Things you'll grow again, things you won't

[RogueRose]

I thought this might be an interesting thread. What are some things you'll grow again? What are some things you won't? Either things you really enjoy growing or things you tried to grow and either can't get the hang of or don't particularly enjoy.

On my part, I LOVE to grow:

Corn: I will always grow corn. It probably is my favorite thing to grow. I just love going out and picking a fresh ear and dropping it in a pot or on the grill. It's one of those things that taste best FRESH!

Potatoes: This was a new one for me this year. I just had 3 plants and it wasn't enough! I want to expand my potato growth and grow more. They were a lot easier than I thought I'd be. The whole digging a trench and hilling thing really intimidated me. But it really wasn't that bad.

Arugula - By far my favorite lettuce. Love love love. I wish I could grow this stuff all year round. I seriously cannot get enough of it.

Garlic - this was another "first" for me. I completely messed up. I think I put my cloves in over the summer last summer but they never grew bc the corn grew tall and then the winter came. But hey, I still got nice heads this summer! I need more garlic.

Things I will NOT be doing again:

Beets - at this point, the whole "grows in 50 days" thing is not happening and the beets aren't growing that well. I may try them in another spot and see how they do.

Brussel Sprouts - I like the stuff in the market and they take up SOOO much room! And they were kind of a pain to grow too as they attracted slugs and I had marble-sized then finally when I gave up on them I got decent sized sprouts.

"Mammoth" Snowpeas - way too big. I'll stick with the smaller kind.

Greek Dwarf Basil - it's nice and dense but the sweet basil tastes sooo much better. And makes better pesto.

[hendi_alex]

To grow every year: several varieties of black tomatoes, sweet corn, three kinds of cukes: Asian, pickling, sweet slice, egg plant, jalapenos (extra large varieties), arugula, green beans, squash, zucchini, sweet basil, parsley, cilantro, swiss chard, red kale, collards, broccoli

Rejects: edamame, heading lettuce, marion tomatoes, Celebrity tomatoes, large fruited egg plant, Brandywine tomato

[Bobberman]

I prefer the cylinder beets since they grow above the ground and do not get woody ven in hot weather. I love sunflowers and also letting radish go to flower that brightens up my garden! I guess tomatoes are my favorite because I grow so many types! I plantzucks yellow and green several times a year.. I make cole slaw with Kohlrabi and it has to be one of my favorite both purple and white!=

What I won't plant near the garden is morning glories since they are a real problem the following year growing evwerywhere! There are no vegs that I do not like to plant!

[jal_ut]

One I will not ever plant again = Brussels Sprouts, another = sunroots.

One I am not likely to plant again, but not firm - Eggplant. Don't seem to have enough heat, it never matures before frost.

I usually grow between 35 and 40 varieties each season. I like them all. Corn, beans, potatoes, and squash are the big producers of food. .

[luvthesnapper]

Friggin' brussel sprouts. You beat me too it. I will never again give my attention to that vile weed. Hey brussel sprouts, you take too long to grow, and you don't produce nearly enough food for the effort. You should be ashamed of yourself.

[Bobberman]

I grew the purple brussel sprouts this year and they are 3 feet high and a goodlooking plant. Each plant looks like it will have 5o sprouts or more on it! I too do not like the green ones they do take too long!

[ReptileAddiction]

To grow every year: several varieties of black tomatoes, sweet corn, three kinds of cukes: Asian, pickling, sweet slice, egg plant, jalapenos (extra large varieties), arugula, green beans, squash, zucchini, sweet basil, parsley, cilantro, swiss chard, red kale, collards, broccoli

Rejects: edamame, heading lettuce, marion tomatoes, Celebrity tomatoes, large fruited egg plant, Brandywine tomato

What type of black tomatoes do you use? Mine never turn out black so I have given up on them. They are always red. I didnt have much success/space this year so I will try everything again.

[digitS']

I'm kind of a risk-averse gardener. If it worked well for me once, I'll want to try it again. If it does well for 3 or 4 years, I'm in love . . .



I become convinced that a particular variety is the only way for me to go. I used to grow Green Comet broccoli. Others that I tried didn't do well but I thought I had a winner!! Then, I couldn't find the seed . I went casting about for a few years and came up with Packman. It does just fine! (If the rabbit leaves it alone . . .)

