Hi, I hope you are feeling great!
Since we planted the Clove plant (Syzygium aromaticum), we didn't know whether it would grow or not. That's why we didn't pay any attention to it at the beginning. Once the flowering period was over, I did some pruning, we had a lot of branches with leaves, so it occurred to me to keep the leaves and then eat them. Let's see how it went!.
¡Phaway!
In the case of cloves, the edible part is the flowers in bud or flower bud stage. These are left to dry and are offered for traditional consumption. This is how you find them in the shops. They are small (up to 2 cm high), dark brown in color and resemble iron nails.
This is the tree in my garden, it is about 180 cm tall. Once the flowering period is over, I will prune it again in order to reduce its size. By pruning, I will activate the buds (vegetative buds) on the trunk (woody tissue) and they will be smaller. Thus, the management will be more controlled.
This time I did a Sanitary and harvesting pruning. The branches were long and with a lot of foliage, forming several layers of shade... The preferred microclimate for pest insects such as these insects (insect whose carapace is hard and contains several eggs). After pruning, these leaves will be preserved to be consumed in herbal teas or as an accompaniment to desserts and drinks, as they have an exquisite aroma.
To preserve it, I removed all the leaves from the branches. Here I check for insects and other diseases. I make a selection of healthy leaves and damaged leaves. This work must be done in detail and takes approximately one hour.
Once the leaves have been selected, the washing follows. Here I usually remove dust and insects that are stuck to the leaves. This step has to be done carefully and calmly so as not to damage the leaves. After washing, I spread them out on chopping boards or cloths and let them dry in the open air and in diffuse light (light shade). I do this activity in the morning (early), so that it dries all day, although it would be better if it dries for more days (2 or 3 days).
I separate a kraft paper bag and place it there in a stacked way, one on top of the other... And it's ready to use. With this, we save a lot at home. Cloves are expensive in Peru at the moment. And with this harvest, Cinnamon and Cloves are no longer missing at breakfast. We use 4 leaves per 1 litre of water. Of course, I give small cuts to the leaves so that they give off their scent and aroma of cloves.
That is why I recommend planting this plant, it does not require much handling in the field, I would say it is rustic. However, after each pruning, it needs to be fertilised to recover the nutrients extracted during the harvest.
... Jikisiñkama!
... See you later!.
