Tarua

Many years ago,  I visited a Polynesian market in New Zealand and bought some tubers that were called Tarua in the South Pacific Islands…similar but different (and larger) to the more common Taro (Colocasia esculenta). For a plant that supposedly originated from tropical lowland Malaysia, Taro is a surprisingly cold hardy plant making a nice edimental house plant that can be outside in the summer even in my cool climate! I took a Tarua tuber home and grew it as a house plant for some years. It is probably Xanthosoma sagittifolium, also known as Elephant Ears, and closely related to Taro and similarly quite hardy! See the pictures below.

For other posts about Taro, see the links below:
Taro:  An Excellent Edimental House Plant
http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?p=5738

The Lotus effect on Taro leaves: http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?p=5732

25 Edible Tubers of 16 species: http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?page_id=3365

A Nepalese Feast in Malvik (including the preparation of taro leaves Nepalese style!)   http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?p=6593

Edimentals hits the Irish Times and Hampden Court Flower Show

Great article on edimentals in the Irish Times with my friend and edimentalist, Orlaith Murphy!
https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/gardens/petal-power-on-the-plate-eating-your-garden-flowers-1.3140874

….and forest gardening
and edimentals hits the Hampden Court Flower Show in London!!
https://dogwooddays.net/2017/07/04/london-glades-forest-garden-solutions-for-urban-spaces-at-rhs-hampton-court-flower-show

Leopard slugs out in strength

My first line of defence against the feared Portuguese slug (Iberiaskogsnegl / brunsnegl) seems to be holding despite a couple of sitings in the garden. Last night I noticed that there were hundreds of leopard slugs (boaskogsnegl / leopardsnegl) gathering to discuss strategy! Only when trapped and starving have I noticed them damaging any of my edibles…

P1750414 P1750413

Mallow Sorrel Fish Soup

I eat wild fish now and again, but there’s always masses of veggies….and today musk mallow (Malva moschata) is at its most productive, with various Russians sorrels, day lily buds and nettles. Also not shown, I used Croatian St. John’s onion (Allium x cornutum), garlic “Aleksandra” (still going strong, stored in my kitchen since autumn), chili and golpar (spice from the seed of Heracleum persicum, Tromsøpalme)P1750386

P1750388P1750389

Hurdal Nordic Permaculture Festival 2013

I’m visiting Hurdal Ecovillage again this weekend, so thought I would post this album of pictures from the Nordic Permaculture Festival held there in August 2013! https://www.facebook.com/events/219614368452015/

More can be found by following these two links:
http://naviana.blogg.no/1378933789_nordisk_permakulturfe.html
http://www.kulturverk.com/2013/08/16/permakulturfestivalen-i-hurdal/

Perennial vegetables, Edimentals (plants that are edible and ornamental) and other goings on in The Edible Garden