I really like Sweet Chelsea cherry tomatoes. The fruit is just the right size for garden snacking. I'm beginning to have a hard time finding the seed for this hybrid, jumbo cherry! This year, I didn't grow it - I'll be sorry but it is important that I'm not to fixated on something that the seed companies can snatch aways from me, just like that!!

What I like to do is grow a couple varieties of just about everything . . . ha, who am I kidding? I've got the ONE that I want and loyally turn my back on everything else! Okay, what I'd like to do is learn to grow a couple of varieties of just about everything. There. Maybe I can do a little better with that in 2013.

Eggplant!? Try the little guys for short-season areas. I hope mine come thru this year after starting off in a cold spring. There's one that usually does fine: Apple Green. Old variety from the University of New Hampshire - I wouldn't want to face a growing season without it . . . but, I had a good Asian green variety last year so I have both of them. Yeah the Asian one is called "Shoya." Like the name, too .

Sweet potatoes. I grew them once. DW, who grew up where there's almost year-around growing and my dad, who grew up along the Rio Grande, well, they laughed at them . . . Something like that can hurt your feelings. Hardly worth another try.

Steve

[sheeshshe]

Brandywine tomato

I am surprised! did it just not do good or what was the deal with the brandywine? I grew it last year and it was one of my favorites. huge tomatoes and ton ton tons of them, and they were super flavorful. really curious, do tell!

[sheeshshe]

I will 3rd the brussel sprouts. tried it last year, plant got gigantic, sprouts began to form, got to marble size and got eaten alive by cabbage worms. Even if they made it out alive, I still wouldn't grow it again.. takes too long, plant is huge and not enough stuff for the size of the plant.

Also, okra. got it to grow last year, but the hubs said it was too tough. probably beets since I can't get it to grow. AGAIN. I'd say radishes, but they don't take up much space to 'try again next year' LOL!

[hendi_alex]

Black tomato varieties: 'Black', 'Black from Tula', 'Black Krim', 'Chocolate Cherrry', 'Japanese Black Trifele', 'Carbon', 'Black Cherry', and others. They are not really black, but muddy red with dark shoulders and dark flesh. To me the flavor is more complex than with my red tomatoes. The balance of acid to sweet tend to suit me better as well.

'Brandywine': I tried to grow the variety for several years. The tomatoes taste fine, not great but very good. The main problem for me was the very low productivity. Seemed that I was always lucky to get a half dozen tomatoes off of a vine before it would start to decline from summer heat and disease.

[mscratch]

beets, no one eats them but myself about once a year but they did make a lovely filler in the flower bed..broccoli because I don't have the room actually and the worms get it. Sun Gold tomatoes definitely as they are the first to ripen.

[lorax]

Definite repeats:
Tomate de Arbol 'Rojo' and 'Dorado', Tomatoes 'Cherokee Purple', 'Fresa de Loja,' 'Sweet 100' and 'San Marzano Lunghi F1,' all forms of non-heading lettuce, particularly Red Oaktag, and all herbs especially Greek basil (not for pesto, but for tomato sauces and tzatziki). Rattlesnake beans. Hops.

Never. Again:
Kohlrabi. Sweet corn from northern latitudes (although granted I'll probably keep bashing my head against that wall for a while yet - I want sweet corn so badly.)

[RogueRose]

Fun! I'm loving this thread just as much as I thought I would!

[The Bearded Farmer]

Varieties I love...

String Beans- Velour (purple)
Broccoli- Definatly Packman... does well every year
Tomatos- Black Cherry and Cherokee Purple heirlooms
Onions- Stuttgaurd or yellow spanish
Carrots- Scarlett Nantes
Potatos- Irish cobblers and red norlands are my favs

Varieties I don't like...
Dicicco Brocoli- Takes long and doesn't do well in heat here.
Any kind of peas- I like them when I can get them to germinate but we have very wet springs and they tend to rot first.
Super sweet 100s tomatos- Good tasting and good producers but they are just too small for my liking.

[gumbo2176]

I will 3rd the brussel sprouts. tried it last year, plant got gigantic, sprouts began to form, got to marble size and got eaten alive by cabbage worms. Even if they made it out alive, I still wouldn't grow it again.. takes too long, plant is huge and not enough stuff for the size of the plant.

