Unusual Crops to Grow in the UK

Fancy growing something a bit different from potatoes and carrots? Lots of edible plants from South America, Asia and southern Europe are happy in British gardens, and most don’t need a greenhouse. The tomatillo, the star of salsa verde, is a great example.

What unusual root crops grow in the UK?

Roots are a great place to start. They’re easy, fun to dig up, and some give surprisingly big crops.

Digging up oca and yacon from a raised bed in autumn.

Oca is the star. This South American tuber gives you colourful, lemony little tubers in pink, red, yellow and orange. Its leaves don’t like frost, so start tubers in pots in April and plant them out 30cm apart once the frosts are over. The tubers form late in the year, so leave them in until frost blackens the leaves in November. Eat them raw in salads or roast them like potatoes. Leave them in a sunny spot for a few days after digging and they get sweeter.

Yacon makes big, crunchy tubers that taste a bit like apple crossed with pear. Start the crowns indoors in March and plant out after the last frost. The plants grow tall with handsome leaves. Dig them up in November when the stems die back. They’re lovely raw and naturally sweet.

Celeriac isn’t exotic, but few gardeners try it. Sow under cover in February, plant out in May and lift the roots from October. It has a strong celery flavour. Keep it well watered in rich soil, and pull off the lower leaves in summer to help the root swell.

Salsify and scorzonera are old-fashioned roots that deserve a comeback. Both have a mild, nutty taste. Sow them straight outside in April in deep soil without stones, and dig them from October. Salsify has pale roots, and scorzonera has black-skinned roots with white flesh. Both are hardy, so you can leave them in the ground over winter and dig as needed. The RHS vegetable growing guide has more on these and other veg.

Can you grow unusual fruit in the UK?

Yes, and several unusual fruits crop well without any protection. The trick is choosing ones that like a cool climate rather than trying to keep tropical plants alive. Hardy goji berries are a good example, coping with poor soil and hard frost.

Cape gooseberries ripening in their papery husks, ready to pick from August.

Cape gooseberries (Physalis peruviana) are the easiest unusual fruit. Start seeds indoors in February, pot them on and plant out after the last frost. You’ll get lots of golden fruits wrapped in papery husks, with a sweet, tangy, tropical taste. Pick them when the husk turns brown and papery. In a good summer they keep going until October. Our cape gooseberry growing guide has tips on checking ripeness and keeping plants over winter.

Honeyberries (Lonicera caerulea) are one of the earliest fruits of the year, ripening in late spring, often before strawberries. They taste like a mix of blueberry and blackcurrant. The bushes are very hardy and cope with part shade. You need two different varieties that flower at the same time to get fruit.

Kiwi berries (Actinidia arguta) are grape-sized fruits with a smooth skin you can eat and a lovely kiwi flavour. The vines are very hardy and grow big, so they need a strong frame, pergola or fence. Most need a male and a female plant. If you only have room for one, try ‘Issai’, which can fruit on its own. Be patient, as they take a few years to start fruiting.

Japanese wineberries are hardy raspberry cousins with striking red, bristly stems. The orange-red berries ripen in summer and taste like a sweet, fragrant raspberry. They’re self-fertile and happy in most soils. Train them against a fence. The stem tips root where they touch the ground, so trim them to stop them spreading.

What unusual leaves can you grow in the UK?

Leaves give you the quickest results, and most can be picked again and again.

Agretti (Salsola soda) is a crunchy, slightly salty Italian leaf that chefs love. Sow it straight outside in spring. Old seed often fails, so buy fresh seed each year. Cut young shoots above the base and it will grow back for more cuts. Steam or stir-fry it quickly, as it goes mushy if overcooked.

Shiso (Perilla frutescens) is a Japanese herb used with sushi, tempura and salads. Green shiso has a minty, basil-like taste, while purple shiso adds colour and a stronger flavour. Sow indoors in March and plant out after the last frost. Pick leaves through summer. It self-seeds, so you may get free plants next year.

Land cress is a peppery leaf that tastes like watercress but grows in ordinary soil. Sow it outside from March to September. It copes with shade and cold and can keep cropping through winter. Pick the outer leaves often. It runs to seed in hot, dry weather, so keep it watered in summer. One of the easiest crops here.

Perilla (also called beefsteak plant) is the same species as shiso. The Korean type has big green or deep purple leaves with a taste somewhere between basil, cinnamon and mint. It grows happily in pots. Use the leaves to wrap grilled meat or fish, or shred them into salads.

Shiso and land cress are easy leaves you can pick again and again. Keep land cress watered in summer or it runs to seed.

Which unusual squash and gourds thrive in UK conditions?

As well as butternuts and courgettes, a few unusual squashes do well here. They need warmth to get going but grow fast once June warms up.

Tromboncino is an Italian climbing squash with long, curvy fruits. Pick it young like a courgette, or leave it to ripen for winter storage. As it climbs, it saves space, so grow it up a sturdy frame. Sow indoors in April and plant out in June.

Kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin) has sweet, nutty, chestnut-like flesh. ‘Uchiki Kuri’ (onion squash) is a reliable choice. Sow indoors in April and plant out in a sunny, sheltered spot in June. Pick in September before the first frost. The fruits keep for months in a cool room.

Cucamelon (Melothria scabra) has grape-sized fruits that look like tiny watermelons and taste like cucumber with a hint of lime. Sow indoors in April and plant out in a sheltered spot in June. The vines climb and keep cropping from July if you pick often. Lovely in salads, pickled or straight off the plant. Our guide to succession planting helps you fit these in alongside your usual crops.

Tromboncino climbs, so it saves space. Pick the fruits young like courgettes, or leave a few to ripen for winter.

How do heat-loving unusual crops grow in UK gardens?

