What 'new' fruit or veg are you going to try and grow

[101damnations]

that you haven't attempted before?

I am going to try and grow watermelons.I've got a polytunnel,so hopefully they will ripen.

Anyone else?

Strawberries in a hanging basket. WE are doing them on SUnday. IT's going to be and dd1's little project. We have never grown anything before.

She also wants to plant a purple rose bush and watch that grow. Any tips?

We have no garden, just a large yard with room for lots of pots/baskets.

Ohh-strawberries in baskets are lovely.I do all mine that way so the slugs don't get them.

There is a mauvey purple rose called 'Blue Moon'.No reason it shouldn't do well in a pot.

none - we are consolidating what we know grows well

dh and dd put in two types of toms, two of lettuce, broccoli and beans at the weekend

waiting till easter to do chillis, poppies, night-scented phlox and some random free ones

courgettes
for some reason I've never tried before and I love them
the rest I'm sticking to what we know grows and gets used

I've put in some raspberry canes and a blackcurrant bush and I might try carrots in containers and soem broad beans. None of which I've done before.

I'm going to try Leeks as I heard that they can stay in the ground all winter until needed.

And I've got some cauliflower seedlings on the kitchen window sill.

tis true about leeks. Its one of the reasons I love them

Florence fennel - I've heard it bolts easily but love the taste and so pretty I have to give it a try

Potatoes - never done them before, never had space. Cultivated some more space so trying 10 plants this year.

Different varieties of chillis and tomatoes this year. Swaps and freebies.

And, very excited about this one, some Mara Des Bois strawbs that are like a cross between normal strawbs and alpines, lots of intense flavour but a good size.

Off out there now. Lovely day.........

I really wanted to try Strawberries this season but had heard about the slug problems they can encounter but the hanging basket idea is fantastic ShineyandNew. Thank you for sharing! I tried to grow chilis last year, but it all turned out to be a bit of a lost cause Has anyone got any tips on chili growing? Liz

I am going to try peas, broccoli, spring onions and beetroot - all new to me.

Actually, I would love some quick pea advice if anyone can give it. What is the best thing to have them grow up? trellis? individual sticks or wigwam, like runner beans? And is it best to wait until the seedlings are growing to put supports in place or do you put them in when sowing the seed? Thanks and good luck to all your new ventures.

Hi Dumblesdores Girl love what you're trying out, think i may give beetroot a go too. I have grown peas before though and I found that it was best to put the supports in after the seedlings are starting to grow and reaching out. Good Luck. Liz

Dumbledoresgirl - you can just let them twine round twigs. They don't need to grow upwards like runner beans do.
If you have some sticks lying around just poke them in the ground to form a low sort of frame.
I am growing some round italian courgette type things that look like green footballs.
Just as a change from the long variety!

Trombocino courgettes, tomatoes (Black Krim & Sungold) and spring onions.....

tiddly pom

sorry I'm sorry I couldnt resist the urge

We are growing strawberries from seed for the first time. We usually just buy plants from the garden centre.

Going well so far, the seeds have germinated and the seedlings are at least 5mm high...

not growing this year - spent too much time on it last yrzar for v little return. i find it more frustrating then theraputic. so just herbs, tomatoes for us this year

Thanks for the advice. I am ashamed to say I don't actually know what a pea plant looks like. I was thinking a cross between runner beans and sweet peas.

They are almost identical to sweet peas - they have smaller white flowers.
They have twining stems which means they will twine round whatever is closest.

Japanese wineberry & tayberries. Lemon grass and various oriental veg like choi sum. It's my first year for carrots too, the kids were desperate to grow them.

I luuuurve wineberries. My favourite ever fuit. They gre like weeds at my parents place but I could never get them to take here

Chilli growing - there was a thread on this last week I think. They like heat - both to germinate and whilst growing/ripening. I germinated mine in a heated propagator for the first time this year and every seed took.

If they are kept warm whilst growing and ripening they will also be more fiery to eat, apparently.

I haven't done peas before either but am trying this year on a bean cane that DH is putting up for the climbing beans. I will sow near the cane next month, then as they grow tie/twine them in.

Never heard of wineberries - what are they like?

I cant describe them
like the yummiest raspberrys or blackberries. Really special

they sound very tempting. Do they grow on canes? What sort of soil do they like? We are very well drained and chalky. We grow raspbs, blackcurrants and loganberries OK.

Whatever mammoth onion that we havn't done before. They usually have something unusual. We did asparugus peas last year. Tend to get the plants for the first shot, just wander round the shop until something jumps out at us!

Carrots (well, second attempt - seedlings all disappeared last year), spring onions probably. Also strawberries! I've ordered a few of these trailing ones www.victoriananursery.co.uk/soft_bush_and_cane_fruits/strawberry_rambling_cascade/ and I'm going to put them in last year's potato planter. Trying to stick to things I actually want to eat as have a tiny amount of space.