Cardoon, also known as Texas Celery, artichoke thistle and cardi, requires a long growing season, so starting seeds in the earliest part of spring is advised. In general, cardoon grows the largest in good, deep soil and with frequent watering. Pests are minimal, and the perennial plants are drought-tolerant, although a lack of water reduces its size. Cardoons need to have their stems blanched or they will be intolerably bitter. A month of being tied up and kept in the dark will make the stems much sweeter.
Broccoli rabe generally prefers cool conditions. The plant grows similarly to broccoli and will produce a series of new harvestable shoots, so the growers can usually harvest two or three times from the same plant. Broccoli rabe is susceptible to the same problems as other cruciferous vegetables, and cabbage worms and snails seem to cause the most trouble.
Essentially a type of cherry tomato mainly found in Italy, these sweet plants grow in clumps of up to a dozen at a time. The name "datterini" means "little dates" in Italian because of its very sweet taste and small size. The skin is thicker than regular tomatoes and they have fewer seeds, which means more flesh.
Attractive in appearance as it is delectable in flavor, the Gold Medal heirloom showcases an orange-yellow exterior splashed with pink marbling. Its super-sweet, well-balanced flavors make it ideal for slicing and tossing into a salad.
This heirloom originated in Virginia and North Carolina. Robust in flavor, these huge, beefsteak tomatoes can grow up to 1 pound. Ideal for slicing, canning and juicing, the German Johnson does it all.
The brandywine heirloom matures slower than other tomatoes. One of the most popular garden varieties in the United States, it is easily identified by its unusual potato leaves. .
Although a bit labor-intensive, the work is worth it for these meaty beans. They are also often used as a cover crop because of their nitrogen-fixing properties.
Not only do shiitake mushrooms enhance the flavor of many dishes, they are also known for their medicinal properties, including research concluding immune-function increase, and they are often used in Japan as a complementary alternative medicine by cancer patients.
Oyster mushrooms are the most widely eaten mushrooms in the world and very easy to grow. Their oyster-like flavor makes them great in soups.
Azuki beans are traditionally used as paste in Japanese desserts, but they can be grown here in the U.S. and used in many other dishes as well.
The black-eyed pea is hard-to-miss with its pale body and small, black "eye." Traditionally, in the United States, it's used in Southern dishes.
These mild-flavored onions are a little bit sweeter than white onions. They are great on salads and sandwiches.
