Bored of cabbages, fed up with runner beans, sick of courgettes? Why not try to grow something a bit more unusual this year. Here are a few I have tried with varying amounts of success.
Samphire, also known as sea asparagus. Usually eaten with fish. It tends to be quite expensive to buy, and not found in all shops. It grows on salt marshes, so you need to create your own mini salt marsh in a pot, and water with salty water. I’ve had some success but I’ve not managed to keep it alive over winter. Available from Marshalls and other vendors.
Ginger. Can be grown in a greenhouse or conservatory in the UK. You can plant supermarket ginger in a pot (choose ginger root with plenty of “eyes”), place in semi shade in a warm spot and harvest in the autumn. I’ve had some success, although the roots were quite small.
Galangal. A cousin of ginger, but with a more spicy, peppery taste. Can be grown in the same way as ginger. Rooted plants can be purchased from Stoke Fire Farm Shop, www.stokefire.co.uk.
Wasabi. Reputed to be one of the harder plants to grow in the UK. It can be grown outside, if protected from frost. It likes shady damp conditions. I grew some last year. Initially, I put it in the greenhouse, which it didn’t like, but once moved to a shady spot it flourished. Wasabi paste in most supermarkets and restaurants is a mix of horseradish, mustard and flour, so if you want the real thing, growing it is about the only cost-effective option. Plants are available from www.thewasabicompany.co.uk .
Tromboncini. These are very long squashes. There is nothing amazing about their flavour, but at over 1m long they make a good talking point. They can be eaten young like courgettes or left to mature and eaten as a winter squash. Seeds available from many vendors.
Picture – Tromboncini growing from my runner bean frame
Strawberry Snow White. As the name implies, this is a white strawberry, which according to Suttons was the sweetest strawberry in their trials. Apparently, it also has an aftertaste of pineapple! It grew well the first year, but didn’t overwinter very well, with only a few plants surviving. Available from Suttons.
Carolina Allspice. The bark can be used as a spice, a bit like allspice in flavour, but be wary the leaves and berries are toxic. It grows quite happily in the UK, and has the benefit of being ornamental. I’ve kept mine alive for a few years now, but not harvested so far. Plants available from many vendors.
Szechuan Pepper. A key ingredient in a lot of Chinese cooking, and easily grown in the UK. The plant is a bit spiky, so plant away from the edges of borders and away from pets and children. Plants available from many vendors.
Wild Garlic (Ramsons). This appeared in my garden without invitation. It is a milder version of commercial garlic. The leaves can be used in place of commercial garlic, and useful in stir fries etc. It can also be used to create a pesto (Ramslökspesto - a Swedish delicacy) which can be an early springtime treat. Make sure it is wild garlic, a number of plants look similar. The garlicy smell is a bit of a giveaway though. It can spread a bit, so you will need to keep control of it.
Picture – wild garlic, as well as being edible, makes a good early spring flower (although a bit smelly!)
Saffron. A very easy crop to grow, a bit fiddly to harvest. Most importantly, make sure you buy saffron crocus bulbs, as the autumn crocus which looks fairly similar is very poisonous. Saffron crocus flowers in the autumn, and you harvest the stigmas just before the flowers open, usually early morning. Dry the stigmas on kitchen towel before storing. I grow mine in two large tubs that get used for sweet peas in the summer. Bulbs available from many vendors.
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