Some crops from warmer places do well here with a sunny wall, a pot and an early start indoors. Walls and paving soak up the sun and keep plants cosy. Sweet potatoes in pots or raised beds enjoy the same treatment.

Chillies and aubergines in pots, loving a sheltered courtyard.

Aubergines do well in pots anywhere in the UK, and outdoors in warm southern gardens. Pick compact varieties such as ‘Patio Baby’ or ‘Ophelia’. Sow indoors somewhere warm in February. Grow them in pots of rich compost against a sunny wall and you’ll be picking from August. Our aubergine growing guide covers the details.

Chilli peppers are one of the best unusual crops for the UK. Loads of varieties do well in pots on a sunny patio or windowsill. Sow somewhere warm in January or February and move them outside in June to a sheltered, sunny spot. Even in the north, compact types like ‘Apache’ and ‘Prairie Fire’ crop well in pots. Our chilli growing guide has variety ideas and ripening tips.

Lemongrass makes a great summer pot plant. Pop fresh supermarket stalks in a glass of water on a warm windowsill until they root. Then pot them up in free-draining compost and stand them in full sun from late May. Pick the outer stalks from July by twisting them off at the base. It can’t take frost, so bring it in before autumn turns cold. It overwinters happily on a bright windowsill.

Tomatillos are the tangy green fruits used in Mexican salsa verde. You grow them much like tomatoes. Sow indoors in March and plant at least two outside in June, as they need a partner to make fruit. Pick from August when the fruits fill their papery husks. They’re tart and citrussy, quite different from a tomato.

Unusual crops comparison table

Month-by-month sowing calendar for unusual crops

January: Sow chillies indoors on a heated mat or a warm windowsill.

February: Sow cape gooseberries, aubergines and celeriac indoors. Root lemongrass stalks in water on a windowsill.

March: Sow shiso, perilla, lemongrass seed and tomatillos indoors. Start yacon crowns. Sow land cress outside if the soil is workable.

April: Start oca tubers in pots. Sow tromboncino, kabocha and cucamelon indoors. Sow salsify, scorzonera, land cress and agretti outside.

May: Once the last frost has passed, plant out oca, yacon, cape gooseberries, shiso and lemongrass.

June: Plant out chillies, aubergines, tomatillos, tromboncino, kabocha and cucamelon once nights are warmer. Start picking land cress, shiso and agretti.

July to October: Harvest time for most crops. Keep picking chillies, cape gooseberries and tomatillos so they keep coming.

November: Dig up oca and yacon after the first frost. Bring lemongrass indoors. Plant honeyberries and kiwi berries while they’re dormant.

To fit these in with your other crops, see our greenhouse growing calendar.

How to get started with unusual crops

Start with three or four crops that suit your space. On an allotment or in a big garden, try oca, cape gooseberries and tromboncino. A short row of home-grown quinoa is another fun experiment. For small gardens and pots, chillies, shiso and lemongrass are brilliant. Our guides to container vegetable gardening and growing in grow bags show you how.

Specialist UK seed companies such as Real Seeds, The Backyard Larder and Incredible Vegetables stock lots of these crops. Garden Organic runs a heritage seed library with varieties you won’t find in the shops.

Think of unusual crops as a fun extra, not a replacement for your usual veg. Some will fail. Agretti can be fussy to get going, and kiwi berries take a while to fruit. But the ones that work will soon become favourites.

For the everyday crops to grow alongside these, our grow your own vegetables guide covers the basics.

For a sweet, crunchy tuber to try, see our guide to growing yacon.

No garden? Chillies, shiso and lemongrass are brilliant in pots, so a sunny balcony is plenty to get started.

Frequently asked questions

What unusual vegetables can I grow in the UK?

Oca, yacon, celeriac, salsify, agretti and shiso are all great to try. Oca and yacon are South American tubers that you dig up in late autumn. Agretti and shiso are leafy crops you can pick again and again. Celeriac needs a long season but gives you big roots by autumn.

Can you grow cape gooseberries outdoors in the UK?

Yes, they fruit outdoors in much of the UK. Start the seeds indoors in February and plant out after the last frost. Pick from August to October, when the papery husks turn brown. Give them full sun and well-drained soil.

What is oca and how do you grow it in the UK?

Oca is a South American tuber with a lemony, potato-like taste. Start tubers in pots in April and plant them out 30cm apart once frosts are over. Dig them up in November, after frost has blackened the leaves. You’ll get colourful tubers in pink, red, yellow and orange.

Are kiwi berries hardy in the UK?

Yes, kiwi berries are very hardy. They’re vigorous climbers that need a sturdy frame, pergola or fence. The grape-sized fruit has a smooth skin you can eat. Plants take a few years to start fruiting. Most need a male and a female plant, though ‘Issai’ can fruit on its own.

What unusual fruits grow well in UK gardens?

Honeyberries, kiwi berries, cape gooseberries and Japanese wineberries all do well. Honeyberries are one of the earliest fruits of the year, ripening in late spring. Japanese wineberries are hardy and self-fertile. Cape gooseberries need starting indoors but crop well outside.

Can I grow lemongrass in the UK?

Yes, it grows well in a pot over summer. Root supermarket stalks in water, or sow seed in March. Grow it in a big pot of free-draining compost in full sun and pick outer stalks from July. It can’t take frost, so bring it indoors in autumn.

When should I sow unusual crops in the UK?

Start chillies, cape gooseberries and aubergines indoors in January or February. Sow shiso, tomatillos and squash indoors in March and April. Start oca and yacon in pots in spring and plant out after the last frost. Sow land cress, salsify and agretti outside in spring. Plant honeyberries and kiwi berries in autumn or spring.