Garden

30 Unique Heirloom Vegetables for your Food Garden

Do you find yourself getting bored with your garden produce? Are you sick of planting the same things in your garden year after year? Well then, it’s time to shake things up and add a little variety to your veggie plot and your diet. Everyone loves carrots and peas but sometimes gardeners need to express our creative side and plant something that feeds our artistic soul.

The most fun part about growing your own food is getting to try unique flavors that are rarely found at grocery stores. These 30 unique heirloom vegetables are sure to mix up the normal routine in your food garden and kitchen. So dig in and have fun exploring these exciting cultivars!

1. Dinosaur Kale

AKA: Brassica oleracea var. sabellica, Lacinato Kale, Black Tuscan kale

Spacing: 15-18″

Height: 24-36″

Days to Maturity: 65-80

Harvest: Continual if growing tip is left intact

Growing Zone: 4-11

Frost Tolerant: Yes

2. Lemon Cucumbers

AKA: Cucumis sativus

Spacing: 18″

Height: 7-10′ vine

Days to Maturity: 60-70

Harvest: 3 weeks of production

Growing Zone: 4-12

Frost Tolerant: No

3. Footlong Green Beans

AKA: Vigna unguiculata var. sesquipedalis

Spacing: 4″ on trellis

Height: 8-12′ vine

Days to Maturity: 85

Harvest: Daily until frost

Growing Zone: 3-9

Frost Tolerant: No

4. Popcorn

AKA: Zea mays everta

Spacing: 4″

Height: 10’+

Days to Maturity: 95-110

Harvest: When husks turn brown and kernels fall off when rubbed

Growing Zone: 3-11

Frost Tolerant: No

5. Romanesco

AKA: Brassica oleracea

Spacing: 12-18″

Height: 24-30″

Days to Maturity: 70

Harvest: Edible flowering bud and stalk

Growing Zone: 3-10

Frost Tolerant: Yes

6. Candy Cane Beet

AKA: Beta vulgaris

Spacing: 2-3″

Height: 8-10″

Days to Maturity: 55

Harvest: Fast growing crop can be planted in succession for a continuous harvest

Growing Zone: 2-11

Frost Tolerant: yes

7. Luffa Sponge

AKA: Luffa aegyptica syn l. cylindrica

Spacing: 6′

Height: 8′ vine

Days to Maturity: 100+

Harvest: When stems turn yellow and insides resemble a sponge

Growing Zone: 3-12

Frost Tolerant: No

7. Purple Orach

AKA: Atriplex hortensis

Spacing: 2”

Height: 4-6′

Days to Maturity: 45+(leaves) 90+(seed)

Harvest: Harvest tender leaves as they grow similarly to spinach

Growing Zone: 3-9

Frost Tolerant: Yes

9. Winter Melons

AKA: Cucumis melo

Spacing: 36″

Height: 3-10′ vine

Days to Maturity: 100

Harvest: As melons ripen

Growing Zone: 2-11

Frost Tolerant: No

10. Orange Okra

AKA: Jing Orange, Abelmoschus esculentus

Spacing: 12″

Height: 5-6′

Days to Maturity: 30-60

Harvest: When okra pods reach ~6″ in length

Growing Zone: 2-10

Frost Tolerant: No

11. Heart-shaped Tomatoes

AKA: Lycopersicon esculentum

Spacing: 18-36″

Height: 6-12′

Days to Maturity: 60-90

Harvest: As fruits ripen

Growing Zone: 3-10

Frost Tolerant: No

12. Lion’s Mane Mushroom

AKA: Hericum erinaceus

Height: 6-10″

Days to Maturity: 12 to 18 months

Harvest: Will produce for 3-5 years

Frost Tolerant: Yes

13. Carrot Balls

AKA: daucus carota subsp. Sativus

Spacing: 1-2”

Height: 12-18″

Days to Maturity: 60

Harvest: Fast growing crop can be planted in succession for a continuous harvest

Growing Zone: 3-9

Frost Tolerant: Yes

14. Ten Foot Amaranth

AKA: Amaranthus tricolor

Spacing: 10-14″

Height: 10′

Days to Maturity: 90-120 or 16-25 for microgreens

Harvest: Harvest young leaves for greens or harvest seeds from flower heads as a grain

