Merete and Ejner in their wonderfull kitchen garden
Bringing a few things to Merete and Ejner, I was invited to see their lovely kitchen garden. It is early in the season, but there are allready rows of tiny sprouting vegetables. Pea, and …. OK, I don’t exactly recognize the tiny sprouts by looking at the photo, but there are a variability of crops and no weed. The strong leafy row in front is black salsify not to be missed, and garlic grows up to the left.
The old artichokes impressed me deeply. I know the problems of getting them safely through the frosty wet winters. I have often read, that the younger plants from cuttings make it through the winter with more ease than the older individuals. Contrary, Merete and Ejner have experienced that in their garden the older plants are more likely to survive the winters than the younger plants. Therefore I saw some very old plants not move for many years. This makes me wonder how should I cultivate my own artichokes in the future.
We have exchanged artichoke clones, at I’m very excited to see the development of one of their old clones in my garden. We believe it is a ‘Green Globe’. As this is a seed propagated old line of artichokes, the name can not be fixed on a single individual. Taking cuttings from their original seed plant is cloning, and if it grows well in my garden I will continue the cloning. Then I have to ask Merete and Ejner for a name for the clone.
I allways find it exciting and inspiring to visit others gardens. Often I bring home new methods, less labour intensive than what I can find in the books or on the web. Particularly when it comes to more rare vegetables like artichokes or garlics in my area. Thanks for an artichoke talk!
Merete is author of the danish blog “Vild med have“. It is very visual, based on photos, I think a lot of readers here can enjoy it, go visit it!
In the toad's garden 
May 16, 2009 at 07:06
I was recently in Anchorage, Alaska and thought maybe they could use a broader selection of vegetable varieties. Your guide indicates your summer days are 20 hours long, similar to Anchorage.
I know a considerable amount of spinach seed is produced in Denmark but the Alaska selection is limited. Do you have favorite spinach varieties and can you recommend any flat leaf salad types.
Thank you,
Rose Marie
May 16, 2009 at 18:28
I’m only growing small amounts of spinach, since there is a family history of kidneystones related to oxalic acid also present in spinach.
But I’ve noticed, that the ecologic showgarden recommend ‘Winterriesen Stamm Verdil’ as their favorite spinach for salads, though for growing autumn and overwintering.
Otherwise ‘Matador’ seems to be very popular, as well as ‘Viking’.
May 16, 2009 at 19:04
Thank you, I will look for seed and trial both these varieties. I’m “on the hunt” for a broad of reliable seed varieties for gardeners in the far north. Knew you would have some thoughts since you are an adventurous gardener.
May 16, 2009 at 22:49
Did a little more research, and found a seedcompany in Norway that could be the most northern?
http://www.leuthens.no/VisItmGrp.html?ID=1388
I guess you can translate with google.
The are this far north
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=63.429722,10.393333&spn=0.1,0.1&t=m&q=63.429722,10.393333
and they have chosen to sell Viking (and some hybrids)
October 26, 2009 at 22:05
[…] revisited Merete and Ejners garden. First visit was in spring, this second visit was after the first frost. The garden is situated in a village, with a view over […]