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Post by daylilydude on Sept 24, 2017 12:32:43 GMT -5
How much of your garden is fruits/vegetables that you have never tried... new varieties??
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Post by paulf on Sept 24, 2017 14:40:30 GMT -5
After 45 years of gardening I guess I am stuck in a rut and only grow what we like or will eat. Experimentation has gone by the wayside years ago. This year I purchased a 4-pack of kohlrabi thinking it was cabbage (didn't pay enough attention) and planted it out. My dad grew and liked it...I did not. Guess what? I still don't like it. Didn't take up much space but still a waste.
Several years ago we planted some thornless blackberries and they are doing fine. What a great addition. In my limited area we have planted several fruit trees and they are just beginning to bear fruit. We have our eyes on an adjoining property that has a perfect site for a small orchard space. If we get it the time for fruit experimentation will begin again.
Since tomatoes are my main crop I always reserve space for new-to-me varieties. Of the space allotted, thirty-five tomato plants, usually five or six will be new-to-me varieties. Same with the dozen pepper plants. Four or five will be varieties I have not grown before or for a long time.
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Post by paquebot on Sept 24, 2017 15:23:36 GMT -5
Of the 84 tomato varieties originally started this year, 81 were new. Several more were started later to replenish seed stocks. There were several new Brussels sprouts, cabbage, onions, peppers, and potatoes.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by spike on Sept 24, 2017 16:30:15 GMT -5
This year, a good 90%. Dang seed swaps anyway lol. Next year I am back to the usual but I had to try some new stuff. I was able since I still had a goodly amount left put by from last year.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Sept 24, 2017 22:00:06 GMT -5
Tomatoes are the ones I try the most new varieties of, since I'm always looking for more heat resistant, disease resistant, and flavorful varieties. Peppers and eggplants I also try new ones of each year, but, when I find a new "keeper", that I simply have to grow from then on, there's less room for new ones next year, unless I drop one of the old favorites. In fact, that's the problem with any of them!
As far as totally new things, I have tried so many veggies and herbs that I seldom find a new one that sounds interesting! However, I'm still looking for some fruits that I can grow here. Most either like it cooler, or grow on trees, which is not an option here! tradewindsfruit.com often has some very interesting and unusual items, and I check them out frequently.
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Post by horsea on Sept 25, 2017 3:21:12 GMT -5
Of the 84 tomato varieties originally started this year, 81 were new. O.M.G...
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Post by ladymarmalade on Sept 25, 2017 9:59:30 GMT -5
I always grow a ton of new-to-me peppers for our annual pepper tasting (which didn't happen this year). This year I scaled back to just a dozen new ones over last years 20+. With tomatoes it is harder to find that balance of wanting to try new varieties while also growing some favorites. This year I was at 50/50 for new ones for me. Next year it might be less, because I had a really great variety of tomatoes this year.
Other veg, I'm always trying. This year I tried several different new to me varieties of kale, and I'm pleased with them all so they were worth the gamble. However, some of the new varieties of carrot did not work so well and I'm regretting giving that space to those.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Sept 25, 2017 10:36:09 GMT -5
Most of my tomatoes are new-to-me each year, though there are some favorites that I repeat often, like Rebel Yell.
For the past couple of years I've been growing a bunch of new-to-me peppers, too, but I think I will scale those back next year.
New pepper varieties are are fun to grow, but my family and I are real pepper wimps for any but the very mildest chiles. So I have found over the years that most of the peppers I grew expecting them to be mild enough turned out to be too hot for me to enjoy. So pretty much just the mildest jalepenos are what I actually use. Though I might grow some Shishito again. Those are good sauteed every now and again, though I am the only person in the house that eats them.
In terms of sweet peppers, honestly tasty bells in a few colors for fresh use + freezing, plus a little stuffing pepper or two (I really enjoyed Sheepnose this year for cute little stuffed pepper appetizers), and maybe a snacker type and/or Doux Long d'Antilbes for munching with dip would cover nearly all of the culinary bases for me.
I like try at least one new-to-me edible plant outside of peppers and tomatoes each year, too. In 2017 that was Roselle. I haven't picked next year's experimental edible yet.
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Post by paquebot on Sept 25, 2017 19:49:57 GMT -5
Interesting that you mentioned Rebel Yell. May have done well for you but I would never grow it again. Plus is that it tastes well, good size, and decent production. Minus is that I brought home the first ripe fruit today. With our average first frost date about now, this is bonus time and Rebel Yell could have been dead without a single ripe fruit.
Horse, 84 varieties sound like a lot? It was 108 in 2013. Began last season with a backlog of about 450 varieties. Started this with about the same and have added almost as many as planted. Too many varieties, not enough years!
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Sept 26, 2017 10:19:21 GMT -5
There are a lot of anecdotes around about Rebel Yell being aptly named, since it seems to do better down South. In my experience it doesn't really get going until it is exposed to some heat. Having said that, I know someone near Ottowa who is getting nice fruit from his this year, despite the cool and wet weather lingering later than usual in his area this year. Go figure. ![::)](//storage.proboards.com/3247375/images/5fgItcrHDrgPaoOqpS2a.png)
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Post by paulf on Sept 26, 2017 11:13:16 GMT -5
My past experience with Rebel Yell was that it was fairly low in production and very good in flavor. So far this year the harvest has been very good (about 20 pounds of fruit from 30 tomatoes) and still going strong. Another week or so will most likely be the end of production for RY here. We are north quite a ways but not like Wisconsin north, and our first ripe one was in the first week of August. This is a keeper no matter the numbers of the past.
Over the years we have many varieties considered "must grow every year" that the space for newbies is being 'squozed' down.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Sept 26, 2017 15:24:17 GMT -5
Well, this return to summer has reinvigorated the tomato patch! I have fruit ripening all over the place, and all the sudden there are new greenies hanging where there were previously none. Speaking of Rebel Yell, while it wasn't my most productive, it has been giving me tomatoes for a full month now, and I just picked two big ones this morning to add to the saucepot. I am certain it loves it in the south though, because the heat wave has brought it back to full vigor and there are new tomatoes all over. Dr. Wyche's Yellow has behaved very similarly and I've always considered it a southern diva. But I still love it.
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Post by september on Sept 26, 2017 16:22:53 GMT -5
I am farther north than most, and I grow Rebel Yell every year - probably my 3rd or 4th year, it is that good. I don't find it any later than most of the other larger sized tomatoes, which start here in mid August. It is earlier than the Brandywines for me.
Now back to the question of the day - I have about 6 tomato favorites that I like to grow every year, the rest are all new, somewhere near 40-50 total varieties each year. I try to grow two plants of each, except for the cherries that only get one plant each. I always try a few new sweet peppers. I'll always grow Fortex for my pole bean, but I'll try new bush beans every few years. I try some new things like celery, bok choy, leeks in rotation every few years. New lettuces (besides my all time favorite Nevada) every year. I love to try new things, so the only question is what old thing am I willing to give up in the raised bed space.
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