It’s a new season, time for a new garden, and maybe it is time to try a new edible. Each year there are more and more edible plants to try. One of the big trends is that many of the new edibles can be grown in containers, which is great if you do not have much space to grow your plants.
Here are six different plants we wanted to introduce you too:
Baby Cauliflower
Baby Cauliflower is the smallest and cutest cauliflower available. Baby White cauliflower is the young petite version of its mature counterpart. It is made up of tightly bound clusters of florets that form a petite head. The plant presents a compact curd in a small pot. Both the curd and the leaves are ideal for cooking, frying and as a healthy snack.
Everleaf Emerald Towers
This Genovese basil has been bred to flower up to 8 weeks later than other varieties. This dark green, glossy-leafed basil has a mild light flavor. It is ideal for container or in-ground planting. It will start blooming in the spring and you will have a huge harvest of leaves throughout the summer. It will grow 12 – 20 inches tall and 10-16 inches wide. Use it in a Caprese salad or chop it up and infuse the leaves in oil for a bright dressing.
Lemon Drop Squash
This small lemon-shaped squash brings a special flavor and beauty to your summer table. When growing this squash the soil needs to be moist, but not wet. Fertilize the plant more frequently once flowers and fruit start to form. The plant will grow 12 – 16 inches tall. The fruit can be picked and eaten at an early stage. Harvest them when the fruit measures 2½ x 3-inches. Lemon Drop Squash tastes great sautéed, baked, or grilled. You can buy seeds from Burpee here.
Liberty Bell Pepper
Liberty Bell Pepper is a sweet pepper and an outstanding new patio pepper. Even though it is a smaller plant and perfect for container growing, this pepper variety packs a big punch. This plant will yield a high amount of fruit. The fruit first appears in an attractive light green color and matures to bright yellow. The fruits are large, well-shaped and very sweet making them ideal for culinary use. This variety has also been bred to withstand intense heat and disease making it last longer than other varieties.
Redarling Brussel Sprouts
This new brussel sprout has an innovative purple-red color with a mild taste and grows to be 1-inch. This vegetable is a feast for the eyes and palate with a slightly sweeter taste than green Brussel sprouts. They are also a great source of Vitamin C and folic acid. The plant grows 30 to 40 inches in height and 20 to 30 inches wide. It will stand up to cool nights and frost. If you are a real foodie, this could be the vegetable for you. You can steam, broil, or roast them. These Brussels sprouts are available from Burpee and can be purchased here.
Tempting Tomatoes™ Goodhearted™
This Proven Winner’s compact cherry-sized tomato has been hailed as a breakthrough. It is ideal for growing in a container on your patio and it also produces lots of ripe tomatoes. The tomatoes have a tender skin and a perfect sweet to acid balance. These tomatoes have a heart-shape, which makes them fun and interesting to look at. They look especially cool when sliced in half because it shows off the heart-shape to the best effect. These plants will produce tomatoes for an extended period of time and thrive in heat and humidity.
Let us know if you try any of them!
Photos courtesy of Jill Mazur, Burpee, Proven Winners, and Prudac.
