It’s that time of year again. We are all getting the itch to get started on our annual Summer vegetables. Depending on where you live, that can be anywhere from February, further South, to possibly June, the further North you go. But hey, you can still start planning. While some people think of gardening, and think, oh no, let someone else do that.
But us gardeners love it, Getting down on your knees, smelling that dirt, pulling weeds, and seeing all your hard work pay off is very invigorating. Also, nothing takes your mind off all your troubles like gardening, whether it is flowers or vegetables.
Those of us who are seasoned gardeners love a fresh challenge. WE try vegetables that we never grew before, like Brussel sprouts, or asparagus, instead of easy ones, tomatoes, peppers, onions and more. But what about international vegetables? These would be fun, rewarding, and great to try new recipes in.
Some vegetables can only grow in warmer climates, such as the countries they are from. If you want to grow these varieties, you will have to live in the South, sometimes preferably the deep South, such as Texas or Florida. If you are not familiar, some international vegetables grow to huge proportions, I remember as a youngster passing by an Italian neighbor, straight from Italy. He always had large vegetables. The Orientals grow huge cucumber type vegetables. With this in mind, you will need stronger supports.
If you live in Texas, specifically the Dallas area, look for landscaping supplies in Dallas Texas to find all your gardening needs. For some vegetables like the Oriental cucumber you won’t be able to just use string to let the vines and cucumber grow on, it will need to be wood structures, heavy-duty metal, or even supported lattice fencing.
You might want to set aside a special spot for your international vegetables. This way you can pay special attention to their unique needs and growing habits. Maybe have some raised gardens, which means you will have to take a trip to your local store for landscaping supplies in Dallas Texas, to get things like plastic, wood, screws, and good soil.
Some unique vegetables to try for your garden are as follows. Black radish, usually grown in Europe, but you can grow your own. They are more pungent than regular red ones. You can’t eat them raw, as they have a very strong flavor like horseradish. You can shred them into salads and other recipes for an added unique taste. Do you like colorful dishes? Try the Okinawan or Japanese sweet potato. When sliced it has an apple color appearance. While it tastes the same, it needs to be cooked longer, but the presentation will be beautiful.
Ramps, although not an international vegetable, grow wild in the mountains of North America, like Canad, and Tennessee, and North Carolina, where they are a specialty. YOu can try to tame them and put them in your garden, for a unique onion to add to your recipes. Want to add something really unique and pretty at the same time? Try growing the Romanesco broccoli, which originally hails from Italy. It has a beautiful geometrical mathematical design, which will have all your friends in awe,
One final vegetable to note is the “Dragon Carrot”. This is another to add for color, but also its unique tastes, which can range from sweet to spicy. Grown and cooked just like a regular carrot, it just has a little more “oomph”. Get started on your international vegetable garden today, and start enjoying more recipes and colors with them.