Minature veggies

[Andrey_BY]

Jeannine,

Kalibos is my favorite from red cabbages, but it will definately gives you huge heads as I always get here from this Czech variety

[Jeannine Anne]

Oh, maybe I shouldn't sow them then...I want a small one.

By the way.. did you look at the West Coast Seed online catalogue yet.. I have an order waiting to get from them.

XX Jeannine

[Andrey_BY]

Jeannine,

you've got a PM)

[BackyardFarm]

Originally Posted by Starlight

A few types:

Cabbage
Baby head... A small minature head that is only 3" across packed with flavor.
Carrots
Short n' Sweet, Tiny Sweet... Orange carrots ranging from 21/2" to 3" long.
Corn
Golden Midget... This cultivar only gets a few feet tall yet produces about 5" ears.
Cucumber
Bush Crop... A compact patio type plant with 8" cukes for slicing.
Eggplant
Hansel or Gretel...Compact plants where fruit can be picked from 3" to 10" lengths.
Bambino... Small, dark fruits that are great for shish-ka-bobs.
Peas
Sugar Daddy... A 2' tall plant that produces loads of snap peas.
Tomatoes
Tiny Tim and Tumblin' Tom... Cherry type tomatoes great in containers or hanging baskets.



If you google miniature or midget vegetable seeds, there are lots of them out there now a days.

I grew Hansel, Gretel, and Fairytale in my front flower bed last year. They all stayed nice and compact. Not much production...but here I get way better from eggplants in pots. Cute little plants though. And the fruits were small enough to grill whole or cut in half.

[BackyardFarm]

Originally Posted by habitat_gardener

Pixie cabbage
I grew it a couple years ago. Each one was larger than a grapefruit, just perfect for eating out of hand like an apple! For a while I was picking one every day or so, until one day I arrived at the community garden to discover the rats (I assume) had found them. At that point, I picked the remaining ones.
I planted more seed this year, but only got one.

Honey Nut butternut squash
I got some at a farmers' market. They're darker in color than typical butternuts, same shape, but a pound or less each. I've been meaning to grow these.

Mouse Melon
Not a true cucumber, and something of a novelty, but fun to grow. They're less than an inch long.

I've been meaning to grow the Honey Nut butternut squash too. It's just me and the dh so we have a hard time getting through a whole big squash!

Mouse melons are also known as Mexican Sour Gerkins. They make adorable little whole pickles.

Gold Nugget is a small squash that tastes like pumpkin. Easy to grow.

I'm also growing some Jack Be Little mini pumpkins this year. You can scoop them out and stuff them for an individual sized meal.

[BackyardFarm]

Originally Posted by bower

I have to jump in and second the Hakurei turnips. The first time I tasted them i thought they were like melons. I grow them every year, they are not much more than 30 days, and they are sweet! But i did have some that got overlooked one summer, and yes, they developed a more turnipy taste. So do try them again, they're the best.

I was the one who mentioned them. I've never grown them myself only bought them at the market, this will be the first year. They are very sweet! I like them raw in a salad. Super yummy and no bite!

I'll be growing them this year, so thank you for that info, bower. I'll remember to keep them picked often and when small to keep that sweet taste.

Jeannine Anne, have you tried roasting or sauteeing radishes if you don't like spicy? Both of those cooking methods make radishes lose their bite. I only suggest you try it because radishes are one of my favorite small veg to grow.

[Jeannine Anne]

Oh lots of info there, thank you. Some of the varieties you have mentioned I have but there are other folks here that seem interested so the lists are great and super to keep.

I have found a mini savoy now, a friend is sending it from the UK, it is called Caserta, there is a squash by the same name but the savoy is right. I also put in an order to a UK firm yesterday for some other veggies and they , some miniature lettuces that I have grown for years, Tom Thumb and Little Gem and a new to me one called Mini green which is a little head one. I found a celery called Celebrity and I chose an eggplant called Baby Bell. I got the miniature broccoli Kabuki, Bush Baby marrow/zucchini and I found a cauliflower that is great as a baby called Freedom. and I have one called Igloo coming from another source . I also got Mini Pop corn but am unsure about that one.

So I think I am all set. In the greenhouse I will have full sized tomato plants and a baby cuke, plus my peppers and eggplant so fingers crossed .. Oh and potatoes I am doing in tubs.

Today it is sunny so I may go out and pop in some carrots and do a few things out there if I can.

It is going to be an interesting season, the first one in over 50 years I am completely on my own and as I have physical problems it has to be a light weight one. It will be the first time I am completely gardening at home as I gave up my community plots last year, and the first one where I am very limited for space and sun, plus the need for smaller veggies as there is just me to feed. all that being said it is an adventure.

