Yesterday I was surprised to find a new 2011 spring garden catalog in my mailbox...(neener,neener Vero). With visions of turkey, gravy, stuffing, and pie clouding my thoughts, gardening for the next year was way back on the back burner. I couldn't help but thumb thru the catalog a bit to see their offering and I found my eye drawn to some plants I hadn't grown or heard of before.
PUMPKIN PEPPERS.... Looking a lot like miniature pumpkins but not really a pumpkin...or a pepper. But actually a member of the eggplant family, that is dried like a gourd. It sounded a lot like a plant with an identity crisis to me, which lead me to some googling. It was confusing a bit as there are actually peppers that are called pumpkin peppers that are hot. But the pumpkin peppers that I had seen listed in the catalog are more decorative and not really eaten. My interest was peaked though and I find myself seriously considering trying them next year. If you should google them to read more about them as well, type in "ornamental eggplant pumpkin on a stick" to find the variety mentioned rather than the hot peppers.
STUPICE TOMATO...A Czechoslovakian heirloom tomato that is suppose to be very early to mature. A small 3-4 oz. tomato that is sweet and tangy that you would associate with a beefsteak according to the catalog. After this past years tomato crop failure I am thinking this might be a contender for next year. I am not sure what Stupice stands for, the original breeder, a town, or province in Czechoslovakia but the name is close enough to stupid which makes me think that even I might have success in growing the plant.
MARCONI RED...An Italian pepper that reportedly is 3 inches across the shoulders and can grow a foot long. Described as exceptionally large and exceptionally sweet has me thinking I want and need to grow anything described as exceptional, not once but twice. I haven't ever grown a foot long pepper before, and just how it would taste any different I'm not sure. But I have a hankering now for marconi peppers which look suspiciously like banana peppers that are just red.
SUGAR BUNS... (sigh) Another disappointed in the garden this year was the sweet corn that was drowned out early in the spring season. For the past several years I have planted a bi-color, but now I am thinking I should switch back to an all yellow variety. Promises of an early sugar enhanced hybrid with a long harvest period sound so promising. I find though that I am always in a bit of a quandary with those sugar enhanced corn varieties. Reports of needing a bit more soil warmth then the typical sweet corn varieties has me wavering on just when to plant. Plant too early and they sulk and rot in the soil. Plant too late and I end up with stunted knee high stalks that make we want to build a fence to cover my sweet corn shame. This time I am thinking sugar buns is a possibility and it has me lusting to slather it all in butter and salt. Listed beside my Sugar Buns are "Quickie" and "Stowell's evergreen" ....oh decisions, decisions...
KIWANO HORNED MELON...A native of Africa that supposedly has a taste similar to cucumbers, kiwi and banana combined. The real kicker for me though, it is listed as having "flesh quite interesting with a Jello-like consistency"... Well there ya go, you can now grow Jell-o. Who knew? Given the cucumber, kiwi, and banana flavor it is like growing your very own fruit salad, all that you need is a carton of cool whip and you are good to go...(heads up Mac, the flesh looks green too!).
I know it's just my first catalog and many more will start trickling in after the first of the year. So many new plants and discoveries to stumble across has me thinking that 2011 will be an exceptionally good year. The only problem will be trying to pare down my wish list of things to try along with my usual old stand bys, as well as flowers (annuals and perennials) trees, bushes, etc, etc.... I will though, have to make room for Jell-O...
(don't groan, you knew I had to say it!)
