Salsifi is also known as the “poor pan’s asparagus” where I live. Wear gloves when you peel them, because the gummy juice that comes out of them turns dark brown to black and is difficult to get off your hands and from under your nails. They will oxidise fast, so the best method I found is to peel them under water or under running water, and to pop them in a bowl filled with slightly acidified water (squeeze of lemon juice or dash of vinegar) until you can cook them. Traditionally in Flanders they’ll be boiled in salted lemon water and then served with a béchamel sauce. Parboiled and chopped they’re great in stir-fries. I’d love to see what you come up with to prepare them!
I never knew black radishes or cherry tomatoes were a thing. That's so cool! I'm in a drastically different climate than you are but, alas, my condo association does not permit gardening. Thus, I must live vicariously. Best of luck with this year's harvests.
Black cherry tomatoes are my hands down favorites. They have a complex deep tomato flavor like a slow cooked tomato sauce. Plus, they put out tons of tomatoes so I can snack on them. Yum! Black (Spanish) radishes are much more peppery than standard radishes so we prefer to eat them roasted as that makes them a little milder. Black Beauty eggplants are great producers and tasty, although I'm more a fan of a Japanese eggplant like Orient Express or Turkish Delight because they don't tend to produce seedy fruits. Another black crop you should be able to find seeds for are black turtle beans. As long as the squirrels leave them alone, you can let the pods dry out on the plants and then harvest/shell/store. You might also want to try dragon tail (aka rat tail) radishes which are not exactly black, but purple, so sorta close? The fun part is that it's not a root you're growing to harvest but rather seed pods, so one plant produces a ton of pods. You chop the pods to put in your salads/recipes and they taste like radish. Plus, you have flowering plants to attract pollinators. Win win!
I really have a thing for fruits and veggies with the 'wrong' colour. This year I hope to grow black bell peppers (Zulu) and black hot peppers (Tri-Fetti) which also has beautiful spotted leaves in green, white and purple. And maybe, if the summer is hot enough here in the Netherlands, then maybe I can grow cantaloup melons, like the Noir des Carmes, which starts out with nearly black fruits that will turn orange when ripe. Last year I had dark purple potatoes (Blaue Elise), and this year I have dark purple sweet potato (Molokai Improved). A bit brighter, but still 'weird' are purple green beans (Purple Queen) and purple cauliflower (Violet Queen). Apart from the usual black and dark fruits, such als blackberries, blackcurrants, elderberries, mulberries and chokeberries, I also grow black raspberries (Rubus idaeus 'Black Jewel'). I just planted an apple tree (Api Noir) which fruits have white flesh and very dark purple-ish red skin. And what to think of black cumin (Nigella sativa) or just plain dark blue poppy seed? Not to my taste, but there are also black fava beans, black chick peas, 'black' kale or cavolo nero with dark blue/green leaves. And I do love the taste of these grains, but my garden is not big enough for black rice, black millet or black oats.
Salsifi is also known as the “poor pan’s asparagus” where I live. Wear gloves when you peel them, because the gummy juice that comes out of them turns dark brown to black and is difficult to get off your hands and from under your nails. They will oxidise fast, so the best method I found is to peel them under water or under running water, and to pop them in a bowl filled with slightly acidified water (squeeze of lemon juice or dash of vinegar) until you can cook them. Traditionally in Flanders they’ll be boiled in salted lemon water and then served with a béchamel sauce. Parboiled and chopped they’re great in stir-fries. I’d love to see what you come up with to prepare them!
I never knew black radishes or cherry tomatoes were a thing. That's so cool! I'm in a drastically different climate than you are but, alas, my condo association does not permit gardening. Thus, I must live vicariously. Best of luck with this year's harvests.
Black cherry tomatoes are my hands down favorites. They have a complex deep tomato flavor like a slow cooked tomato sauce. Plus, they put out tons of tomatoes so I can snack on them. Yum! Black (Spanish) radishes are much more peppery than standard radishes so we prefer to eat them roasted as that makes them a little milder. Black Beauty eggplants are great producers and tasty, although I'm more a fan of a Japanese eggplant like Orient Express or Turkish Delight because they don't tend to produce seedy fruits.
Another black crop you should be able to find seeds for are black turtle beans. As long as the squirrels leave them alone, you can let the pods dry out on the plants and then harvest/shell/store.
You might also want to try dragon tail (aka rat tail) radishes which are not exactly black, but purple, so sorta close? The fun part is that it's not a root you're growing to harvest but rather seed pods, so one plant produces a ton of pods. You chop the pods to put in your salads/recipes and they taste like radish. Plus, you have flowering plants to attract pollinators. Win win!
Awesome, we picked up seed potatos for a blue variety this year along with our sweet potatos.
Marion Berry.... Good for bees
Passion flowers,
I really have a thing for fruits and veggies with the 'wrong' colour. This year I hope to grow black bell peppers (Zulu) and black hot peppers (Tri-Fetti) which also has beautiful spotted leaves in green, white and purple. And maybe, if the summer is hot enough here in the Netherlands, then maybe I can grow cantaloup melons, like the Noir des Carmes, which starts out with nearly black fruits that will turn orange when ripe.
Last year I had dark purple potatoes (Blaue Elise), and this year I have dark purple sweet potato (Molokai Improved). A bit brighter, but still 'weird' are purple green beans (Purple Queen) and purple cauliflower (Violet Queen).
Apart from the usual black and dark fruits, such als blackberries, blackcurrants, elderberries, mulberries and chokeberries, I also grow black raspberries (Rubus idaeus 'Black Jewel'). I just planted an apple tree (Api Noir) which fruits have white flesh and very dark purple-ish red skin. And what to think of black cumin (Nigella sativa) or just plain dark blue poppy seed?
Not to my taste, but there are also black fava beans, black chick peas, 'black' kale or cavolo nero with dark blue/green leaves. And I do love the taste of these grains, but my garden is not big enough for black rice, black millet or black oats.
Lovely suggestions! I bet your garden is beautiful 😍
I was so excited to see this pop up!
suddenly, I hear the Stones playing "Paint it Black"........
I hear the call of dirt and fertilizer, but the snow is still on the ground....
I hope you thaw out soon!
@@PlantLifeYT We had snow again today.
Climate Change- ain't Nature grand?
🤣