What new varieties of vegetables will you grow this season?

[dmosh42]

Usually, every year I try 'new' varieties in my garden, and if they are good, then they become a regular item. This season, (2012) I'll be trying a squash called "Green Kabocha", per my wife's request. She records a lot of cooking shows, and these chefs mention what does well in their recipes. I'm also going to try "Blue Lake" bush beans, in addition to the "Maxibel" variety I already grow. Lastly, I'm thinking of these purple sweet potatoes, in addition to the Beauregards, which I grow regularly. If anyone has already tried these varieties, I would be interested in your opinions, and of course any other varieties you might want to discuss here.

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. I am at the pondering stage, so will edit this over the next few months....

Things I grew last year that will not be in the garden this year:

Tomatillos (they just don't yield well for me, and are easy to find/inexpensive when I do need them)
I am going to grow less of the various Asian greens than last year - we couldn't keep up and many of them bolted when it turned hot (which happens earlier and earlier for me)
Cucumber Poona Kheera and Salt and Pepper - neither yielded well for me (and Diva is so, so, so good!)

My friend Jeff (one of the main Seed Savers Exchange lettuce folks) already sent me about 20 new types, so my lettuce planting will include a lot of new types

I may add a white fleshed beet - last year had a mix of the red and golden beets and Chioggia (which may go....)

I will likely add a dry bean (probably a Black Bean) because we eat so many and it would be fun to grow.

Tomatoes, peppers and eggplant - this is the hardest for me to figure out because I've got so many different little projects going...and so much seed.

[dmosh42]

2. You mentioned the Chioggia beet as a disappointment?

I have grown the standard "Detroit Beet" over the last few years, and they do well. But thought about eventually trying another red variety. Since I'm a couple hours or so west of you near Mt Airy, wondering if you had any replacement recommendations?

[NRaleighLiberal]

4. Let me get back to you....one I highly recommend is Touchstone Gold (from JSS)

We may want to pin a thread eventually with 2012 garden plans to keep these all in one place.

[Denninmi]

3. Me too.

I'm probably going to drop some things that either don't succeed or I don't really use.

Probably won't try to grow sweet potatoes anymore, I love them but have gotten terrible crops the past few years because 1) our weather is too wacky, we've had several cold summers which they don't like and worse 2) every herbivore loves them -- deer, rabbits, and the 'chuck keep decimating the tops, and voles chew into the potatoes. Probably won't grow luffa, bitter melon or mustard again because I don't like the flavor and don't end up using them, although the bitter melon might still garner a spot as an ornamental vine.

I try to grow something new and different every year -- last year, it was Achocha aka Slipper Cucumber. The vines did well, but the fruit was only so-so, basically kind of bland and boring, slight cucumber flavor but really more summer-squash like in terms of its usefulness, and summer squash is easy. So, probably not that again. The other new thing I did last year that was a winner was Tromocino aka Zuchetta rampicante summer squash -- I was really impressed with both the culinary quality and the productivity of this squash.

One thing I'd like to try but haven't had good luck finding a source for is a rare root crop called skirret, which is a perennial related to parsley and parsnips, and said to have a parsnip to carrot like flavor. I may end up ordering seeds from Magic Garden Seeds in Germany since its the only source I've found currently. I also might give 'Long of Naples' squash a whirl again, tried it in 2009 but was a cold droughty year and didn't get anything.