Thursday 30 August 2012

Finally Getting to It!

After a delay of a few days, I was finally able to get down and dirty in the garden last Saturday 25 August. Perhaps calling it a garden is stretching the truth a bit. There is no symmetry, nor organised beauty in my haphazard planting, raising new beds nor placing of various differently-shaped styrofoam boxes. Suits the name Homely Chaos, indeed. Letting go of my inner Miss Perfectionist means more fun experimenting, learning and exploring.

My parcel from Kebun Bahagia Bersama arrived on Wednesday after Eid, sadly I was not home during attempted delivery by PosLaju. On Thursday morning I managed to pick it up from the post office. It contained seeds, bulbs and some cuttings of tree dahlia. The bulbs especially, really should be planted ASAP. Various errands and engagements made me plan to garden that Thursday night, when I have replaced the light bulbs so that I can work in the dark. Disappointingly the lights did not work despite changing the bulbs, so that plan was postponed to the next morning.

Then early Friday morning, we received the shocking news that my dear cousin passed away, a jovial, healthy male of 38, at the prime of his life. We dropped everything and made for the funeral, which was to take place the same day. Meeting his family was heartbreaking, but they bore their loss well, with fortitude and acceptance. I passed the day trying to keep busy, but it is only today that I really grieved.

So the gardening helped make me feel thankful to be alive, and chased away the clouds of sadness.

I managed to plant:
  • 1 Tulbaghia bulb
  • 2 Agapanthus bulbs
  • 6 Gladioli bulbs
  • 1 Oriental lily bulb
  • 1 Oriental lilium bulb
  • 3 Asiatic lilium bulbs
Agapanthus bulbs in a styrofoam box. What? Because I ran out of pots and it is too hot to prepare a bed. I don't want to put this off any longer.

Asiatic Lilium. This pot formerly held some Tigerella plants, which didn't do well. In the background is my weed-like kangkong, aiming for world domination.

I also sowed:
  • White carrots
  • Guernsey parsnips
  • Cherokee butter beans
  • Purple bush beans
  • Mixed heirloom beetroot
  • Sweet peas
I also repotted:
  • Black pepper plant
  • Green zebra tomatoes into recycled tyres, with bamboo stakes


Black pepper plant in pot near a pole. Er, 2 poles. Oh well.


Yellow pear cherry tomatoes. I wondered if these were twin mutant tomatoes until a few days later I realised these are the gourd-shaped cherry toms. Haha.

My neighbour Aunty Kan who also got bit by the 'grow your food' bug, invited me to her garden to see the changes so far. She grew these gorgeous looking leafy veggies from the Mixed Lettuce seeds, originally from Pun Pun Organic Farm.

Pretty mixed lettuces from Pun Pun Organic Farm, grown by Aunty Kan.


Aunty Kan also grew some Rainbow Chard from some seed I gave her, but strangely enough hers are all white or green, whereas mine were all pink or red-stemmed.

Pretty rainbow chard.

I feel a Rainbow Swap coming up soon-ish...

5 comments:

Umm AA said...

Mama, no update about the ponkeys?heheh...wah u got lots of plant there..u got black pepper too eh/ this would be in my list to achieve soon, but where i can get black pepper...

Mama Pongkey said...

Ah, you are a fan of the Pongkeys? Ok will try to update more soon. One of them is not too well, has a growth in her uterus. She needs to go for surgery soon, poor thing. But if you look at her, she seems all healthy and happy.

Black pepper plant was a gift from my sister & her hubby, he bought it at the Flower Fest in Putrajaya several weeks ago. The plant is hard to find in Fiji? My sister wants a cutting of the plant once it is big enough, perhaps if you are in Malaysia around that time I can send a cutting to you if there is rezeki.

Umm AA said...

i'm sorry the sick ponkey...u better take him..hehehe...
They don't plant here pepper here, i think..not regular n in demamd..
did u plant black peppper fr cutting not fr seed? i think not so soon i'll be back....if there's seed just reserve er mama..in case blh buat arrngemnt later...

TukangKebun said...

More variety of pickings available this month for you. Ah yellow pear cherry tomato. Angle previous photos were not clear.

Mama Pongkey said...

Sent Yoruichi and Virginia to the vets' today. Sigh, my poor cats.

This is my first time growing black pepper, I hope it goes well. Yes of course if I get any seeds insha Allah, I will save some for you Umm Aidan.

TukangKebun, hopefully a good harvest. Hehehe. Actually the previous photo was of the sweet red cherry tomatoes on another plant. For some reason I imagined that the tomatoes would turn yellow first before developing into the pear shape, plus I mixed up the 2 sowing pots of tomatoes. Unfortunately most of my tomato plants developed curl, due to my being away during Raya. Some of them seem to recover well, some of them seem stuck in arrested development. We'll see. Any tips?