SPRING HAS SPRUNG
Don't you just love spring?
Everything around us is shooting new growth. Not that it will do us much good this year, everything is far too young to bare, however I know that growth is working towards next year and the possibilities of just a little as it grows :)
This is the young fig we transported when we sold and bought this home. It hasn't looked back despite being stuck in an ice-cream tub for the first 8 or so weeks lol.
All the berries are doing well, new growth there too. If the vines at the old house are any indication, we just may get a little fruit from these this year. I am still waiting for my elderberry, I am keen to do a tincture from that one, all my research tells me it is super effective in cold and flu season.
The Tagasaste, sometimes referred to as the "Lucerne Tree" is going crazy, we have 4 of these planted and I plan on about a dozen more going in.
These are a marvellous protein food for stock, make a gorgeous hedge, the chooks love it and the wood is amazing for both the fireplace and for making woodworking.
The nasturtiums love where they are. You can do so much with this wonderful plant.
Nasturtiums fresh leaves contain vitamin C and iron and an antiseptic substance which is at its peak before the plant flowers.
Add flavorful spunk and stunning color to salads.
Give bite to savory foods.
Scatter over steamed new potatoes.
Pair with Great Northern beans.
Enliven risotto.
The last few minutes of cooking, add sliced flowers to vegetable soups to add delicious zip. Whole flowers love floating in cold soups.
Add this flower's edible beauty to dress up tea sandwiches.
Combine with parsley, cucumber, chives, burnet and tarragon.
Flavor butter and vinegar.
Pickled flower buds make a tasty substitute for capers. To stuff blossoms, blend eight ounces softened cream cheese with two tablespoons finely minced chives or other favorite herbs. Carefully stuff mixture into nasturtium flowers; place on foil-lined tray; garnish with fresh blossoms. Serve at room temperature.
For a dramatic presentation, fill blossoms with crabmeat or tuna salad.
To add some colorful and tasty excitement to breakfast, sprinkle petals on a ricotta omelet; garnish with watercress.
To store, keep in a plastic bag; refrigerate. For optimum quality, use promptly.
Don't you just love spring?
Everything around us is shooting new growth. Not that it will do us much good this year, everything is far too young to bare, however I know that growth is working towards next year and the possibilities of just a little as it grows :)
This is the young fig we transported when we sold and bought this home. It hasn't looked back despite being stuck in an ice-cream tub for the first 8 or so weeks lol.
All the berries are doing well, new growth there too. If the vines at the old house are any indication, we just may get a little fruit from these this year. I am still waiting for my elderberry, I am keen to do a tincture from that one, all my research tells me it is super effective in cold and flu season.
The Tagasaste, sometimes referred to as the "Lucerne Tree" is going crazy, we have 4 of these planted and I plan on about a dozen more going in.
These are a marvellous protein food for stock, make a gorgeous hedge, the chooks love it and the wood is amazing for both the fireplace and for making woodworking.
The nasturtiums love where they are. You can do so much with this wonderful plant.
Nasturtiums fresh leaves contain vitamin C and iron and an antiseptic substance which is at its peak before the plant flowers.
Add flavorful spunk and stunning color to salads.
Give bite to savory foods.
Scatter over steamed new potatoes.
Pair with Great Northern beans.
Enliven risotto.
The last few minutes of cooking, add sliced flowers to vegetable soups to add delicious zip. Whole flowers love floating in cold soups.
Add this flower's edible beauty to dress up tea sandwiches.
Combine with parsley, cucumber, chives, burnet and tarragon.
Flavor butter and vinegar.
Pickled flower buds make a tasty substitute for capers. To stuff blossoms, blend eight ounces softened cream cheese with two tablespoons finely minced chives or other favorite herbs. Carefully stuff mixture into nasturtium flowers; place on foil-lined tray; garnish with fresh blossoms. Serve at room temperature.
For a dramatic presentation, fill blossoms with crabmeat or tuna salad.
To add some colorful and tasty excitement to breakfast, sprinkle petals on a ricotta omelet; garnish with watercress.
To store, keep in a plastic bag; refrigerate. For optimum quality, use promptly.
9 Responses:
Hi Molly
Did you know that once it was law in England that every household have an elder? The plant is a veritable medicine chest, although mostly they only use the elderflowers now.
Make sure to dry the blossom before making the tincture, or else you will have a very powerful laxative on your hands - not something you'd want to do to your loved ones when they've already got a respiratory illness...
The first time I picked the flowers in bulk, I was running to the loo within a few minutes (absorbed it through my skin, didn't I?). The following day, I was running my hands through them to check how they were drying and a little while later, the same thing happened! Once they're dry, though, that effect is greatly reduced.
And if you get any berries - well, that's cause for making elderberry wine - yum yum!
The nasturtiums are great to grow near any vegies and fruit trees, as they help to keep pests away. But mostly, I just love sucking the nectar out of the bottom of the little spur on the flower..
Glad to see your new garden is up and running. xx
Hi NW. I didn't know about the english law, certainly makes sense though!
Thanks for the tips on the elderberry, I will make sure I have gloves to go LOL
I'm glad the garden is up and running too, I have soooooo missed my old home garden!
Hey Molly...
Always catches me off guard to remember that you are going into Spring when we are going into Fall...
Plants are looking good, my friend!
It's such an encouraging time of year.
Almost every day I can see changes in the garden.
I even have the first of my potatoes emerging from the ground and I only planted them about three weeks ago.
At least I hope it's growth from the potatoes I planted and not from a piece of potato peel that survived composting.
My childhood years were spent in England and I recall my dad making wine out of both berries and flowers of the elderberry. I don't recall that the laxitive qualities survived the fermentation.
Your baby plants are just lovely. It's wonderful to plant something and then watch it while it grows. I love your attitude of planting now for a good harvest in a season or two.
Your figs might surprise you. I have one in a pot on my patio and that thing has grown and grown. We got four little figs off of it so I'm hoping that next year we'll get more!
Wish I would have had this post for our Change The World Wednesday challenge last week ... the challenge was to plant something. This would have been so perfect.
Take Care!
Small Footprints
http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com
Hey Hermit, catches me out too lol. The plants are slowly getting there, despite all I have planted there is still masses of room to go, love that thought!
Hey One, I agree, spring makes all the hard work feel easy! Way to go on the spuds, hope you get a bumper crop! Im glad the wine wont have me racing to the loo LOL.
Hey Footprints thanks, the attitude comes because I know the lil beggars wont grow any faster anyway LOL!
My grandfather was an orchardist, he would haunt me if I allowed any fruit on a tree before it was shoulder height LOL! Apparently it can knock years off the life of a tree and can weaken it, who knows, but I practice it anyway, thats only a year in most trees lifespan.
Do you candy, dry or can your fruits?
Ooooh, you're making me think I want to grow some nasturtiums!
Do you know if they'll take form cuttings?
If so, I'll have a snoop around the neighbourhood, armed with a pair of scissors!
If not, I guess I'll have to pay for plant or two!
Your berries look like they're doing well :-)
Hi Molly, have you seen this site yet? Tumbled across it today, thought you might like it. Do view the into video.
http://www.storyofstuff.com/
Hi Daharja, I am not sure if cuttings would work, however the seeds sprout in no time at all, and cheaper than buying a plant.
Hi Marie, I have seen that one thanks, it certainly makes one think!
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