Sunday, May 04, 2003

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METAPRACTICALITY

This morning planted the koshoga (little ginger) and oshoga (big ginger) roots. Breaking up the very elegantly and metapractically designed roots into bud-containing segments made me hungry, what with the succulent sound of snap after snap after snap to the savory fragrance that right away filled the morning and thence the entire activity. All this succulent savoriness, however, apart from that redolent on my handwipe shirttail, was soon returned to the earth; buried in its prepared bed and thoroughly watered, the ginger is even now gathering its subterranean forces for the big push upward soon into splendid green ginger-perfumed leafhood. The sprouts at the bases of the new stalks are delicious as well, something like a gingery scallion; great and savory garnish. It occurs to me that ginger (ko or sho) would make an easy-growing, excellent and most beautiful potted plant, with its tall scented deep-green bamboo-like leaves and uniquely tasty reward at the terminus. That is, if you could buy the roots singly (for growing here you have to buy large quantities), though I never see ginger roots sold or used here for that purpose, and don't recall having seen them used thus elsewhere. I've heard that the roots sold in food shops can't be used for growing, having been treated in some way to prevent the sprouting that would 'mar' the goods. Might be worth buying a bag of plantable roots and sharing it. No, it would definitely be worth it.

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