I will post my exact list of varieties chosen a but later as I get them in.

Thank you all for your wonderful help.

XX Jeannine

[Jeannine Anne]

Hi again, Backyard Farm, I haven't tried the radishes cooked. I do eat a few radishes as long as they are right from the garden but I will try the cooked ones too.

Some of the squash you mentioned I know ell, I was a squash collector for many years. I grew the jack be Little and his sister the white one scrambling over a fence, they looked very pretty. Gold Nugget is an old favourite, it still kaes a decent sized bush but not a vine and very productive. I shall be growing 1 winter squash as I want to keep my seeds going but I am going to trail it down the side of the lawn. It is Mayoral Blue. I gave seeds to Tania a few years ago and I think she sells it now. Very rare. The info I gave Tania with the seeds is on her site.

Now I just have to find a home for all my veggie stash that isn't miniature LOL

XX Jeannine

[clkeiper]

Jeannine the cabbage is called "Primero" I have them in the envelope and ready to go to the post office. I bought them from HPS.

[Jeannine Anne]

I have looked it up and it seems ideal, thank you so much. May I send you something in return or postage at least.

XX Jeannine

[taboule]

Great thread that I will file for reference.

Only thing i can contribute is a small cabbage Earliana, always enjoyed it. Not a micro, but smaller than regular, early and tasty, and keeps well in the fridge after you cut it.

[Deborah]

I've put this thread in Favorites too. Jeannine Anne, rhubarb mousse? I hope you'll post the recipe. I'm not a good cook but I'd force myself to make this!

[clkeiper]

Nah... Just pass it on to the next person who needs something. Thanks though. I always appreciate when someone can send something without waiting on a sase. I hope these are good. I haven't tried them but they are up at the 2 leaf stage now so hopefully I will have them for one of my early markets.

[Jeannine Anne]

clkeiper, thank you, you just dive in if I mention anything you would like.

I have just found a smaller size Brussels sprout in the UK called Early Half Tall, it is on it's way as we speak with the other cauliflower I was looking for which is Igloo.


Rhubarb Mousse.. well I don't have a recipe as such but this is how I do it.

Simmer the rhubarb till very soft in very little water, just a tiny bit to get it going, sweeten it a bit use , aim for about 1 cup full when finished. Don't over water it. When done blast it in your blender if you have one, if not it doesn't matte.

I then use Jello, you can use gelatin if you wish but you would need to use more sugar and I find the color is great, use raspberry or strawberry. Make up the Jello with half the water it calls for then add about half cup whipping cream, mix then add the ruhubarb mixture, stir and chill and that's it.

When I make it I double the recipe. If you are concerned about the amount of cream you can use less just adjust the water content .

Don't add too much water to the rhubarb or you will hav etoo much fluid and the Jello won't set. Enjoy.

[Jeannine Anne]

I think this may be my list.

CABBAGES. Savoy Caserta, Minicole round green, Red will be Primero, pointy called Caraflex
CAULIFLOWER, Igloo and Freedom
BRUSSEL SPROUTS. Early Half Tall
BROCCOLI .Kabuki
PEPPERS. Winnie the Pooh
EGGPLANT. Baby Bell
ZUCHINNI. Bush Baby and or Patio Star. I shall also grow Magda which is a must for ne,, my cousa one
CUCUMBER. Pony plus another two regular size maybe
WINTER SQUASH. Gold Nugget, plus a vining Mayoral Blue which is not very big
CELERY. Celebrity
PAK CHOI. Toy Choi
SPINACH. Seaside and Space
GARLIC is one I have grown for years so sort of my garden garlic now
PEAS, Champion of England growing up a trellis. Little Marvel in a pot
RUNNER BEANS. Not sure yet. I think I will do a mix with different color flowers on a trellis
BUSH BEANS. Mascotte
LETTUCE. Tom Thumb. Little Gem. Minigreen
TURNIPS. Hakurei
KALE. Improved Dwarf Siberian. Dwarf Green Curled
POTATOES. still not sure
TOMATOES. lots of varieties in greenhouse + plus some Micros for later in the year
CARROTTS, Mokum.Parisienne
LEEKS. not sure, left it a bit late will have to buy plants
PARSIPS. Gladiator. not dwarf but OK
BEETS. Cylindra
RUTABAGA.. still not sure
ONIONS Walla Walla

Then I shall have a bunching green onion, a radish and I will have some PSB for later in the year I hope.. Then my perennial cauliflower Nine Star and my perennial kale Daubentons

Plus lots of tomatoes including some Micros fort later in the year.
I have also to find room in the greenhouse for 1 melon because I really need to regrow these seeds otherwise I risk losing the variety. It is Hero Of Lockinge, very old rare UK one

XX Jeannine