my own faukt - i was too busy and didn't get them in the ground early enough - they look a bit small and have no buttons so far

Hey ho, moving to a new house in New Year with a massive garden (turning half over to raised beds) so fingers crossed or a better year in 2008!

[seasprout]

Parsnips! I didn't get one germination this year - ok, so it's my first year but still.

Other than that, I've been pretty lucky with everything growing to a certain extent. Begginers luck I guess.

I was swamped with Parsnips but failed to get any germination with 2 packets of carrot seeds. 2.! And I really perfer carrots to Parsnips anyday.

[momol]

I wish to grow a lot actually but space and climate dictate my choice, among them will be angled luffa ( for veggies and for sponge, this year attemp failed), lots of unusually gourd, winter squashes ( for now, only grow the compact type, can't grow the rampant type), okra (perhaps), unusual beans such as sword bean... the joy and fun of harvesting and tasting unusual veggies of GYO has such strong attraction... irresistable...

Momol

[Flummery]

I was swamped with Parsnips but failed to get any germination with 2 packets of carrot seeds. 2.! And I really perfer carrots to Parsnips anyday.

Are you sure they didn't germinate? I thought I was getting poor germination with carrots until I grew a few in pots in the greenhouse - caught a snail munching them. Since then I have surrounded them in enviromesh to keep the birds out and put a few slug pellets down. Hey ho - carrots appeared!

[veg4681]

We've grown some artichokes, green not purple I think, they seem relatively straightforward, but big - absolutely LOVE the taste. I think its best to take sideshoots off successful plants to keep them going. Maybe next year we'll start an artichokes thread veg4681?

The only FF we had success with was a variety called Zefa Tardo (from DT Brown?), but they seem temperamental regarding temperature - we planted early.

Thanks SBP, sounds like there is hope for artichoke and best of all, I hear they're perennial. I'm thinking of ordering the seeds for an improved variety called Imperial Star over the commonly sold Green Globe. BTW Jungle Seeds sells the purple variety. Sure, we'll have an artichoke thread next year.

How many varieties of FF have you tried to narrow down to Zefa Tardo as the best one. Mine's called Sirio.