Crazy, Colorful Edibles
What can I say; since I was in 5th grade I was
struck by the garden bug. Getting
exhilarated in growing new, rare, colorful, crazy vegetables is a passion I
still have today. I wanted to have my own plot separate from my parents to
experiment with my allure to grow unique edibles. Winter is the time for planning, and I look immensely
forward to viewing each new catalog to create my wish list (which can be really
dangerous for me – big list, small budget). Over the years I have grown thousands of
vegetables from around the world, they not only are wonderful for eating, are
works of art, beautiful in ways never encountered before, and so completely unique
they captivate visitor’s to plant them as well.
Starting in mid-February to early March peas are one of the
first seeds to plant. Favoring cooler temperates and tolerant of heavy frosts,
work the ground when it is somewhat dry and will not clump. . Needing good
drainage, I mound the earth around my teepee trellises to ensure the seeds will
not root in the cool ground. “Golden
Sweet, a heirloom snow pea that dates to
the mid 1800’s, thought to come from India, is fantastic in every way. It will need training as it grows to about 6’.
When in flower the shades of purple are exquisite, followed by bright lemon
yellow pods that glisten in the sun. Super
sweet, you can pick it right off the vine and munch, or use in your favorite
dishes. Hurry, it’s time to plant these
luscious wonders
For those that love asparagus, here is a great variety that
is a must-have. Purple passion, is a wonder to behold as it emerges in the
spring. Plant from crowns, this root
with buds comes packed in peat moss, the roots have long spidery fingers that
need to be soaked in tepid warm water 2-3 hours prior to planting. Asparagus
loves organic soil that is light and loose in compost and manure. Plant the
crowns 6-8” deep and 1-2’ apart in late
winter to early spring. Purple Passion differs from both green and white forms
having higher sugar with low fiber. When
cooked it does revert back to green, but the taste, oooh so good! 
Nasturtium ‘Amazon Jewel’, a painters palette of colorful
variegated leaves in white, green, and gold, is a pleasure to see in the garden
and a tasty treat in salads or to nibble fresh. Both flower and foliage are eatable,
having a mustard-like bite. The flowers equal the foliage in an insurgence of
bicolors ruby, peach, pumpkin and lemon yellow.
Trailing on a trellis or cascading in a container, nasturtiums need to
be seeded after danger of frost in mid to late April.
I used to plant onion sets each spring anxiously waiting for
them to develop their sweet roots and savory green tops, but once you invite
the Egyptian Creeping Onion into the garden, you can have flavorful greens
almost year-round. Perennial in nature,
this onion produces a cluster of small purple-red bulbs known as bulbils succeeding flowering. The bunch still attached
at the stem start to sprout forming a ballet of contemporary swirling
extensions. Pluck the cluster off and
pull apart the bulbs and plant in loose well drained soil. I was still
gathering the bluish green tops into December
before the snows covered the garden. If left the weight of the cluster will
fall to the ground and start to root in place giving it the nickname “Walking
Onion”. Oddly this is a difficult bulb to find, best to get a start from
someone that has it. A favorite I use frequently in my salads, soups, dips,
well if its onion or garlic it going to make it taste better. A playful, wacky winter onion, with no hands gardening. 
Zea Mays (corn)-“Japanese Striped Maze” is by far one to the
most unusual colorful vegetables out there and a repeat in my garden since I
first grew it in 2005. Listed in 1890’s
in seed catalogs, this heirloom could have easily been thought a new hybrid
release. Use in an ornamental border
combined with a under story of flowers or spring lettuce. Vibrant pinks, white,
yellow and rose swirl in a different pattern per leaf. Plant 2 feet apart, as
wide spacing allows the plant better light to bring out the variegated
Kaleidoscope. Deep black purple tassels top six foot plants forming miniature
burgundy ears of corn in late June. Plant seeds in mid to late April for early
summer harvest.
For the pepper lover, Black Jalapeno delivers a bounty of glossy black fruits from late summer into fall. Pepper seeds grow best in warmer soils of May and June. Very slow to germinate, this rare gem loves the sun and a well-draining soil. The foliage also echoes the burgundy skin tone in the stems and leaf edges. More sweet and mellow than its green Jalapeno colleague, show this beauty off in your salads and Mexican dishes.
Looking for a really cool squash, I grew Zephyr (F1)this past
summer and loved it. The name really does not do justice to the uniqueness of this
squash. When I saw it in Johnny’s seed catalog, I questioned if it would really
look so quaint in reality. True to its description, this straight neck type
squash is yellow with a deep green top. The flowers are sweet when stir fried
or stuffed, and the squash when picked young 4-6inches, are tender with a great
nutty flavor. Forming a large open bush, this squash requires lots of room to
grow during the summer months. I can usually get two plantings in, as squash
are fast growers and come in all at once in about a 3 week period. Start your
first seeds in late April in a raised mound or “Hill”, this pulls heat to the
soil and drainage for the developing seeds and plant. In June start a second
crop to be harvested in September.
I would also like to share, that I never have to buy my seed twice, I always allow 3-5 fruits to mature for harvesting the seed. I rinse in a fine mesh colander to remove any pulp, or juices still attached, then I blot on a paper towel to remove the excess moisture, as drying the seed is the next step. I then take paper plates and label each one with a black marker as to the seed type, date harvested, and name. This keeps me organized when the seeds are dry and ready to transfer to a zip lock bag. I then write the same info onto the baggie, seal and store in a small Rubbermaid container (which keeps the seeds separate from the other items in the fridge) then they go into the refrigerator until it’s time to plant in the garden. The extra time is well worth the savings than buying new seed each year, and better yet you can share extra seed with your fellow garden gurus. Inviting the rare, unique, crazy, and bountiful colors these vegetables have to offer, a great experience for any age gardener to enjoy.
Where To Find My Edible Treasures Baker
Creek Heirloom Seeds
Golden Sweet-Snow Pea
Purple Long Bean
Stark
Bro’s
Asparagus ‘Purple Passion’
Seed
Savers Exchange
Japanese Striped Maze
Johnny’s
Seeds
Zephyr (F1) – Bicolor Squash
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