Are You Growing Any for the 1st Time Ever?

barkeater · March 10, 2008

Each year for the past few now, I've tried growing a vegetable I've never grown before, and found it extremely satisfying. A couple years ago it was Swiss Chard, last year it was Onions, and this year it is Sweetpotatoes.

I love sweetpotatoes, and it will be quite a challenge to get a crop in up here. I'm cutting back on tomatoes a bit so I'll have room for an entire row, about 25 - 30 feet. They will be the last thing I plant, but the first to have the soil prepared.

I find that besides my new tomato varieties, whatever is a first-timer gets most of my attention and excitement.

Does anyone else do this? If so, what vegetable are you growing for the first time? Why?

shelleybean · March 10, 2008

I'm growing field peas for the first time this year. I meant to do it last summer but I just ran out of room (imagine that). I think I can squeeze in one planting between last fall's shallots and garlic and this fall's batch of shallots and garlic.

I'm also growing a little pumpkin. We grew pumpkins in my dad's garden when I was a kid but I have never grown them in my own garden. I think the kids will have fun with that.

I grew sweet potatoes for the first time last year and got hooked. I'll be planting more this year.

cdntomato · March 10, 2008

Bark, sweet potatoes are not a difficult crop to grow where you are. If you want to hook up with the northern sweet potato guru and his publications, please PM me. I coordinated a SP workshop here last winter. We did a taste test of more than 12 varieties successfully grown in the area.

Jennifer, growing cardoon, okra and sorghum for the first time this coming season.

PaulF · March 10, 2008

Trying purple carrots this year.

matereater · March 10, 2008

Garlic, not sure what kind, Andrey sent it to me from Belarus. Am really excited to see how it turns out!!

Worth1 · March 10, 2008

Romaine Lettuce for me so far.
I grew it when I was growing up but I don't think it counts.
It wasn't MY garden.

duajones · March 10, 2008

squash, not for the first time but hopefully for the first time successfully.

gssgarden · March 10, 2008

Garlic and Seedless Watermelons.

I hope the garlic works out. I go through so much sometimes.

Had a yellow seedless melon from a farmstand two years ago and I swore I went to heaven. Great tasting and no seeds. Trying it for the first time ever.

Greg

robin303 · March 10, 2008

Cambell's 1375, It's the new one for me and they sure gone through some rough times. Will waste my time on a giant pumpkin. That ought to be interesting.

salix · March 11, 2008

Hulless wheat, barley, flax and quinoa. Oh yes, lentils. Just trying to see if we can be more self sufficient up here.

cdntomato · March 11, 2008

Salix, seeds from Dan J.? :>)

All of those will do well for you I expect; have several friends doing the 'I'm a hermit writer/artist thing in northern BC' and being Buddhist (veghead, non-hunters), need to be as nutritionally self-sufficient as possible with grains, pulses, etc. Recommend amaranth, also. Am growing all of what you've listed too and for the same reasons. Let's compare notes at season's end.

Jennifer

daninpd · March 11, 2008

I'm trying a bunch of new stuff from a round-robin exchange- different lettuces, tatsoi, okra for the 1st time (it may not grow here), but the most unusual is a Aztec Half Runner Bean. And out of 28 tomato plants the only repeats will be Kellogs Breakfast, Brandywine and Cherokee Purple- the other 25 will all be new to me- I decided it was time to clean house in the tomato patch.

salix · March 11, 2008

Hi Jennifer - Yes, indeed, the seeds are from Salt Spring Island. Am not really expecting to BE self sufficient (at least this year), am just "trialling" them to see how/if/well they all grow. Actually thought about the amaranth, but figured I had enough new stuff for one year. Baby steps. And my DH (a total non-gardener, but who is ever willing to push the wheelbarrow) is going to be totally scandalized when I ask for some help in threshing the grains...

cdntomato · March 11, 2008

Good luck, S. I know what Dan has so I'll definitely be interested in hearing how things do for you. My seed sources are quite different as are the varieties.

