Exciting Crops for a UK allotment

[veggiechicken]

I'd be interested in some of those too Zaz

[kathycam]

Likewise.

Has anyone tried mashua btw. A few people selling it on ebay and yacon. Not sure if I'm trying too many new things.

Oh and people should look up the virtual seed parcel in the seed swap, as theres often some interesting things on there as well as money maker tomatoes!

[alldigging]

goji (though I may have dig the gojis up,they fruit prolifically but don't taste too good...tried goji gin as a last resort... :-x)

If they grow well then find someone to trade the berries with! Or at least make sure the plants go to a good home!

[Cheekychooks]

If they grow well then find someone to trade the berries with! Or at least make sure the plants go to a good home!

Yes, will definitely find a good home for them if I do dig them up (it goes against the grain). They sucker like billyo so I can probably give some away even if I don't...i never tried it...I'll have a look next time I'm at the plot.

[alldigging]

Yes, will definitely find a good home for them if I do dig them up (it goes against the grain). They sucker like billyo so I can probably give some away even if I don't...i never tried it...I'll have a look next time I'm at the plot.

Do they? Cool! I've got one I bought at Aldi last year and am looking forward to pulling a face eating them!

[Urban]

Thanks Jeanied,
Well apart from the normal allotment crops (which I love too!), I have acquired plants of honey berry, pineapple guava, chilean guava, Chinese artichokes, elephant garlic, yacon, Tasmanian Mountain Pepper. I have seeds for cucamelon, electric daisies. I already have blueberries and goji (though I may have dig the gojis up,they fruit prolifically but don't taste too good...tried goji gin as a last resort... :-x)
I'm thinking of also doing achocha which sounds fun if I can find where to buy the seeds (Real Seeds are out of stock).
James Wong s book has been really useful...I was just wondering if there were other things...

wish I could get my goji to produce some fruit, this will be my goji plants 3rd (maybe 4th) year, if no fruit this year then its being dug up, it always seems to get powdery mildew anyway

its a shame as I spend quite a bit on goji juice for its health benefits

I might try something like a kiwi or a fig tree in its place

[Cheekychooks]

Mine are on quite a sandy soil, they also seem to get powdery mildew but still seem to cope with my neglect ;-) -when juiced do they have that bitter aftertaste?
The dried ones from the health food shop seem more palatable.
According to James Wong, they taste better when cooked, added into savoury dishes as you would with a tomato...tho I haven't tried it yet.

[lesleygl]

Yes, james wong has started a collection with sutton seeds for this year, I am growing a selection myself, just waiting for a day that isnt too cold to start sowing

[Cheekychooks]

Yes I've got some of those seeds too...can't wait to try the electric daisies. They are alleged to have a natural Botox effect...I ll let you know!!!

[veggiechicken]

Have you seen this video, CC? http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ml#post1042556
Watch out for the Electric daisies

[BroadRipple]

so would I. exciting! pioneering!

[BroadRipple]

wow Cheeky you're doing better than me..I have only managed electric daisies (a present, hmm, unconvinced) but would love most of the ones you're trying. where did you buy the plants from out of interest? and Kathycam, have you only just started germinating them/planted them out, or have you grown them for long enough to recommend which ones are best in the UK?

[kathycam]

Hi, I only got my allotment last year and started with a small one, last year wasn't the must successful due to all the rain and the slugs eating a lot of my seedlings. One of the surprise sucesses was the quinoa. They grew to about 5ft-6ft and got lots of grain. Also the salisfy and aspargus pea did okay too. This year we've taken on a bigger plot so can try much more stuff.

I bought stuff mostly from ebay and real seeds. Suttons are selling the James Wong range, and if you have one I saw Robert Dyas had that range in too.

[Cheekychooks]

I ve order a lot of this stuff from eBay and trawling the net. I have to say I'm a novice on this new stuff. It might not work out but don't know til you try! Kathycam...I'm trying salsify and asparagus pea s this year too. What was the quinoa like to eat...?

[veggiechicken]

You said you were doing a project - is it for a thesis?