Also, okra. got it to grow last year, but the hubs said it was too tough. probably beets since I can't get it to grow. AGAIN. I'd say radishes, but they don't take up much space to 'try again next year' LOL!

I love Brussels Sprouts and will grow them every fall. They do well in my growing conditions and I get some lower sprouts to grow to the size of a half dollar with the upper fruit being the size of large marbles. The upper ones I pickle in a Bread & Butter brine.

Okra is only tough if you allow it to remain on the plant too long. If you cut into the okra and you hear a crunch similar to cutting stalks of celery, they were left on the plant a day or so too long. I pick okra daily when the pods are 5-6 inches long for nice tender fruit that is great for pickling, frying, stewing, steaming and grilling.

[gumbo2176]

[quote="RogueRose"]Things I will NOT be doing again:

Beets - at this point, the whole "grows in 50 days" thing is not happening and the beets aren't growing that well. I may try them in another spot and see how they do.



Some folks don't know that the "seed" you plant for beets is actually a small cluster of seeds and they need to be thinned to make a good crop of beets. I have tried 2 methods of thinning and one is more time consuming but it offers a good yield of beets.

You can simply pinch some of the plants stems to get rid of them or use some small scissors to cut the stems to thin. My method is to gently dig under the cluster, gently separate the plants and transplant about 4 inches apart in all directions. I'll have about 80% of the plants survive this type transplanting. After doing this, I keep them well watered until they recover.

This years beet crop was one of the best I've had and my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed them fresh and I also have several jars put up for later use.

[hendi_alex]

Both beets and Swiss Chard have this cluster of seeds habit. I as well gently lift and transplant with very good survival rates.

[Bobberman]

I will try to get ome pictures of my purple russel sprouts. The plant would make a nice placement in a flower bed its that pretty with huge side leaves! My other new plant for this year the kosak kohlrabi is also huge with big cabbage type leaves surrounding the plant and already a 6 inch bulb! It will get to the size of a small cabbage! I have a section of my larger 40 by100 garden with only mixed radish that has gone to seed. The area about 10 by 10 has all these radish with white and pink flowers and tons of bees and butterflies all around! From a distance it is just perfect. The background about 50 feet has a aea of sunflowers all opening and looking like a small forest with flowers! I can't wait till they all open! I like this topic also so lets hear what is new for you or what you will discard for next year?

[RogueRose]

I've thinned mine out....they're still not growing correctly. It might be the location I put them....I will have to try them somewhere else. I'm not QUITE ready to give up on them yet.

[farmerlon]

...Rejects: edamame, heading lettuce, marion tomatoes, Celebrity tomatoes, large fruited egg plant, Brandywine tomato ...

Where other tomatoes typically do great in my garden, I have had low production and disease issues with the standard 'Pink Brandywine' tomato. I may search out a different "strain" of Brandywine next year, Or, I might even have a try at grafting Pink Brandywine to a disease resistant rootstock.

[farmerlon]

I'm not sure why I keep growing an Eggplant (or two) every year. I believe that is about the only thing that I just don't seem to get excited about.
I should probably dump that one... not sure why I haven't.

[gumbo2176]

I'm not sure why I keep growing an Eggplant (or two) every year. I believe that is about the only thing that I just don't seem to get excited about.
I should probably dump that one... not sure why I haven't.

What variety do you grow? I grow a couple different ones each year and have found that the Ichiban does real well and so does the white globe that gets between the size of a baseball and softball when ready to pick. I've had less success with the Black Beauty that you see in most markets.

I use the Ichiban and other cucumber shaped varieties for grilling and the larger ones I either fry or make casseroles out of them.

My eggplant are taking off right now in this hot weather, but were very slow getting there.

[sheeshshe]

Black tomato varieties: 'Black', 'Black from Tula', 'Black Krim', 'Chocolate Cherrry', 'Japanese Black Trifele', 'Carbon', 'Black Cherry', and others. They are not really black, but muddy red with dark shoulders and dark flesh. To me the flavor is more complex than with my red tomatoes. The balance of acid to sweet tend to suit me better as well.

