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Re: Edible perennials?

Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 1:38 am
by stevelau1911
I find that garlic can get a lot bigger and spicier when you grow them by yourself because of choice over species, and fertilize them with real fertilizer, not the commercial NPK that is aimed solely for production.

I got an order of 3 stevia plants that were just potted up with 1 going in the ground. I'll be interested to see how this actually tastes, and I'm hoping they can grow enough to turn into a few pounds of dried powder.

They don't look that great because they were just planted, but should green up and thrive like the comfrey in a few days.
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Re: Edible perennials?

Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 11:48 am
by needmore
They pretty much taste like aspartame to me...

Re: Edible perennials?

Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 2:47 pm
by Alan_L
stevelau1911 wrote:...I'll be interested to see how this actually tastes...
I never buy any herb without tasting a little part of one of the leaves first. Some herbs are remarkably variable in flavor -- one plant is much more tasty than the one next to it. If they were mail order then I certainly wouldn't have been able to resist tasting it as soon as I got them. :)

Re: Edible perennials?

Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 5:25 pm
by benboo
I just started growing Gynostemma pentaphyllum from seed and only have small plants. I want to know how they taste, but they are soooo small and I do not want to kill them. But I tried them anyways...

That is very true though. some herbs growing next to eachother can taste quite different. I think my oregano was variable like this.

Re: Edible perennials?

Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 12:32 pm
by foxd
benboo wrote:I just started growing Gynostemma pentaphyllum from seed and only have small plants. I want to know how they taste, but they are soooo small and I do not want to kill them. But I tried them anyways...
They grow quite quickly so there is not much of a wait to try them. They have have a bit of a "mediciney" aftertaste to me, but they are supposed to be incredibly healthy to consume. From what I've read there are male and female plants, but mine have never bloomed to tell what I have. :?

Re: Edible perennials?

Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 3:59 pm
by benboo
I planted some outside and now they have foot long vines whipping around. How large can gynostemma get in one season?

Re: Edible perennials?

Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 7:37 pm
by foxd
benboo wrote:I planted some outside and now they have foot long vines whipping around. How large can gynostemma get in one season?
I gather they will just keep growing if they can find a place to root regularly. I haven't had the courage to test how cold hardy they are, but will probably plant out some this year.

Re: Edible perennials?

Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 8:25 pm
by benboo
I am taking cuttings later in the year for sure! They should be able to overwinter, but there is not too much evidence on the internet.

Re: Edible perennials?

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 7:03 pm
by foxd
benboo wrote:I am taking cuttings later in the year for sure! They should be able to overwinter, but there is not too much evidence on the internet.
Just drape the vine into a pot and let it root. Wherever the vine touches the soil it roots.

Re: Edible perennials?

Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2014 2:08 am
by stevelau1911
Here are a few of the vegetables.

Tomatoes
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Wintermelon
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Fuzzy gourd, an elongated form of watermelon which grows better on trellises
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Canteloupe, just starting to produce now
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Walking (Egyptian) Onions
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Luffa, Longest vine is nearly 20ft now, speeding up after a good leaf thinning, and closing in on the edge of the trellis. The earliest fruits should flower in the next few days. They are certainly big enough to start producing.
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Nice big blueberries ready to pick. I can't keep up with their production this year, but the robins are happy to live in there.
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3 inch diameter German Red garlics. If I get lucky, some of the species that are still growing in the ground may approach 4 inches. These are true garlics too, not the elephant garlic.
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Cloves are well over 1 inch long
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