Amaranth Leaf syn. Leaf Amaranth; Chinese Spinach, Tampala, bayam
Amaranthus tricolor
A nutritious, leafy green for warmer areas. It is a fast-growing and best to harvest the whole plant as older plants get tough and bitter tasting. Successive sowings will provide greens over a long period. The leaves have a sweet, tangy flavour and are best cooked, raw leaves should not be eaten very often, as they are high in nitrates and oxalic acid. In China and Japan it is the main vegetable used as a cooked green.
Leaf Amaranth prefers a fertile, well-drained garden soil, full sun to partial shade. Soil temperature needs to be at least 20°C to germinate seed, sow late spring and summer. Harvest is 30 days to baby leaf and 50 days to maturity, when they are about 20 cm tall. As they get older the leaves will get tougher.

Angled Luffa
syn. Okra Vine, Okra Cee Gwa
Luffa acutangula
Angled Luffa is a fast growing, vigorous annual vine that requires a trellis to grow on. The young fruits are similar in flavour to zucchini but slightly sweeter, it is a good substitute for zucchini in humid areas as it does not suffer fungal problems. The stem tops, young leaves and flower buds can be steamed as vegetables and the seeds from mature fruit roasted with salt and eaten. Plant it in a rich soil in full sun. Sow seed in spring.

See also Luffa - Loofah

Globe Artichoke
Cynara scolymus
Globe artichoke is an herbaceous perennial to 1.5 m high, suitable for temperate, Mediterranean climates. The edible flower buds are a delicacy, pick them before they start to open. The striking grey-green foliage and spectacular flowers add beauty to the garden. Globe artichoke has a restricted climatic range and prefers cool, moist summers and mild winters. Chilling is needed to produce buds. A deep, rich, well-drained, alkaline soil is required; artichokes will grow in a pH range of 6.5 - 7.5. Compost and manures are beneficial. Sow spring in temperate areas. Globe artichoke needs to be dug and divided every 3-4 years.

Unsuitable for tropical and Subtropical areas
Growing in humid, subtropical and tropical areas is very difficult. Unfortunately even if the plants grow well, insufficient chilling will make bud production unlikely or of very poor quality. High temperatures in spring will also cause the flower buds to open prematurely. Plants will be short-lived, often collapsing during periods of heavy rain. If artichokes are on your 'most desired' list then try the 'Imperial Star' variety as they begin cropping early. Enthusiasts in warmer areas dig the roots and put them in the fridge during the summer for planting in the autumn. Excellent drainage is required and raised beds will help.

Asparagus
Asparagus officinalis
Asparagus is a herbaceous ferny perennial to 1.5 m high, asparagus has both male and female plants. Sow seed in seedling trays in early spring, 5 mm deep at 25°C soil temperature. Germination will take approximately 21 days. Plant out in full sun in a deep, rich, well-drained, soil, compost and manures are beneficial. The pH of the soil should be 6.5, lime if necessary. After the 1^st year, remove female berry-bearing plants as the berries will germinate and choke the bed if left. Care should be taken to avoid harvesting the first few years, to allow the crowns to build strength. More growing information...

You can find Asparagus Pea seed here.