Woke up to this view at 5 am….still a shock to see new snow at the end of April, but not unusual…this weekend’s plans to sow and plant in the garden may have to wait until my return from my forthcoming trip to Southern Norway, Sweden and Denmark or maybe I should just abandon annuals altogether…
Almost 2 years ago on 29th April 2014, this quiche features perennial vegetables, starring Hablitzia / Stjernemelde, Allium victorialis / Seiersløk, Ground Elder / Skvallerkål, Stinging Nettle / Brennesle, Garlic / Hvitløk and homegrown chili, with a 100% wholemeal barley, rye and spelt crust, parmesan cheese and served with Jerusalem artichokes and Blue Congo potato and topped with dried with dried Alpine Bistort / Harerug bulbils!! Doesn’t get much better!!
Nice article / interview by Heidi Løkken in Norwegian magazine Pensjonisten. Download here:
I saw cultivation of and ate leaves of Japanese Pepper or sansho (Zanthoxylum piperitum) several times in Japan…these leaves had sprouted in my cellar (pot grown as two attempts at overwintering failed).. more later…
The garlic bulbil shoots had grown into a forest in the kitchen in my absence :)
A group of starlings / stær were having a meeting in a spruce tree this evening….probably discussing the filthy accommodation I have on offer… :(
Trachystemon orientalis flowers early in the spring….I found a plant I was overwintering in the cellar in full flower today :)
See my earlier blog about it here: http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?page_id=1269
I had already seen it in flower at Exeter University in the UK on 21st February!
This Physalis which I’ve called “Indian Strain” is now going into its 7th year. I got this from Seed Savers Exchange in the US. However, that one is supposed to be a tomatillo and I wonder if I mixed it up with another I got at about the same time, P. heterophylla, clammy ground cherry, although the stems are not clammy (sticky) to the feel. That would explain it’s hardiness as it is found in the wild north to Canada (see http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=PHHEH3). I definitely planted heterophylla in the garden and it’s survived since 2009 without winter protection, but the summer is just too cold for fruit (it does flower).
It lives in a cold bedroom all year and produces a few fruit most of the year, even continuing to ripen fruit despite the temperature being often under 10C. The fruit are sweet and have good flavour. It’s not hugely productive but little bother (aphids don’t bother it). I cut it back when it gets too straggly. See also http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?page_id=2146. Anyone visiting is welcome to to a cutting. I harvested a few this morning:
A new species for me here! I noticed a pair of mute swans / knoppsvaner hanging out in the bay this afternoon. Young birds? No orange bill…
Later, they disappeared behind Malvikodden, the peninsular on the other side of the bay. Then, suddenly this evening they flew back westwards right past my window. I swear one of them winked at me ;)
This is the second observation of this species in my kommune Malvik, the first only 6 days ago of a single bird with a group of Whooper Swans / sangsvane. Mute swans are moving north in Norway.