'Brandywine': I tried to grow the variety for several years. The tomatoes taste fine, not great but very good. The main problem for me was the very low productivity. Seemed that I was always lucky to get a half dozen tomatoes off of a vine before it would start to decline from summer heat and disease.

must be the climate? I am in a much different area and we had SOOOO many tomatoes on them and they were huge! just like my inlaws in NC, they grow german johnson each and every year, I tried growing them here, they were gross and definitely not productive LOL

[hobbyfarmer]

What a great question!
The one thing I will never grow again: Borage! Pretty plant with purple edible flowers but will grow enormous here in the NW and reseeds forever and ever!
Glad my goats and chickens love it!
I grow Black Krim and Black from Tula tomatoes every year, sometimes they don't bear well but they always grow and they taste so good!

[nathan125]

won;t grow swiss chard,peppers from seeds(never get big enough).
I mostly grow melons, tomatoes, onions.

[rainbowgardener]

Wow... I've never seen anyone put swiss chard on a give up on list before. Why is that?

Swiss chard is my all time favorite thing to grow. The only thing in my garden that is productive from before the last frost, all the way through the heat of summer, continuing past the first fall frost. And nothing bothers it, it doesn't get diseases, it just sits there and grows and grows...

And I'm in love with growing garlic. This is only my second year for growing it, but it is so easy and so productive in a small space, can be tucked in around the edges of everything.

I always grow tomatoes, even though they are somewhat of a struggle in my climate, being disease prone, just because they are SOOO good, make you never want to eat store bought again.

Celery and parsley are like that too - so good from the garden, they are like a different vegetable from the tasteless store ones. I didn't even think I liked parsley until I started growing it.

Give up on: Head lettuce, sometimes zucchini because of the squash vine borers (I'm trying it again this year, if it fails again, I'll give up again for a few years), sweet corn, partly because I don't have room for it, but even when I did, you would have to grow it inside a safe deposit box or something to keep every critter in the world from eating it.

[sheeshshe]

I will 3rd the brussel sprouts. tried it last year, plant got gigantic, sprouts began to form, got to marble size and got eaten alive by cabbage worms. Even if they made it out alive, I still wouldn't grow it again.. takes too long, plant is huge and not enough stuff for the size of the plant.

Also, okra. got it to grow last year, but the hubs said it was too tough. probably beets since I can't get it to grow. AGAIN. I'd say radishes, but they don't take up much space to 'try again next year' LOL!

I love Brussels Sprouts and will grow them every fall. They do well in my growing conditions and I get some lower sprouts to grow to the size of a half dollar with the upper fruit being the size of large marbles. The upper ones I pickle in a Bread & Butter brine.

Okra is only tough if you allow it to remain on the plant too long. If you cut into the okra and you hear a crunch similar to cutting stalks of celery, they were left on the plant a day or so too long. I pick okra daily when the pods are 5-6 inches long for nice tender fruit that is great for pickling, frying, stewing, steaming and grilling.

I picked them at all different sizes because I had read that. even the 3 inch ones he complained about! they just did weird I guess. they were suppsoed to get 6 inches long before picking, so said the packet.

[digitS']

I don't know that I have ever grown Swiss chard. Mom took care to drive any interest in it out of my being, when I was a kid.

I have grown perpetual spinach which is a close relative but it is also a close relative of beets, which I always enjoy when they are small and can be eaten with their tops. The perpetual spinach had a lot of problems from leaf miners & slugs, much more so than the beets but I'd be willing to grow it again.

Asian greens, and a good deal of them, have been in my garden for over 20 years. Baby bok choy is easy to grow, except when the weather turns hot & dry, and is perfect for stir-fries.

Steve

[gardenvt]

Eggplant - Rosa Bianca & Beatrice
Peppers - Carmen,
Onions - cippollini types, Ailsa Craig, Red Zeppelin (Copra & Redwing next year)
Kale - Toscano, Winterbor, Redbor
Lettuce - Tom Thumb, Lolla Rossa, Black Seeded Simpson
Brussel Sprouts
Shallots - gotta have my shallots.
Herbs - Lemon Thyme, Greek Oregano, Rosemary, Parsley, Tarragon, chives, garlic chives

Tomatoes - Sungold, Suncherry, Sweetie, Black Prince, Cherokee Purple, Kellogg's Breakfast, Aunt Ruby's German Green, Omar, Paul Robeson & Rose which rivals Brandywine - I like its flavor and beautiful shape.

Garlic, Baby Limas, Turnip, celery, celeriac (celery root) radish & carrots are all new to me this year and, so far, I think I would do them all again.