Cheers,
Jennifer

pooklette · March 12, 2008

I'm trying lentils for the first time this year. I'm also trying corn for the second time, despite the fact that it was an abysmal failure in our garden last year. It seems like I always have to try more than once with new things. The first year something goes horribly wrong and then the second or third I start to get the hang of it.

I'd like to see the lentils break that streak though...

March 10, 2008	#1
barkeater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b Posts: 1,439	Are You Growing Any for the 1st Time Ever? Each year for the past few now, I've tried growing a vegetable I've never grown before, and found it extremely satisfying. A couple years ago it was Swiss Chard, last year it was Onions, and this year it is Sweetpotatoes. I love sweetpotatoes, and it will be quite a challenge to get a crop in up here. I'm cutting back on tomatoes a bit so I'll have room for an entire row, about 25 - 30 feet. They will be the last thing I plant, but the first to have the soil prepared. I find that besides my new tomato varieties, whatever is a first-timer gets most of my attention and excitement. Does anyone else do this? If so, what vegetable are you growing for the first time? Why?

March 10, 2008	#2
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	I'm growing field peas for the first time this year. I meant to do it last summer but I just ran out of room (imagine that). I think I can squeeze in one planting between last fall's shallots and garlic and this fall's batch of shallots and garlic. I'm also growing a little pumpkin. We grew pumpkins in my dad's garden when I was a kid but I have never grown them in my own garden. I think the kids will have fun with that. I grew sweet potatoes for the first time last year and got hooked. I'll be planting more this year. __________________ Michele

March 10, 2008	#3
cdntomato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Kingston, Ontario Posts: 554	Bark, sweet potatoes are not a difficult crop to grow where you are. If you want to hook up with the northern sweet potato guru and his publications, please PM me. I coordinated a SP workshop here last winter. We did a taste test of more than 12 varieties successfully grown in the area. Jennifer, growing cardoon, okra and sorghum for the first time this coming season. __________________ There is no sincerer love than the love of food. -George Bernard Shaw

March 10, 2008	#4
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	Trying purple carrots this year. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

March 10, 2008	#5
matereater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: S.E. Michigan (Livonia) Posts: 1,264	Garlic, not sure what kind, Andrey sent it to me from Belarus. Am really excited to see how it turns out!! __________________ Steve Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult

March 10, 2008	#6
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Romaine Lettuce for me so far. I grew it when I was growing up but I don't think it counts. It wasn't MY garden.

March 10, 2008	#7
duajones Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Corpus Christi,Texas Z9 Posts: 1,996	squash, not for the first time but hopefully for the first time successfully.

March 10, 2008	#8
gssgarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: N.C. Posts: 1,827	Garlic and Seedless Watermelons. I hope the garlic works out. I go through so much sometimes. Had a yellow seedless melon from a farmstand two years ago and I swore I went to heaven. Great tasting and no seeds. Trying it for the first time ever. Greg

March 10, 2008	#9
robin303 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Austin, TX Zone 8b Posts: 531	Cambell's 1375, It's the new one for me and they sure gone through some rough times. Will waste my time on a giant pumpkin. That ought to be interesting.

March 11, 2008	#10
salix Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: north central B.C. Posts: 2,310	Hulless wheat, barley, flax and quinoa. Oh yes, lentils. Just trying to see if we can be more self sufficient up here.

March 11, 2008	#12
daninpd Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Prunedale, CA Posts: 134	I'm trying a bunch of new stuff from a round-robin exchange- different lettuces, tatsoi, okra for the 1st time (it may not grow here), but the most unusual is a Aztec Half Runner Bean. And out of 28 tomato plants the only repeats will be Kellogs Breakfast, Brandywine and Cherokee Purple- the other 25 will all be new to me- I decided it was time to clean house in the tomato patch.

March 12, 2008	#15
pooklette Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Zone 5 Posts: 262	I'm trying lentils for the first time this year. I'm also trying corn for the second time, despite the fact that it was an abysmal failure in our garden last year. It seems like I always have to try more than once with new things. The first year something goes horribly wrong and then the second or third I start to get the hang of it. I'd like to see the lentils break that streak though...