Exotic vegetablessurprise with their taste and appearance. Many of them also have valuable nutritional and he alth properties. And since at least some of these interesting exotic vegetables stand up well to our climatic conditions, why not try growing them? Meet7 exotic vegetables to have in your garden !
Exotic vegetables - lamb's lettuce
1. Rapunzel
There is a large group of tasty and valuable vegetables that we either forgot or seem so exotic that we only think of them in terms of shopping in supermarkets.Often wrong, because many of theseinteresting exotic vegetablescan be successfully grown on our plot, and when we harvest the crops, we will have the greater satisfaction that we have grown them ourselves. In addition, there will be an opportunity to diversify our menu with dishes including the new vegetable.
One such forgotten vegetable, which was not a rarity in ancient gardens, islamb's lettuce(Valerianella locusta) coming mainly from America and North Africa. Lamb's lettuce is quite an interesting type of plant (often mistakenly considered to be lettuce) both for its taste and cultivation requirements. A long time ago, well-known, liked and often cultivated, it had many common names.Lamb's lettuce is a tiny plant with great nutritional values It contains a lot of vitamins (including C, B and A) and a number of microelements, which is especially valuable considering the harvest date. Lamb's lettuce has a slightly nutty aftertaste, and its most surprising feature is the fact that you can harvest directly from the ground all winter (if it's not too frosty), even under the snow!
As for the conditions of growing lamb's lettuce, there are no special requirements.This exotic vegetable prefers fertile soil , but it will also grow on weaker soil. It is customary to sow it straight into the ground from August to September, but you can also try spring cultivation and March sowing. We start harvesting about 3 months after sowing. Perfect to eat raw in the form of a variety of salads.
2. Chinese cabbage Pak Choy
On the occasion of herbaceous vegetables, it is also worth mentioning the newcomer from the Far East -Chinese cabbage , also calledPak ChoyIt comes from East Asia and is currently grown in China, North America and Europe. It is much taller than the previous plant, reaching approx. 40-50 cm in height, although it depends on the variety. And there are quite a few varieties of this vegetable, although in Poland there are only a few of the green-tailed or white-tailed types.
Exotic vegetables - Chinese cabbage, Pak Choy
Pak Choy can be harvested in winter, but since it comes from a cold climate,grows quite well in not very hot temperatures(13-16 ° C) and can even endure multi-stage frosts. However, it needs more heat during germination, so it is recommended to grow this vegetable from seedlings. It is quite demanding on moisture, which is partly due to the short growing season (around one month). It can be grown in spring or autumn. In the fall it is a bit easier, because it is possible to sow directly into the ground. Chinese cabbage requires rich and humus soils with a neutral pH.
Thisexotic vegetable is extremely rich in vitamin C(45 mg / 100g). It can be fried in dishes, but it is better to eat it raw, because it is a pity to lose the enormous we alth of vitamin C it contains. Pak Choy also contains a lot of valuable macro- and micronutrients.The taste is distinct, with a hint of bitterness.
Exotic vegetables - fennel, fennel
3. Fennel (fennel)
Anotherattractive exotic herbaceous vegetable is Fennel , also known as fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). Wild occurs mainly in the Mediterranean zone and in Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. It is a highly aromatic plant with lots of valuable nutrients (mainly vitamin C and potassium). It also has a beneficial effect on our digestive system. Depending on the variety, it may have a slightly spicier or milder flavor, but there will always be an anise flavor and aroma. Despite its undeniable similarity to the well-known fennel, it belongs to the celery family.
Fennel has quite high requirements in terms of location, temperature, humidity and soil. It prefers fertile, rich and humus soil with a slightly alkaline reaction.The site must be quiet, warm and sunny, and it cannot tolerate overdrying.We can grow it from seedlings or try to sow it directly into the ground , but only after spring frosts (end of May). We can prepare seedlings in April, and plant them permanently at the beginning of June. The harvest, depending on the cultivation method, is carried out from July to September (vegetation period 2-3 months). When the plants are already mature, do not delay harvesting, because they will quickly start losing their aroma. It is suitable for baking, frying and even stuffing.
4. Bean
An absolute hit among exotic vegetablesmay turn out to be a relative of the well-known green beans -Chinese beans(Dolichos sinensis). It is thermophilic and, in principle, the cultivation conditions, requirements and harvesting dates are very similar to fennel (some varieties even require cover), but this plant will thank us for proper care.
Exotic vegetables - Chinese bean
Beanfish is a climber, so you will need supports and quite high ones, as it grows up to 3 meters, and the pods are up to 50 cm long.Collecting such beans from your own garden is really something!When it comes to the fact that it is more delicate than regular beans, tastier and gillless, and also has a lot of vitamins, protein, starch, micro - and macronutrients, it is really impressive.
