[Fisherman]

I always like to try growing one or two different veg each year just for the hell of it. Last year I tried Moolie which I have been most impressed with especially at this time of year when used fresh in salads (recommended by someone on here). The year before I tried watercress which I would recommend to any salad lover. This year I am going to try Chinese Celery! Anybody got any recommendations on any unusual good crops to grow?

Hope you all have great New Year  

[gobs]

Have you seen the Oca thread?

It depends, what's unusual for a person. I grew up with moolis and cresses, for example.

Celeriac and root parsley are quite under-grown in the UK for their value, I think. That could be an idea.

[Yorkie]

I am still rather temted by the oca thread... seems a lot of £ for the small number of tubers though...

[viettaclark]

My Chinese Gooseberries (physalis) were quite successful this year. Although small, they were an unusual tasty treat.
Unfortunately they got blight in September......

[Growster...]

It's going to be celeriac and kohl rabi this year, and much more salsify, grown better than this last year!

[Fisherman]

Thanks everyone. I have put all these on my list of things to try. Oca I had never heard of but have looked up since. Considered Salsify in the past but was never sure what to do with it. Are Chinese Gooseberries the same as Kiwi Fruit? I am also going to try Lemon Grass as its something we use quite a lot of and it appears easy to grow during frost free weather. I bought some yesterday from the local supermarket and have them standing in water to hopefully root in readiness for planting in spring.

[DD.]

Are Chinese Gooseberries the same as Kiwi Fruit?

Indeed. I have some seed, but never got around to sowing them last year, must remember this year.

[Auntiemogs]

Got some spare celeriac if you need some growster (Giant Prague). 1000 seeds seems a bit too much for me as I only want 5 or 6! 

[Growster...]

Got some spare celeriac if you need some growster (Giant Prague). 1000 seeds seems a bit too much for me as I only want 5 or 6! 

That's so very kind of you Auntie! We'd love some!

I'll email our address to you! We only intend to grow about thirty or forty and some are sure to shuffle off before I can get them going properly, so please don't waste all of them!

[savbo]

Are Chinese Gooseberries the same as Kiwi Fruit?

Indeed. I have some seed, but never got around to sowing them last year, must remember this year.

I thought kiwi fruit/chinese goosegog is Actinidia? Vietta I think means cape gooseberries?

[AlaninCarlisle]

Celeriac grown in the tunnel were a huge success this year (I tried in vain for several years in open ground but  couldn't get them to swell). I grew about twenty but they ended up insufficient as all my family were clamoring for them. Kohl Rabbi are easy and again are very popular with the family as are Ciogga beetroot. I fancy Chinese Celery, does anyone have a good seed supplier for this, and indeed other unusual crops?

[fluffstermum]

I'm in charge of what we grow on the plot this time (as I bought all the seeds as a gift for the other half, how sneaky of me!   )

So we have a few things we've not grown before -

Swiss Chard (bright lights) because it looks pretty  

Watermelon (if that works) because I love it

Onion (bedfordshire champion) from seed (always used sets before)

Then a few different varieties of the usual veg for fun and experimenting:
 - samurai red carrots
 - graffiti F1 purple cauliflower
 - burpee's golden yellow beetroot

...and some enormous sunflowers (russian giant)

I wanted a more colourful plot this coming year, so I hope that lot does the trick!  :blink:

[shokkyy]

Am I right in thinking that kohl rabit don't need much soil depth? I'm looking for things that I can put in 6" depth beds. And do rabbits go after them?

[AlaninCarlisle]

Am I right in thinking that kohl rabit don't need much soil depth? I'm looking for things that I can put in 6" depth beds. And do rabbits go after them?

I can't imagine that they need too much soil as although they look like a root crop, the bulbous part grows above the surface. As to being attractive to rabbits, I suppose it depends on what else they have to nibble but seeing as Kohl Rabbi are usually grown earlier in the season when loads of other greenery is available to them, they shouldn't be too much of a problem

[Fisherman]

Am I right in thinking that kohl rabit don't need much soil depth? I'm looking for things that I can put in 6" depth beds. And do rabbits go after them?

Just read up about Kohlrabi and it does say they are shallow rooted and need about 8" soil depth therefore you will be able to grow them in your beds but perhaps on 2" mounds to give them the correct depth. It says they are also good for container growing so I may give them a try. Now what do you do with it once its ready for cropping?  


[edited to fix quote]