Katia's Jewel Box — The Russet Apple (Malus domestica) is one of the...

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The Russet Apple (Malus domestica) is one of the autumn harvest’s most exquisite treats! Russets are the same species as other domesticated apples 🍎 but their unique skins set them apart from most apples which are shiny. The Russet Apple skin has a...

The Russet Apple (Malus domestica) is one of the autumn harvest’s most exquisite treats! Russets are the same species as other domesticated apples 🍎 but their unique skins set them apart from most apples which are shiny. The Russet Apple skin has a matte finish and feels like soft sandpaper to the touch. In Elizabethan England these apples were nicknamed “leather coats” for their skin. The skin texture is caused by natural microscopic cracking of the waterproof cuticle layer of the epidermal tissue of the fruit. Since the Russet isn’t as waterproof as a glossy Apple, the russet does not have a long shelf life or durability in transport. Sadly, this means russets have not been as commercially successful as long shelf life apple varieties. Also, russet trees have inconsistent harvests. They are worth a place in your garden because the flavour is rich and fruity with a hint of nutty taste. These apples have a dense velvety textured flesh that’s completely different from the juicy crisp texture of most

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Ever wondered what to do with all those used disposable medical masks? Here’s an idea - use them as hammocks for heavy hanging fruit in your garden. This comfy fruit is a Ogen Melon (Cucumis melo reticulatus), an heirloom variety of muskmelon...


Ever wondered what to do with all those used disposable medical masks? Here’s an idea - use them as hammocks for heavy hanging fruit in your garden. This comfy fruit is a Ogen Melon (Cucumis melo reticulatus), an heirloom variety of muskmelon developed in Isreal. Humans have cultivated Melons 🍈 🍉 since the time of the Ancient Egyptians and they are still popular fruit in the Mediterranean, where melons feature in many traditional dishes. Although they are primarily grown in warm climates, varieties like the Ogen melon can be successfully grown in greenhouses and sheltered locations here in the UK. Make sure to start saving those used masks for your melon crop!

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Discover the delicious Damson Plum ( Prunus domestica subsp. insititia), an ancient fruit with health benefits confirmed by modern science! 

The Damson is a type of plum that is the domesticated version of the wild hedgerow Sloe or Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa). The Sloe is the same wild fruit used in Sloe Gin in the UK. The Romans brought damsons to the British Isles from the eastern Mediterranean, and the name comes from the ancient city of “Damascus”. The Damson is dusty blue-black on the outside and yellowish green inside, but when cooked into jam the combined skins and flesh produce a wine red colour. The Damson should be recognised as a “super fruit” because it contains high levels of healthy dietary fibre, vitamin C, and anthocyanins. Damsons also pack a combination of phosphorus, manganese, copper, and iron that strength bones and help prevent osteoporosis. 

The richly flavoured fruits are delicious eaten straight from the tree in September or preserved as jam. Here’s a serving suggestion - homemade bread with peanut butter and damson jam as a simple and healthy sweet treat.

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Our massive blueberry harvest weighed in at over 5 kilograms! One of the simplest ways to prepare these flavour packed berries is to make a baked cobbler dessert. Blueberries are among the most nutrient dense berries, with high concentrations of...


Our massive blueberry harvest weighed in at over 5 kilograms! 

One of the simplest ways to prepare these flavour packed berries is to make a baked cobbler dessert. Blueberries are among the most nutrient dense berries, with high concentrations of fibre, vitamin K, and vitamin C. The blueberry’s deep colour comes from plant chemicals called anthocyanins, which function as antioxidants in the human body when eaten. Antioxidants have been a trendy catch word in healthy eating in recent years because they help prevent DNA 🧬 damage, which is part of ageing and leads to diseases like cancer. 

The latest medical research suggests that obtaining antioxidants from natural foods is better for health than consuming highly-concentrated antioxidant supplements. I found a well-balanced overview of the topic here https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/what-do-we-really-know-about-antioxidants#Can-antioxidants-harm-health? 

In the meantime, we have a lot of blueberries to much our way through!

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On May 9th, 2024, I hosted my first live and in-person public science communication event as “Katia Plant Scientist” at the @gardenmuseum London! Here are some highlights from the event, photographed by @slothskitchen.cuisine .

Branch Out: The World of Seeds with Katia Plant Scientist featured a presentation paired with an interactive “make and take” workshop on the theme of seeds and their biology.