You should also mentionornamental value of this exotic vegetableIn summer it blooms beautifully in pink or carmine and smells nice. It attracts various winged pollinators, including colorful butterflies. Like all beans, its roots fix nitrogen, so after harvesting, it additionally fertilizes the soil. You can prepare it just like any green beans.
Exotic vegetables - Egyptian beans
Egyptian bean(Lablab purpureus) is also appreciated, but this plant is more decorative than useful. Growing conditions and height is similar to Chinese beans, however the pods are wide and red, about the length of regular beans. It blooms like its predecessor
5. Eggplant (eggplant)
A very attractivevegetable of exotic origin , unfortunately quite rarely grown in Poland, iseggplant(Solanum melongena), or otherwise eggplant, belonging to similar to the tomato to the species of nightshade. It owes its attractiveness to an interesting appearance and taste. Contrary to its predecessors, it does not have so much nutritional value and vitamins, but it is rich in mineral s alts (including potassium, calcium, phosphorus). It also lowers the level of bad cholesterol and strengthens the heart.
Exotic vegetables - eggplant
However,eggplant is the most demanding vegetable, of the ones described in this articleIt has high thermal requirements (approx. 25 ° C) and in our climatic conditions, it can only be grown under cover, as do many varieties of tomatoes. He does not like transplanting, so the seedlings should be placed immediately in their destination. It also requires a large amount of nutrients in the form of fertilizers. The substrate should always be moist, but not wet, as then it is easily attacked by fungi. It also has a fairly long growing season (seedling production approx. 3 months, harvesting from flowering approx. 1.5 months). However,for lovers of original vegetables , your own purple vegetable can be an attractive perspective.
6. Kale
"Let&39;s go back to the plants that are doing really well in our climate. The vegetables presented so far are grown in Poland as annuals for various reasons. Another vegetable is an underestimated and extremely valuable two-year-old. Kale(Brassica oleracea sabellica), or leafy cabbage, is the oldest cultivated type of cabbage. In the first year, it creates a rosette of beautifully wrinkled leaves, up to 1 m in diameter, in the second it blooms and produces seeds.The nutritional value of this exotic vegetablecannot be overestimated. It has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, it is rich in vitamins, in large amounts (eg A, K, B, PP, E, large amounts of vitamin C). It is also a rich source of calcium, protein, potassium, phosphorus and many other micro and macro elements. It also has anti-cancer and killer effects for Helicobacter pylori, thanks to the chemical compounds from the sulforaphane group contained in it. "
Exotic vegetables - kale
Kale has really low cultivation requirementsBesides, like lamb's lettuce, it is resistant to low temperatures.Its harvest is recommended for the late autumn period, and even like Brussels sprouts, after the first frost. It then becomes softer and loses bitterness. We collect leaves successively as we grow up. However, since they are poorly preserved, it is best to do so shortly before consumption.
This type of cabbage is not particularly liked by the cabbage cream, so we get rid of the typical pest of cruciferous vegetables.
Kale can be grown on most soils , preferably o neutral reaction. It only dislikes very wet and compacted soils. It withstands drying, but grows better when we keep the substrate moist. It is best to cultivate it from seedlings, which we plant in a permanent place about 1.5 months after sowing, but not later than at the beginning of September. You can also sow seeds directly into the ground from May to July. The color of the leaves can vary from green to purple. Due to their beautiful leaves, they can be an additional decoration on the plot and on the table.
Exotic vegetables - scorzonera
7. Scorzonera
To find outthe last of the exotic vegetablesthat I want to introduce today, we need to look underground. This is the environment for the growth and development ofscorzonery(Scorzonera hispanica). The taste is similar to asparagus, although it is slightly spicier and sweeter. Similarly, it is also prepared for consumption. After peeling the skin, boil it in water with lemon, then serve it as a separate vegetable or in salads. It is important to wear protective gloves to peel and harvest, as the peel gives off a milky juice that is difficult to remove.
And what is so special about this black root with white flesh? Well, it isa very filling and tasty vegetable , and also contains a lot of vitamins and micro and macro elements. In addition, it has a very valuable ingredient for diabetics - inulin, which is a fructose sugar, so it does not raise blood glucose levels.
Scorzonera is a biennial plant. The cultivation of scorzonera begins in spring, and we harvest from October to November. It creates long roots, so we need to use forks with long teeth for harvesting. It is not particularly sensitive to low temperatures, but expects well-cultivated, fertile and humus soil and ensuring constant soil moisture.
I hope that the presentedexotic vegetables will interest many gardenersand you will decide to try growing at least one of them.
Katarzyna Józefowicz
