Saturday, February 14, 2009

Strawberry Spinach


Ok so I know the above picture is simply a strawberry. We have a small pot with two Lowanna strawberry bushes on the window sill. Dwarfed by the triffid like tumbler tomato it sometimes gets a little neglected. I promised it a photo on the blog and there it is.

The strawberry I am more interested in is strawberry spinach.

I tried to grow some as a present for a friend. I planted it before christmas, and also sowed some seeds out on the balcony. The pot for the friend did not take off, but the ones in the large balcony pot did. The Strawberry Spinach shares its home with lime basil, and a lot of lime basil at that. I am yet to teach totally intelligent male friend the proper way of seed sowing (as in don't dump the entire packet of a thousand seeds in and not expect me to panic).


The leaves themselves are bitter but refreshing, good for a salad.


The berries are literally like a redder, softer version of the leaves. I took this photo a couple of days ago and the berries are much, much redder now. They too would be perfect salad fodder.


Indeed this Friday the Inept Balcony Gardener is playing host to a small dinner party. She who was to receive the mini pot of strawberry spinach that failed will be in attendance, and thus will get to try this interesting bit of greenery and redery (she also won't leave empty handed, I managed to get some lime basil to grow for her instead, albeit part of the panic driven fix it plan after the seed dumping 'catastrophe')

Will let you know what the consensus is on this interesting leafy German green.

On another note my garden today was covered with a small film of ash. And the fires continue to burn - at least the arrested and charged someone ...

*Updated photo below

4 comments:

Dan said...

I have been coming cross things in pairs lately, kind of strange. I was just offered strawberry spinach in a seed trade but decided on another green instead. Maybe I should have given it a try.

I heard about the arrest on the news. Some people are just sick I guess or maybe to slow to realize consequences.

Chandramouli S said...

Wow! Did yo grow them from seeds? I got some with me but not sure how to germinate them. Any ideas?
BTW, are things calming down there?

PJ said...

Hey Dan, there's always next time. :) I'll post after the dinner party about how they tasted, then we can have 10 opinions!

Chandramouli - I just put them in a post from seed and watered - they were slow to germinate but it worked

The fires are still out of control, i think, but conditions are more mild so it is helping

Anonymous said...

Yes. I heard they arrested the person who started the fires and they've got to keep him isolated because people are so angry. Totally understandable.

I giggled at your post. I would panic too if the entire packet of seeds were inadvertently dumped. But I guess we can't expect them to know everything. :-)

Sorry about the ash. I'm praying for rain. Oh and thanks for faving me. You're sweet.