Something new for 2014???

[Nicos]

I'm already thinking about seeds for next year...and want to try growing something I've not grown before.

At the moment I'm thinking of melon ....outdoors
Fingers crossed- if we have a hot summer again we should be successful!

What are other peeps planning to try out for 2014??

[scarey55]

I would really like to try and make a small polytunnel. I would like to have (another!) go at melons and perhaps remember to grow Brussel sprouts - they are soooo expensive at the moment but the thing I haven't grown yet is asparagus so I think it will be that for me in 2014.

[Nicos]

asparagus???...oh gosh....we used to have 20 plants in the UK- a mixture of red and green..now you've got me thinking!!!

hmmm..a mixture of red white and green would be wonderful wouldn't it???

I'd much prefer that to melons!!

[WilliamD]

I'm hoping to have a go at Agretti (a bit like Samphire), Gigantes beans, French Tarragon, saffron and maybe even peanuts :-)

[Nicos]

Agretti??..tell us more WD!...I love Samphire- and I've never found it over here!

[WilliamD]

To quote Seeds of Italy:

"...very popular in Italy and has become the latest in vegetable in fancy Italian restaurants. When mature(50 or so days) they are a 12 inches wide, 24 inch tall bush that looks like a huge chive and they are used mainly in Rome and Umbria. Really good with fish and seafood, it is a mild flavoured green which is a little bit bitter, a bit sourish, but a lot wonderful !! Almost impossible to find in the UK and very, very gastronomic. You can just braise them in some olive oil w/ garlic and serve as a side dish. Can also boil them and dress with some olive oil."

[Nicos]

Brill!!...cor- thanks for that!

[veggiechicken]

RealSeeds sell it too as Liscari sativa or Salsola
Vegetable Seeds : Salad Crops other than lettuce

[veggiechicken]

And here it is with Pennard under yet another name!! Seeds, Eclectic Victorian Vegetable Seed from Pennard Plants
Now its confession time - I already have the seeds ..........maybe I'll actually sow them next year

[WilliamD]

Thanks VC, that gives some more useful info.
Nicos - you can get samphire seeds from Pennard Plants. Of the two, marsh samphire is the nice delicious one that comes in longish strands and was very de rigeur among TV chefs a few years ago. Rock samphire is more straggly with small leaves. Betamax man here mistakenly grew that one a couple of years ago and it's not as nice as marsh.

[Nicos]

really VC???..let us know how you get on eh???

[veggiechicken]

The packet is in the same box as the Samphire seeds (hangs head in shame).............and some other weird seeds........... Don't ask!!!

[Nicos]

Will...how damp does the soil need to be???...'Marsh ' rings alarm bells!

Having said that- with extra watering I can grow celeriac which is a marsh plant!

[veggiechicken]

Have a look at this Nicos!
Seeds, Eclectic Victorian Vegetable Seed from Pennard Plants

[WilliamD]

Marsh samphire needs lots of salty water. In hot weather it'd need a very good soak every day. We did grow some marsh last year, only a v.small amount but enough to see that it can quite happily sit there in sopping wet soil.