The guests were enchanted with an informative talk on the evolution and anatomy seeds. We touched upon other plant science topics such as how seeds find new habitats and how seeds know when to germinate.

The guests then explored a fascinating exhibit of exotic seeds from the Garden Museum’s extensive collection, including the Coco de Mer aka the world’s biggest seed.

The second part of my talk was practical advice for amateur gardeners on how to select, store, and reliably germinate seeds.

Guests applied their new knowledge in the hands-on portion of the workshop by planting herb and vegetable seeds in pots and setting up Petri dishes for in vitro seed germination. The guests left with at least four pots of plants for their own gardening projects.

With support from Samia Qureshi (plant science educator at the Garden Museum) this exciting event finally became a reality after two months of diligent planning.

This workshop was part of the Garden Museum’s Branch Out series. I am grateful to Ms. Qureshi and the Garden Museum staff for their time and energy spent setting up the room, providing workshop supplies, and assisting with IT for the event. The Garden Museum team could not have been more accommodating and welcoming, and I eagerly look forward to future collaborations with them.

I would like to thank Arts Council England for funding my workshop, as well as the other events in the Branch Out series. Please check the comments section for links to other Garden Museum events!

I hope to see you and other plant lovers at future events! Please let me know in the comments what kinds of events YOU would like to attend.

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Meet the adorable Thai Pink Egg Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). This dreamily coloured tomato resembles the gemstone rhodochrosite and has a mild refreshing flavour. This variety is rarely seen in the Western world and it is one of the few truly Asian...

Meet the adorable Thai Pink Egg Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). This dreamily coloured tomato resembles the gemstone rhodochrosite and has a mild refreshing flavour. This variety is rarely seen in the Western world and it is one of the few truly Asian tomato varieties. According to what I’ve read ( such as this marvellous history article) tomatoes are relatively newcomers in East Asian cuisine and therefore there aren’t as many heritage tomatoes from Asian as there are in the Americas and the Western world. The Thai Pink Egg plants are quite pale and skinny compared to our other tomatoes, but this may be because the Thai Pinks are better adapted to hot humid climates like their native Thailand. Nonetheless, they bear a generous harvest of fruits!

https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/noodles/2018/07/03/history-of-the-tomato-in-italy-and-china-tracing-the-role-of-tomatoes-in-italian-and-chinese-cooking/)

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What is this curious object in my hand? With its scale-like pattern, it looks like a dragon’s egg but it is actually the fruit of the Cherimoya Tree (Annona cherimola). The Cherimoya fruit is also called a “custard apple”. It was a complex flavour similar to pear, custard, pineapple, and mild mango blended together. The inner part of the fruit is silky smooth surrounded by flesh textured like an Asian pear.

The Cherimoya name comes from the Quechua word for “cold seeds” and the plant has been cultivated in the Andes and Central America since prehistoric times. The Cherimoya fruit appears in the exquisite ceramic art of the Moche people from over 2000 years ago. The fruit is still very popular in Peru and Chile, where it is used as ice cream flavouring and in other desserts.

The Cherimoya tree is difficult to cultivate outside its native range due to the lack of natural pollinators and the delicate fruits are challenging to ship. Only recently has this fruit become available in Europe. This fruit is packed with antioxidants, vitamin B, and fibre as well as a potentially harmful toxin called annonacin which can cause nervous system damage. The toxin is concentrated in the seeds and skin, so as long as you avoid eating those part the fruit is safe.

Just don’t wait for it to hatch into a dragon!

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Would you like to pick fresh fruit from your patio garden? If so, I can recommend the Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana). 

These adaptable plants do well in large containers as long as they have plenty of sun, fertiliser, and water. The berries, which develop in their own papery lantern-like husks, have a taste similar to passion fruit. The name “Cape Gooseberry” is misleading because the plant is actually native to the Andes. The moniker Cape Gooseberry became popular in the English speaking world because the plant was first introduced to South Africa before making its way to the UK.

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The tasty tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica) is where we get the English name “tomato”. The tomatillo is a domesticated version of wild plants found in Central America and is known in the Nahuatl language as “tomatl”. This plant is related to tomatoes because it is a member of the Solanaceae family, but it is not a tomato! This fruit grows in a husk that resembles a paper lantern and when it’s ripe the husk splits to reveal the plump green fruit. The tomatillo is the main ingredient of Mexican / Tex Mex salsa verde.

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