Does James Wong make it look too easy?

[MrsCordial]

I've got The Homegrown Revolution from the library and am very tempted to try a few of the crops James Wong covers, mainly sea kale, elephant garlic, New Zealand spinach, day lilies, amaranth, cucamelons, Chinese artichoke, Jerusalem artichoke and cocktail kiwi.

James Wong makes these crops sound foolproof, with benign neglect being their main requirement (but then I've avoided anything overly fussy). Has anyone tried these crops and found they've done well? I have a large veg patch (approx allotment size so I'm told) with a couple of shady spots but mostly full sun. It's on lovely fertile Herefordshire soil, and so far most crops I've planted are doing okay

[Alison]

I've grown day lillies for years as an ornamental and they're a doddle, don't know about the others though.

[veggiechicken]

I'm growing most of those - but not because of James Wong, I'd never heard of him or his book when I started growing them. Here are a few related threads that may interest you!
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...highlight=wong
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...highlight=wong

[MrsCordial]

Thanks VC. I've just waded through the seeds saga - definitely won't be buying any of his range, but I do like the book so might get it, once I've saved up for Nigel Slater's Tender.

[Mikey]

Nigel Slater would win for me every day of the week. I tried growing romanesco cauliflower one year waste of time, me and caulis don't get on.

[MrsCordial]

I absolutely love them to eat, but have never bothered growing them. Maybe in a year or two, when I'm feeling a bit more confident about the whole thing, and have more time, and the children are older, and I magically have more days in the week...

I love Nigel Slater's stuff. I've had two tweets back from him and have to have a bit of a lie down

[Feral007]

LOL Mrs C about having a lie down after getting a couple of tweets!

[Creemteez]

Nigel Slater would win for me every day of the week. I tried growing romanesco cauliflower one year waste of time, me and caulis don't get on.

So glad it's not just me!!

[hellybore]

Has anyone tried these crops and found they've done well?

This is my first year of trying elephant garlic, Jerusalem artichokes and sea kale. Haven't got to the eating stage yet, but the elephant garlic are looking fabulous, the J artichokes are coming on nicely and the sea kale is small but looking good. I bought them after reading Martin Crawford's "Forest Gardening", which is really interesting, but I've since read the James Wong book and it has increased my enthusiasm for trying out new crops. Go for it Mrs C!

[solway cropper]

I hope I'm not alone in never having read a book by a 'celebrity' gardener or cook. As for actually buying one!!

[MrsCordial]

Oh @hellybore, please don't recommend yet more fascinating books for me to hanker after! Sounds like those crops are worth going for, but I'll buy the seeds from RealSeeds if I can, not the JW range.

@solway_cropper I get all these things from the library but will consider buying one if I find it really really useful, but second hand or flea market is fine by me. To be fair, as they're 'celeb'-driven they get publicity and so come to my attention, but I don't value the content any more than I would a gardening or cookery book by anyone who knew their stuff. I absolutely love Tender by NS and will definitely be buying it. I can't remember the last time a book had this effect on me!

[Kirk]

He might but that is from experience. Also I think we make it too difficult.
At times I do get the idea that if it is before 5 March then it is too early to plant anything and if it has passed 27 March then there is no point in sowing anything as it is offically too late.

Nothing seems to actually differentiate between Devon sowing and Northumberland sowing. Too many times I have read "I sow then and you MUST do the same or else!!!"

Lets see plants drop their seeds and thats it. No set date, no set time, no specific soil, just dropped. Heck some are eaten and pass through a digestive system first.