Flowers and Brussel Sprouts

jrf

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Jan 9, 2005
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So, spring is finally here in Canada -at least where I am- and things are finally starting to turn green. Also, on an even more boring note I've been eating brussel sprouts a lot lately.

I remember showing some photos of the flowers here in my front yard and a friend of mine in the RD wanted to see if I could bring some seeds to her to plant.

Has anyone ever tried to grow flowers native to NAmerica in the RD?
Or what about some of the vegetables that we normally have here?

With the climate I would imagine that they would flourish.

Anyone had any luck?
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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Don't bother with the brussel sprouts. We tried years ago but it isn't really cold enough. We ended up with a massive ornamental sprout, huge but no little sprouts on the stalks. We did try everything: we threw ice cubes at it, muttered weird incantations, danced around it at midnight etc :) but nothing seemed to work. It was a very interesting specimen though and it lasted for ages. Maybe up in Constanza it'd be cold enough?

Everything else did very well, though - the cherry tomatoes (seeds from UK originally), the UK grass seed, even the UK wildflower seeds. I'm not sure if our marigolds were imported seeds originally or not.
 

jrf

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we have a number of wild flowers here and they are amazingly colourful and beautiful.

there are a number of flowers that I liked in the RD but none quite the same as what I have at home.

huh never thought about it having to be cold enough
 

MommC

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Yep.....some things definitely need the cold!! Brussel Sprouts actually need a frost to be good and they need cooler temps to get off to a good start. Same goes for peas and some types of beans, etc.
Same deal for some herbs and flowers also.
I've had good success here with carnations, petunias, foxglove,coneflower (echinacea for those alternative medicine buffs), celosia, cleomhe (sp?),zinnias, gagliardia (mexican painted daisy), sunflowers (of course), begonias, daylilies, gladioli,irus to name a few.
So just where in Canada are you jrf???
 

Ben

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Feb 2, 2004
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It seems brussel sprouts must be grown in the DR. I recently ate them at a small restaurant in Sosua. The dish is called bubbles and squeak, which is potatoes mashed with brussel sprouts. The restaurtant is the Rose and Thistle (I recommend their English breakfast).
 

jrf

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MommC am in Winnipeg, Manitoba. On the prairies.
I have a large number of wild flowers in the yard. Looks amazing and everything from poppies to sunflowers some wild flowers native to the prairies here.

Just had noticed also that the Dominicanos don't seem to eat a lot of vegetables outside of yuca and plantain. Not too many greens.

Next time I go down I want to bring some seeds - don't think it is safe to bring seedlings.
 

MommC

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Seedlings don't travel well at all but some cuttings do (coleus, mint) - just pack in damp paper towel inside a plastic jar inside checked bag.
I thought of bringing dormant poppies and oregano but haven't done so yet.
You're right about the veggies! We grow four or five different types of lettuces each winter (as well as many other things). Do a search for gardening,veggies, seeds etc and you'll find some previous discussions of same.
 

Lambada

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It seems brussel sprouts must be grown in the DR. I recently ate them at a small restaurant in Sosua. The dish is called bubbles and squeak, which is potatoes mashed with brussel sprouts. The restaurtant is the Rose and Thistle (I recommend their English breakfast).

Yes I know, I tried it once, years ago, maybe when the restaurant was under previous management. It was really quite ........er.....unlike any bubble & squeak I have ever tasted. Uniquely unlike. Brits. know what bubble & squeak is and this was................well, something different. Entirely & totally.

You can get frozen brussel sprouts here. If you say it was brussel sprouts then maybe it was frozen ones.
 

Sharlene

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Mar 4, 2006
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We all love brussel sprouts in our family. My 2yr old loves them cold out of the fridge so I never get a chance to use them for bubble & squeak.

I've bought them pre-packaged and frozen out of The Playero. I always lightly cook them and then stir fry in a little butter to try to get rid of the 'frozen' feel.

I did see them in the freezer section at Supermercado Sosua a couple of months ago, but they actually did look like fresh ones that had been frozen as there were just a handful that had been placed in a polystyrene container with clear film around it. Next time I'm in there I'll take a closer look...
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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I saw fresh imported Brussels sprouts at Supermercado Nacional (Bella Vista Mall branch) in the capital a couple of days ago.
 

George Holmes

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I live near constanza, and we have lots of european flowers (roses, carnations etc), as well as broccoli, cauliflor and many other brassicas, but no sprouts seen just yet.

It is true that they do need a frost, perhaps in Valle Nuevo?