Grow Something Different to Eat

I really like this book and how it was laid out. It gives you ideas on new things to grow in your garden and how to grow them. It’s about taking some of the “odd” ingredients you find in restaurants from different regions and countries, and growing them in your own yard. Many I had never heard of like Hyacinth Beans and Salsola. Some I have heard of like White pine strawberry and Wasabi. (Who knew you could grow wasabi?) Lots of detail and pictures, I just wish there were some recipes so you would know how to crook these exotic things one you grow them.

One of my biggest initial gardening challenges was finding vital seed starting and growing information in one place. I would go back and forth to books and websites, gathering facts and putting everything together. I would wind up with what I felt was a comprehensive guide, but it was time-consuming and I often realized too late that I missed some tip or trick that would have assured greater garden success.
As soon as I started reading this book, I knew it was a must-have for my gardening bookshelf. It's not only a resource for learning about growing something new, it is also detailed. From understanding different growing conditions to growing from seed, hardening off plants, caring for and harvesting, each plant highlighted is thoroughly explained and is accompanied by gorgeous pictures. I had already made my 2018 garden plan before I read this book and was thrilled to find cucamelons, strawberry spinach and cape gooseberry inside as they are the three new things I plan to grow this year. Typically, I add something new every year and this will be a go-to guide for years to come.
This is a great resource for discovering new plants and ensuring they survive and thrive. Thank you, Matthew Biggs, DK, and NetGalley for the digital copy to read and review.

Within the first 10 pages of this book, I knew I had to have it! Superbly illustrated, this book is a great guide to growing fruits and vegetables that are not your typical fruits and vegetables. For example: asparagus peas, shiso, callaloo, earth chestnut, chia, turmeric, and fuchsia berry. Each plant type is featured on a 2-4 page spread that includes visually stimulating photos and diagrams, plant descriptions (including what it tastes like) how to grow/care for plants, how to prepare/preserve the food. In addition to unusual plants you've never heard of, the book also features common plants know are edible, such as dahlia tubers, fuchsia berries, and Oregon grape. Browsing this book made me want to try these unusual plants, and luckily the author includes a short list of suppliers at the end. A great resource for someone who wants to try something different!

Mmmm, yum—a salad with achocha, spilanthes and rat-tail radish! A savory dish with snake gourd, Turkish orange eggplant (they look like tomatoes!) or skirret! Perhaps some honeyberries for dessert? Your vegie garden can be a source of new culinary adventures. Clear colorful photos, charts, and growing instructions abound, as well as cooking suggestions. Make room in those beds for something new.

This book is SUPER cool. I love to food-garden and I'm always looking for things outside the typical plants, and this book contains really interesting varieties that I can't wait to try growing. With detailed growing, maintenance, and harvesting instructions, along with some basic cooking ideas, there's something here for every climate and skill-level.

I loved this book. Bright and colorful with great photographs! Thorough descriptions and easy to understand instructions. Easy enough for novice or beginner gardeners, with enough interesting and unusual crops to tempt the more seasoned growers.

There is a helpful 'choosing crops' section towards the start of the book to help you pick crops based on space, climate and growing conditions. Many crops have a three to four page section covering what the crop is, step-by-step growing instructions, harvest information, aftercare advice and cooking tips.

This is a great all-in-one book, and would be a great gift for the gardener or wannabee gardener.

I am absolutely abysmal at gardening, I come from a long lineage of amazing gardeners, but I kill all plants. Granted that doesn't keep me from being fascinated by gardening, especially when what is being grown is unusual edibles!

This book had me thinking I might be able to keep plants alive (I probably am not going to chance it) and I really want to try it because these foods look so neat! As a person who is all about eating new and exciting things, this book is amazing. The guides to these unique plants is clear (like I said, a garbage gardener likes me thinks I could possibly not murder plants) and I appreciated the added notes about how to eat the various foods.

If you are a gardener looking to bring something really weird to the table to impress guests...or someone who is on a mission to eat all of the things, then you can't go wrong with this photo filled book!