One of the most beneficial things we can do for improving the health of our microbiome is by increasing the number of different plant foods we consume. Sounds simple? It is! Or, it should be anyway. Nowadays the variety of produce available in grocery stores is incredibly limited, especially in Finland where I live. No matter how hard you try, it seems impossible to reach the goal of eating thirty different plant foods each week, which is what research suggests is the minimum we should aim for in order to cultivate the bacteria we want in our gut.
Growing food yourself is the perfect opportunity to help with this problem. Sure, homegrown carrots and zucchini are tastier and probably more nutritious than the ones you can buy - and you certainly should grow these too - but there is real value in growing things you can’t buy in the store. Additionally, the best thing you can do for building soil health in your garden, which is the key to growing healthy and nutritious plants, is to grow as many different varieties of plants as possible.
So, what are the weirdest, most uncommon things I am growing in my garden this year?
Common Ice Plant
The Common Ice Plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum) is native to South Africa, and can be used fresh as well as cooked. It resembles a succulent plant, with rather thick, water-filled leaves. The leaves have a somewhat salty taste, and add a pleasant punch to a salad.
I have not used it as much as other plants from my garden, as it’s a new one to me that I don’t always think to use. But, at least it is helping to diversify my soil and I am learning how to grow it well!
Plantago Coronopus
Plantago coronopus is similar to the common plantain (Plantago major) that can be found growing pretty much everywhere, including in my garden. I don’t pull them as weeds unless they are infringing on another plant. However, Plantago coronopus is usually cultivated as a salad green. It has long, thin, dark green leaves, and a minerally, slightly bitter taste. It complements milder salad leaves well.
This is one of my favorites. It is easy to grow and harvest, not susceptible to pests in my experience, and very tasty.
Chinese Broccoli
Chinese broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra), or kailaan, is a close relative of broccoli that is often cultivated and used in Asia. Unlike broccoli, which you eat the flower head of, kailaan is grown for the stems and leaves. It has a similar flavor to broccoli, and works particularly well in stir-fries and soups.
I find that it is a bit easier to grow than broccoli, although it is still susceptible to the same types of annoying pests as all brassicas: flea beetles and cabbage worms.
Basil Varieties
Of course basil itself is not an uncommon plant. But growing several different varieties again benefits both the soil and the person eating the plant. This year I grew Common Basil, Tulsi (Holy Basil), Cinnamon Basil, and Midnight Basil. Each variety produces a unique set of phytonutrients, some of which give a distinct color like purple in the case of Midnight Basil, that feed the microbes both in the soil and in our body.
Any of these is wonderful for pesto or as a garnish on food, even desserts like fresh strawberries with whipped cream and violet flowers. I tend to like to use Tulsi in tea, and hope to dry a lot for using in the winter months too.
Portlak
Portlak (Portulaca oleracea) used to be a very commonly grown salad green in Finland, however it fell out of fashion. It is succulent, and has a mild, fresh taste. I like to use it in salads or even on sandwiches.
Portlak contains an appreciable amount of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which can be converted in the body into EPA and subsequently DHA. It also has a history of medicinal use, particularly for digestive and skin issues. It grows quite low to the ground, so I find it to be a useful plant to fill in gaps in between taller plants.
Chinese Pink Celery
I have always been a lover of celery - something about the crunch and slightly peppery flavor I find exceedingly satisfying. So why not have several different options? Chinese pink celery has thinner, smaller, more delicate stalks, but it can be used in any way you would use normal celery.
Edible and Medicinal Flowers
This year my garden contains numerous flowers, including Calendula, Chamomile, Borage, Cornflower, several varieties of Tagetes, Violets, Yarrow, and more. Growing flowers accomplished several different goals. It is an easy way to increase diversity, also by adding different plant families and not just different species. Additionally, many of the flowers I grow are known to help deter pests, especially varieties of Tagetes, more commonly known as marigold.
Most of the flowers I grow are edible, and I like to make tinctures with the fresh flowers or dehydrate them to use in tea blends or infuse into olive oil for making various types of skin salves.
All in all, growing uncommon plants is a fun and easy way to help support the health of your garden as well as your own health. Stay tuned to learn more about building soil health in your garden.
