Cool New Vegetables

Tired of growing the same old winter veggies? Shake things up with these unusual heirloom varieties

It’s easy to get into the habit of growing the same autumn and winter veggies year after year. While it makes sense to grow those that you like, it’s a nice challenge to try something new.

Due to the greater availability of heirloom seed, it’s possible to grow vegetables that are way more unusual, like purple broccoli, pink celery, blue beans and yellow tomatoes.

The new RAW seed range features heirloom vegetables that catch the eye and are easy to grow, especially in containers, making them ideal for gardens where space is limited.

1 PEA ‘BLUE SHELLING’, a Dutch heirloom variety with deep-blue purple pods, can be eaten raw as sugar snaps or left to dry as a soup pea, its original use. It has lightly scented edible purple flowers.

Growing tips: Plant in deeply dug-over, fertile soil that drains well. Beds should receive full sun.

Care and maintenance: Water regularly, feed with a liquid fertiliser once a month and provide support as plants grow up to 2m high.

Harvesting and using: Pick young pods for eating raw in salads and use the tendrils as a microgreen. The peas mature inside the pod 65 days after sowing. As green peas, they’re a bit starchy, so are best soaked overnight and then pan-fried with onions and bacon.

2 RADICCHIO RED TREVISO is a beautiful Italian heirloom veggie for winter salads. It has tender, slightly bitter red leaves with a white midrib, and forms a slender, cabbage-like head.

Growing tips: Plant in a sunny bed in well-composted soil and space 20cm apart.