米国の動画を見ていて初めて知った、多年草のケールの種をゲットしました。「ポルトガルケール」といって、茎に育つ葉っぱが大きくなり次第下のほうから収穫し続けると、数年間生き続けるそうです。しかも周年収穫できる。東京の冬は温暖なうえ、鉢植えで冬は屋内にとりこめば更によく育ちそうな予感。動画をみると巨大な苗に育つようなので、最終的には10号鉢へと鉢増ししていく予定です。
今は種まきの時期ではないようですが、袋には十分な数の種が入っているので、１本でも有ればハッピーな私としては、そのうちダメ元で撒いてみるつもりです。
While watching the US videos about plants that are good for one's health, I came across 'Portuguese kale' which I had never heard of. I loved the idea that the same plant lives for several years during which I would be able to pick the leaves. Considering the mild winters in Tokyo, I am hoping that I would be able to keep harvesting the leaves through winter, by growing the plant in a large pot and taking it inside when it gets cold.I got excited and managed to find a seed seller in Japan. It may not be the best time for sowing right now, but I am going to try with a few of them, since there are a lot in the packet. As a person living alone, having just one Portuguese kale would be good enough.
１週間ほど前に、近所の空き地でシロザが越冬しているのを見つけました。30cm弱の小苗ですが、よくぞ先日の雪のあとも生きていたと関心しました。そのかわり、苗の下のほうの大き目の葉っぱや茎が寒さで赤く焼けていました。養分豊富な土で植え付け、１週間ほど２階の南向き部屋で世話しているうちに、葉っぱが段々と緑色を取り戻してきました。
About a week ago, I stumbled into this lamb's quarter in an empty plot next to a car park. It was less than 30cm tall then. I was amazed how it had survived the brief snow fall we had recently. The leaves near the roots were red, as well as the stem, probably due to the cold weather. I planted it in a pot and kept it in a sunny room upstairs. To my delight, the red leaves and stem are gradually turning green again.
シロザの葉の特徴：縁がギザギザで、葉の形がひし形っぽい。
The leaves are unmistakably those of the lamb's quarter - serrated edge, and the diamond shape.
葉腋のところには新芽が伸び始めています。
New buds are growing out of the axils.
ご近所からいただいた手作りの干し柿。ポタポタ餅のように柔らかい中身です。東京で干し柿を作ろうとすると気温が高すぎてカビるそうですが、これらは八ヶ岳の別荘で作ったものだそうです。軒下で吊るして適度に乾燥させたら冷凍庫で保存して、食べる頃の1週間前に冷蔵庫に移しておくと白い粉がふくそうです。
A neighbour gave me these home-made, dried persimmon fruits. They are soft, almost fluid, on the inside. Unfortunately, you cannot make these in Tokyo, since the temperature is not cold enough, and they become mouldy. She and her husband have a country home in Yatsugatake, which is high up in the mountain in Nagano Prefecture, where they have an old persimmon tree with astringent fruits.
