Are gardeners getting more adventurous?

[Garlic_Guy]

I've had my small allotment now for about 4 years. When I started, the experienced old boys (and girls) on the plot just grew traditional British crops (spuds, cabbages, sprouts, carrots etc).

However there's been a noticeable change since then:
- A number of younger people have taken on plots
- The range of more exotic crops has increased.

For example, there are now plenty of people growing sweetcorn, peppers, squashes, aubergines, garlic, peaches etc. In addition, far more people are augmenting their veg with really attractive selections of flowers.

Have any of you noticed anything similar? Is it just that there's more info about the non-British stuff available now? More people going on holiday abroad? I was also wondering if the younger gardeners have led the way and the traditional ones have seen that they don't have to stick to traditional crops?

[oldherbaceous]

Evening Garlic_Guy, Your quite right, a lot of us experieced old boys did grow traditional british crops. This was probably more due to necessity than just being unadventurous.
We needed to grow crops that were easy to grow and would put food on the plate, as cheaply and as easily as possible.
Growing these exotic crops isn't exactly new, the Victorians used to do this with great succsess.
But i must agree it is now becoming more popular on allotments. This is probaly because people are growing veg for pleasure rather than out of necessity.
I have always grown some flowers on my allotment though.
Let the young ones lead and we will follow.
A very interesting subject Garlic_Guy.

Kind regards Old Herbaceous.

Theres no fool like an old fool.

[Chantal]

Hi Colin

I grow everything you mention except the peaches but I like to experiment. I've growm Agretti this year which (as Seedling will testify) appears to be expensive Italian grass; the only person who likes it is Rocky the chicken. My plot neighbour was stunned at the Turks Turban squash and is looking askance at the Mooli (and he's only seen the packet so far). I do also have the usual carrots, potatoes, beans, parsips, cabbages etc. I have flowers for cutting too.

[Weed]

As one of the 'old fogies' I would like to add my two pennies worth...if I may

As well as the larger range of veggies available in the supermarkets these days for us to try I believe that the internet has a major part to play also.....people like us can try growing new items and talk about them openly thereby giving inspiration for others to 'have a go'

One of the major advantages of these forums for me is to pick up on the success/failures of others and possible reasons for those successes/failures

Even the occassional disagreements bring a wealth of knowledge and can often clear up a misinterpretation of set guidelines

Keep it coming guys and gals

[Garlic_Guy]

Aaah, it's so dangerous to write without choosing your words carefully.

So firstly to apolgise for any "age-ist" impression I may have given: not intended. Especially since I will be 50 soon!

Secondly Chantal's expensive Italian grass - is that strictly legal?! Oops more trouble there...

Finally, I was probably probably pretentious to say the whippersnappers have shown the experience ones anything. However I've learned a lot from seeing someone else grow something I'd never have attempted. Also as Weed says, it's much easier to get hold of advice and more exotic seeds online now.

[Chantal]

Yes, my Italian grass is perfectly legal but is so disgusting to eat that it should be illegal. According t the packet it has a flavour between asparagus and chive and is divine if braised in olive oil and eaten as a side dish. It Italy it's the must have food in restaurants and is very expensive. I presume the climate there affects the taste. My agretti is grass. I doesn't look too much like grass but it tastes like grass. Seedling and I sample it every week or so and have yet to do anything other than go "yuk" and spit it out again. chickens love it.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Chantal, i didn't think you were one for chewing the cud.

Kind regards Old Herbaceous.

Theres no fool like an old fool.

[Chantal]

My point exactly!

[oldherbaceous]

Garli_Guy i forgot to say, no need for any apologies, I thought you worded it very well.
I hate to think how it would have come out if i had wrote it.
Nobody knows everything, not even the Old herbaceous.

Kind regards Old Herbaceous.

Theres no fool like an old fool.

[Weed]

And you needn't apologise to me either....age is only a number....
I know I am an 'old Fogie'.... I am also a founder member of the 'Grumpy Old Git Brigade' at least her indoors thinks/knows I am

[jopsy]

when i started my garden/allotment the old guy next door was flabbergasted and highly amused by my growing ideas-what he failed to realise was that i really was none the wiser(actually now i re-read that he was probably just polite), and forged ahead with completely inappropriate planting mainly because i liked the pictures on the seed packets-i choose my wine by pictures too
not that i drink and garden often
saying that i still plant what i fancy, and seem to forget one year to the next that i have tried many similar things before! (i'm not sure i should admit this but i'm only 32!)
my stripey gourds this year are coming on a treat-i'm very excited as i haven't tried those before-no i really haven't!
anyway enough mad ramlings from me!

[Garlic_Guy]

This may be more fun than it sounds.

A neighbour has a couple of folding chairs in his allotment shed. After a hard afternoon's hoeing, his wife arrives with a bottle of wine and they sit and watch the sun go down.

I can't find a lot wrong with that!

[jopsy]

that sounds lovely
we have been known to have the odd bbq (pre baby)
people who dont garden really dont know what they are missing!