10 Unusual Vegetables & Fruits I Plan To Grow Next Season (Part 2)

This is the second part of the 10 Unusual Vegetables & Fruits I plan to grow next season when the climate starts to become nice and fuzzy again! Click here if you missed part 1!

Don't hesitate to throw me some suggestions in the comments if you happen to know of some other weird ones I could give a try. I have already got some cool suggestions in the previous part, like the snake-like Armenian cucumber (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus) by @mcfarhat!

6. Horned melon

Horned Melon (credit)

I think this one is definitely the weirdest and most alien-like fruit on my list. Also known as kiwano and African horned cucumber it is is an annual vine originating from the semiarid regions of southern and central Africa where it is actually one of the few sources of water during the dry season. 

By the way, this is a distinct species (Cucumis metuliferus) so don't get any weird ideas of cross breeding like I did :)

It's a relatively easy to grow plant, with pretty much the same needs as cantaloupes. If you had success with cantaloupes in the past, you probably won't have any problems with the horned ones. Here's a link to amazon if you want to buy some seeds and give it a try!

Apparently, it tastes like a a mix between bananas, cucumbers and lemons.

(credit)

7. Glass Gem Corn

Glass Gem Corn (credit)

Corn is definitely one of my favorite plants to grow, eat and share with my friends and family. You really can't imagine how excited I got when I first saw images of the colorful "Glass Gem" variety and I really can't wait until I get the chance to grow it!

This beautiful variety was created by Carl Barnes, a part-Cherokee farmer living in Oklahoma and it took him countless successive seasons before creating this unique variety mixing older corn varieties originally grown by Native American tribes.

There isn't anything special you need to know about growing this variety, as it grows pretty much like every corn. If you have been successful in the past with corn then you are good to go. Just get some seeds and wait until the time is right to plant them!

8. Achocha

Achocha smooth surface variety (credit)

Next on the list is the achocha or kaywa. This plant originates from the Andes and is somewhat popular in many parts of Central America. Some other common names it comes by are slipper gourd, lady's slipper, sparrow gourd and stuffing cucumber.

I did some reading and it appears to be a relatively easy to grow plant. All you need is a trelis or a fence or something it can use to climb and some sun. 

There are two types of Achocha, which belong to different species, Cyclanthera brachystachya which grows single fruits covered with soft spines and C. pedata which grows smooth fruits in pairs. In case you wonder, these fruits taste a bit like cucumbers and can be eaten raw in salads.

Here's a link to amazon if you want to buy some seeds.

Achocha, "spiny" variety (credit)

9. Echinops ritro

Echinops ritro (credit)

Ok, ok, I know this isn't actually a fruit but I just had to put it on the list! Other than giant sunflowers, I usually don't plant any flowers on my garden. But when I saw photos of this plant I was really amazed by its somewhat alien-like appearance and I was like "I have to grow this".

Commonly known as the southern globethistle, this is a plant from the sunflower family, native to southern and eastern Europe and western Asia.

It's easy to grow and does well in a range of soils, although ideally it needs a well-drained sunny spot. Here are some cheap seeds on amazon if this plant got you as excited as it did me!

10. Yellow watermelon

Yellow watermelon (credit)

The final thing I want to definitely  grow next season is a yellow watermelon variety. I only heard of those late this summer so there wasn't much time left to start any plants, let alone harvest any fruits. 

In case you wonder, they are yellow because they lack lycopene, a bright red carotene and carotenoid pigment which is responsible for the red color of many fruits  like tomatoes and watermelons.

There are many yellow watermelon varieties to choose from, like the "Tastigold watermelon, Yellow Flesh Black Diamond watermelon and the Desert King Yellow which is prized for its ability to grow in dry conditions." [source]

I have yet to choose one, probably I will buy seeds from a couple ones and let mother nature decide which one works out best in my garden :)

The End

So, this pretty much concludes my list of weird plants I plan to grow next season. I really hope you found them interesting enough to give them a try yourself too! As I said in the introduction, please share any weird ones you know that aren't on this list. I will definitely consider them!