 |
| Youngberries at various stages of ripeness |
I have started to harvest youngberries - and have discovered that I have competition.
Not the normal competiton - not the normal mousebirds, mice nor snails, but the four-legged kind of competition. Actually, (without jinxing it) in contradiction with last year, I haven't seen a single mousebird this year...?
 |
| Stellar searching for ripe youngberries at ground level |
I never knew dogs ate berries...
 |
| Just a bowl of unimaginable yumminess 😆 |
Tonight we are having a fruit salad with freshly picked plums and youngberries and I have already harvested enough berries already to make 3 bottles of youngberry cordial and 4 large jars of jam - and I have at least 7 more harvests to gather in...
Help!!
I reckon I'll be giving away a lot of fresh youngberries this year... 😀
Then, the other day I wanted to make mashed potatoes and when I went to get some from my pantry I saw that they had all started sprouting.
 |
| My potatoes had started sprouting from the eyes |
I was faced with a conundrum...
I normally plant those, but, on that day I didn't have enough potatoes to allow for dinner - and planting. And I felt sorry for the effort that the potatoes had gone to - I couldn't just remove the sprouting bits and toss them in my worm farm.
 |
| Freshly harvested potato "sprouts" |
So, I carefully removed the sprouting bits of the potatoes and placed them in my (microgreen) sprouting tower.
Giving them a quick rinse, and leaving some water in the lower section, I put them aside.
 |
| Potato sprouts at 1 week |
 |
| Potato sprouts at 2 weeks |
 |
| The roots are happily making their way to the water in the lower section of the (microgreen) sprouting tower |
...and the roots are developing in the lower section.
I have never planted potatoes in this state. Will they grow?? I guess they probably will, but I'll have to keep the soil good and damp until the 2nd set of leaves emerge.
Will be an experiment to end all experiments.
If it works, then I never have to sacrifice potatoes anymore - I will just "cultivate" the sprouting bits...
I'll let you know 😁
I'm sure they will grow - I've had potato peelings I put in the compost bin start to sprout in the garden when the compost was spread. Interesting experiment. Keep us posted.
ReplyDeletexx
Mum - If this experiment works it would certainly cut down on food "waste", wouldn't it...
DeleteThe entire potato could be used instead of sacrificing the entire tuber to the new plant 😉
I have never seen potato eyes do that before! I will be watching for updates. If your dog eats those berries, they will also take your strawberries and any tomatoes that smell sweet. Our youngest dog given the chance was licking the outside of a bottle of spiced rum! no joke she was running into utility room and straight to the bottom shelf to lick it!!!
ReplyDeleteSol - Ha! My strawberries and tomatoes are in my shadecloth veggie patches and Stellar knows she is not allowed to step in there ;)
DeleteLordie - you had an alcoholic dog?? Bwahahaha...
Sol..In the United States, nearly all potatoes are treated with a chemical to give them a longer shelf life in the grocery stores that slows down rooting. With organically grown potatoes, roots develop fairly fast.
ReplyDeleteOh Marlin - That is such sad news!! That even your potatoes are sprayed is quite hectic...
DeleteUnforunately that's the USA food system!!!
DeleteFrom the pictures, I think what you call young berries are called black berries here. There are a bunch of them down by the creek here. We pick them in summer but you have to be really careful as there as usually Copperheads and Rattlers in the blackberry bushes.
ReplyDeleteHarry - Hmmm, I hadn't thought of that. I'm sure Cape Cobra's and Puff Adders would love the shade from these ushes too Thanks for the heads up... :D
ReplyDelete