Garden Chat

By Carmon Frick           Sprouts Greenhouse           

Are you the type of gardener that plants the same reliable standbys every summer, or are you the type who is constantly in search of something new to try?  Most of us are probably somewhere in between, relying on what we know works for us, while throwing in a little something new once in a while, just for fun.

I challenge you all to grow something new, something unusual, or something that puts a new twist on what you normally grow.

I am constantly attracted to new & unusual things in the plant world & there are not only 100’s of new selections introduced every year, but there are endless old unusual heirlooms that are fantastic and most of us have never seen them before. (check out www.heritageharvestseeds.com if you are interested in Heirlooms)

Here are some of my favorite “new” that are soon to become my “tried & true” in the vegetable garden.

“Japanese Black Trifele” Tomato won my best taste award, as well as most productive, both in and out of the greenhouse last year. This Heirloom produced beautiful medium sized, mahogany colored, pear shaped fruit quite unlike the normal round red we are used to.

“Red currant” was another favorite Heirloom tomato, producing tiny intense flavored, currant sized tomatoes & I swear it was impossible to slow it down no matter how much neglect & abuse I handed it.

Patti pan summer squash like “Sunburst” look like mini bright yellow spaceships & have totally replaced zucchini in my garden, with more flavor & personality.

For ornamentals, how about trying some tropical looking specimens to add some flare to your plantings this year. Canna is one of my favorites in this area. They have big tropical looking leaves on plants that can grow up to 6’ tall, depending on the species you pick.

Sticking with that topical theme are Colocasia or Giant Elephant Ears & Castor bean. Both are large plants with big leaves that will remind you of that holiday you had in the warm tropics.

Need some room for all the new plants you are going to try this year?

Stay tuned next week to see how to turn a patch of lawn into a garden bed, without breaking your back!