Cailin Riley Books

If you’re a gardener, you might find yourself getting into the routine of growing the same things year after year.

On the one hand, it’s nice to grow what you know does well in your garden. It’s also nice to grow things that you enjoy. But every now and then, it’s fun to get out of your comfort zone and grow something new!

For example, this year was my first time growing cucumbers in the backyard. I had no idea what to expect, but it turns out that they do very well here in Kansas. Before I knew it, three plants turned into baskets and baskets of cucumbers for pickling!

In the spirit of trying new things, here is a list uncommon veggies, herbs and more that you might consider trying in 2025:

Veggies:

• Bitter melon-high in vitamin C
• Bok choy-great in stir fries
• Leeks-this onion relative doesn’t get enough love
• Kohlrabi-similar to cabbage and looks really cool
• Rutabaga-very similar to turnips but have a sweeter taste

Greens:

• Amaranth-heat tolerant, tastes like spinach and is a pretty pink color
• Tong Ho-edible greens with beautiful big flowers

Fruits

• Jelly melon-looks like a mini spike ball and comes in different colors

Herbs:

• Horehound-this green herb tastes like licorice and root beer
• Safflower-yes, this can be grown at home! Used in many dishes and dyes
• Toothache plant-these little guys look unquie in the garden and putting them in your mouth makes you tingle, lol
• Borage-cute herb that produces star-shaped flowers
• Marshmallow-white floral herb that is the origin of, you guessed, marshmallows

Have you tried grow anything new or different in the garden? How’d it go?

If you’re interested in learning more about gardening, check out my upcoming book, “Marigolds & Morels: Gardening and Foraging for Beginners”! Available via Kindle and paperback this fall, my easy-to-read guide is great for anybody who wants to get into growing their own herbs and vegetables, as well as find out how you can forage in your own backyard.