What I won't grow is Black Krim, Black from Tula, German Stripe, Green Zebra, Stupice, Brandywine, Borage, Romaine lettuce, Sweet Chocolate Pepper, Broccoli, Cilantro (bolts too quickly) & plain thyme.

[gardenvt]

Basil - Genovese

I make lots of pesto for the freezer.

[RogueRose]

I'm gonna add to my list - "Bonnie Original" Tomato - I found the tag. These are the only ones of mine that are BERing.

[PunkRotten]

Gardenvt - Curious why you won't grow black krim ,green zebra, and chocolate bell? Also have you tried planting cilantro in the fall? It grows really well for me during that time. But have tried growing it during Spring and summer and it bolts too fast.

[dtlove129]

Hmmm, well it's too early on my tomatoes to say yet. All the plants look good and all have several green fruits. I have 7 rutgers, 3 early girl, and 8 or 9 brandywines.

Again too early on my winter squashes, but they look good (butternut and spaghetti).

I'll probably do less zucchini next year because we have it coming out of our ears right now.

I know from here on out I'll do pickling cukes, because ours have turned out much better this year.

Less sweet corn next year because I'm tired of fighting the raccoons.

The only thing that I'm probably not going to grow next year is cauliflower. I haven't had much luck with it the last 2 years. It wants to bolt too early.

So I will plant in some variety:
squashes, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, carrots, lettuce, cukes, okra, broccoli.

I may not grow eggplant next year because I'm not sure how much of it we'll eat this year.

Oh and I may not grow a giant pumpkin next year because the dang thing is taking over. I bet it has 2 vines running out 15 feet each way right now.

[farmerlon]

What variety do you grow? I grow a couple different ones each year and have found that the Ichiban does real well and so does the white globe that gets between the size of a baseball and softball when ready to pick. I've had less success with the Black Beauty that you see in most markets.

I use the Ichiban and other cucumber shaped varieties for grilling and the larger ones I either fry or make casseroles out of them. ....

I've tried several Eggplant varieties through the years; but I will keep an eye out for the Ichiban that you mentioned.
I don't have any trouble growing eggplant, I just don't seem to get all that excited about eating it.

[rainbowgardener]

"I don't have any trouble growing eggplant, I just don't seem to get all that excited about eating it."

Yeah, that shapes my list too. I don't grow eggplant because I don't like to eat it. I don't grow beets, even though I love them, because no one else in the family will eat them...

[gardenvt]

PR, I tried growing Black Krim 3 years in a row and only once did the plant survive diseases. The tomato was too soft and tasteless compared to the others that we grew.

A friend gave us a Green Zebra plant and it had too many tomatoes - we didn't like them. We bought some from the Farmer's Market. We didn't like them. We bought some at the Health Food store and we still didn't like them. It is a matter of taste so if you like them, enjoy them. I met someone checking out at a Garden center that next year and he had a wagon full of Green Zebra - said it was the only tomato he and his wife grew. My favorite tomatoes are Sungold, Black Prince & Rose.

When you grow a pepper as delicious and productive as Carmen, it is hard for something else to compete. Truth is, the chocolate pepper just don't produce well here.

The cilantro bolts so early in the season that I hardly have a chance to use it but really like it. So, I will try the cilantro this fall when it is cooler - perhaps that is all that is needed. Thanks for the tip.

[RogueRose]

I plant my cilantro in a planter and plant it 3-4 weeks apart. As soon as I get some true leaves on the ones I planted, I'll sow some more. This way I'll always have some cilantro.

[SOB]

Since we seem to be on the subject of cilantro...I like to grow it more for the seed (coriander) than the cilantro leaves. So when I do plant it I use the leaves as needed and then collect and dry the coriander for use in BBQ rubs, beers I brew, etc. Toast up a little coriander, crush it and use it as a beautiful orange-y, spicy additive to just about anything!

[digitS']

Beer with coriander, I've had that! Should try to make a little more use of that herb . . .

I can understand not liking cilantro but, the smell of it makes me hungry. Trying to get new sowings as late in the summer as possible is challenging. Growing eggplant is challenging for me, also. I suppose that I'd otherwise put it in about the same category as potatoes. Well , kind of like growing pasta.

Yes, Basil - Genovese! I've got 3 Genovese varieties this year. Still trying to decide if I want to make purple pesto . . . have been advised that the dark basils are useful dried, however.

Steve