Alternatives to the traditional coloured vegetables

[Philthy]

I've noticed a lot of new strains of vegetables in recent years in unusual colours; cauliflower in purple, orange, and green. Purple, and white carrots. Sweetcorn in cream, and red. White beetroot. Etc (I know potatoes in blue, and red, have been around a long time!)

These unusual colours are quite appealing to me. Who else has mixed it up a bit on the plot? Any preferences / better results, over traditional colours?

[veggiechicken]

Have a look at this http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...les_68929.html

[Tripmeup]

Grew multi-coloured carrots last year and growing Dragon ones (purple colour) this year....

[Philthy]

Thanks veggiechicken, sorry I obviously missed that thread. Will have a browse...

[veggiechicken]

Its an easy one to miss, Philthy - especially as it ends up as a discussion on whether of not to put butter on your veggies
Don't be surprised if your thread turns into some strange discussion either

[KittyColdNose]

Especially if VC is involved

[salome2001]

I'm growing cream, red, purple and orange carrots, rainbow sweet inca sweetcorn and strawberry popcorn in addition to regular sweetcorn, yellow courgettes, green Romanesco caulis and white sprouting broccoli. oh and some purple beans. And purple tomatoes.
DH asks why I want to grow all this "because wouldn't it make sense to make sure you can grow the regular stuff first" (cheeky man!), but really, it's no harder than growing bog standard stuff, just a lot cooler!

[SarzWix]

I do try to get different colours of veg on the plot because not only does it look interesting on the plate, you also get different antioxidants from different colours. So I have yellow, red and purple carrots as well as the usual orange, red Brussels sprouts, kale and cabbages, purple podded mangetout and french beans, purple, 'black', yellow and orange tomatoes, black, blue and purple spuds, and yellow raspberries

[cazp]

I've grown purple haze carrots two years running and they're lovely. This year I am trying 'Jaune Obtuse de Doubs' Yellow Carrot from Realseeds.co.uk.

Swiss chard bright lights looks (and tastes) beautiful.

I wasnt as keen on the flavour of the yellow Climbing Kentucky Wonder Wax Bean, and thought the regular green french beans tasted better.

I am seriously considering buying some pineberry plants - white strawberries (that taste a cross between pineaple and strawberry).

It's fun trying different colours from the norm.

[salome2001]

I forgot yellow and stripy tomatoes, and the yellow raspberries

Also, things no one has heard of, like oca and jostaberries

[Vince G]

Brother-in-law bought us a "Funky Veg" kit for Christmas. He used to sneer a bit at our veg growing exploits until we starting giving him and his fiancée some of our spare and they realised how tasty it was, so not sure if the kit was meant to be a joke or not, but we're going to grow everything and dish it up to him at some point! Kit contains: rainbow chard, red brussels, yellow courgettes & tigerella toms. Only bad thing is it contains little dried plugs of peat to be rehydrated. Don't like using peat, bad for the environment.

Found some blue squash the other day......Guatemalan, Honduran??.......something central American. Could be funky...

[bazzaboy]

I've noticed a lot of new strains of vegetables in recent years in unusual colours....Purple, and white carrots.

I've grown purple haze carrots two years running and they're lovely.....
It's fun trying different colours from the norm.

Purple carrots are not so much new as old/original, earliest mention of carrots record them as deep red. If you saw on the news today the abdication of the Queen of the Netherlands/Holland you will have seen a lot of the colour orange (the Royal Family there is known as The House of Orange... and orange is the national colour, e.g. the strip of the well-known football team). And that's why carrots are orange! They were thought to be developed in Holland in the 17th Century from the original purple to a bright orange as a tribute to The House of Orange and in particular William of Orange's campaign to establish an independent Holland. And it still holds good, the colour stuck and became the norm to the point where everyone thinks carrots are orange.... ! And a very carroty orange at that!
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...nd-footie.jpeg

[cazp]

Thank you bazzaboy - I had heard that purple carrots were more the norm years ago, but didnt realise orange carrots had such a history!

[snohare]

didnt realise orange carrots had such a history!

Oh yes...but you have to really root it out...

I know, I'm just digging a deeper hole here, aren't I...