Growing Zone: 2-10

Frost Tolerant: No

15. 70 Pound Squash

AKA: Pink Banana Jumbo, Cucurbita maxima

Spacing: 36″

Height: 8-15′

Days to Maturity: 90-120

Harvest: Similar to butternut squash, harvest as fruits ripen

Growing Zone: 3-10

Frost Tolerant: No

16. Marshmallow Root

AKA: Althaea officinalis

Spacing: 12”

Height: 4′

Days to Maturity: 70 days to flower, 3 years to root harvest

Harvest: Dig up roots in spring or fall

Growing Zone: 5-8

Frost Tolerant: Yes

17. Giant Celeriac

AKA: Apium graveolens var. rapaceum

Spacing: 6-8″

Height: 12-18″

Days to Maturity: 120

Harvest: Roots can be stored for several weeks after harvest

Growing Zone: 7-12

Frost Tolerant: Slightly

18. Saffron Crocus

AKA: Crocus sativus

Spacing: 2-3″

Height: 4″

Days to Maturity: 1-2 years

Harvest: Pick red stigmas from the center of the flower when it blossoms to acquire the saffron spice

Growing Zone: 5-8

Frost Tolerant: Yes

19. Ghost Pumpkins

AKA: Casper Pumpkin, Cucurbita pepo

Spacing: 36″

Height: 6-15′

Days to Maturity: 90-120

Harvest: As fruits ripen

Growing Zone: 3-10

Frost Tolerant: No

20. Land Seaweed

AKA: Saltwort, Salsola kali

Spacing: 4-6”

Height: 8-18″

Days to Maturity: 40-55

Harvest: Fast growing crop can be planted in succession for a continuous harvest. Harvest young leaves as greens.

Growing Zone: 8-10

Frost Tolerant: No

21. Pineapple Melon

AKA: Santa Claus Melon, Christmas Melon, Cucumis melo

Spacing: 12-36″

Height: 8-12′

Days to Maturity: 90-110

Harvest: As fruits ripen

Growing Zone: 9-11

Frost Tolerant: No

22. Licorice Basil

AKA: Ocimum basilicum var. ‘licorice’

Spacing: 8-18”

Height: 24″

Days to Maturity: 65+

Harvest: When leaves are 6-8″ long

Growing Zone: 9-11 Perennial, 3-9 Annual

Frost Tolerant: No

23. Yard-long Cucumber

AKA: Metki Pale Green, Snake Melon, Cucumis melo var. flexuosus

Spacing: 18″

Height: 7-10′

Days to Maturity: 60-70

Harvest: As fruits ripen

Growing Zone: 4-12

Frost Tolerant: No

24. Rainbow Peppers

AKA: Capsicum annuum

Spacing: 18-24″

Height: 18-24″

Days to Maturity: 80-90

Harvest: Peppers change colors as they ripen – harvest purple, yellow, orange, or red peppers continuously through the season after they reach maturity.

Growing Zone: 4-11

Frost Tolerant: No

25. Skyscraper Sunflowers

AKA: Helianthus annuus

Spacing: 8-12

Height: 12′

Days to Maturity: 60-75 days

Harvest: Edible seeds can be harvested as they begin to dry

Growing Zone: 1-10

Frost Tolerant: No

26. Einkorn Grain

AKA: Triticum monococcum

Spacing: 6-8″

Height: 30″

Days to Maturity: 112-140

Harvest: When plants are no longer green and seeds have fully dried

Growing Zone: 2-10

Frost Tolerant: No

27. Blue Winter Squash

AKA: New England Blue Hubbard, Cucurbita maxima

Spacing: 48-72”

Height: 8-15′ vine

Days to Maturity: 110

Harvest: As fruits ripen

Growing Zone: 3-9

Frost Tolerant: No

28. Giant Leeks

AKA: Allium porrum

Spacing: 6″

Height: 18″

Days to Maturity: 90-120

Harvest: When stems reach 1″ in diameter

Growing Zone: 2-10

Frost Tolerant: Yes

29. Mustard Greens

AKA: Brassica juncea

Spacing: 8-10”

Height: 12-24″

Days to Maturity: 40-45+(baby greens) 50+(seeds)

Harvest: Harvest leaves continuously throughout the growing season

Growing Zone: 2-11

Frost Tolerant: Yes

30. Milk Thistle

AKA: Silybum marianum

Spacing: 24-36″

Height: 3-5′

Days to Maturity: 100-125

Harvest: Harvest seeds, leaves and flower heads

Growing Zone: 5-9

Frost Tolerant: Yes – keep this plant contained as it will drop seeds and can become invasive

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