Propagating Stevia

If you are a Stevia fan, like me, you would probably realise how overpriced this plant is.  Yet, due to the benefits of the sweet leaves as an alternative sugar replacement - I still gotta have it!  Each pot cost RM10 and I bought 4 pots from 3 different nurseries. 

Obsessed?  I don't know what you are talking about....

I was trying to be ambitious by transplanting it from stems.   Unfortunately, I was not successful.  Neither through soaking in water or transplanting on the ground.

Discouraged.

More bad news.... Apparently after it bear flowers, it dies.  So, to keep it alive, the flowers needs to be cut-off as soon as you see flower buds appearing.  So, a Gardener has to stay vigilant in order to ensure that each time  it flowers,  the scissors it put to use.

Which means that in a matter of weeks, the Stevia plants might die!

One Mother Pot to 3 Transplant pots

I came up with another idea of transplanting the Stevia and this is what I did.

I took some paper clips and "untangle" it.

Paper clips to use as clips to push the Stevia stems down

Use the part of the Stevia stems that are 'droopy'.   Its difficult to use the stems that are standing upward.  I only have one plant that seems to be more matured than the other 3 plants, so, it has many 'droopy' stems.  This will be a good option to do this way of transplanting.

Use one or two paper clips.  Cut-off some leaves around the stem

After the paper clips are applied, cover it with soil.  The objective is to allow roots to grow from those stems.

Of course, if the stems are 'stubborn' and refuse to 'lie' quietly.  A piece of small rock can always do the trick.

A piece of small rock is doing a good job of 'sitting' on the stubborn stem

Stevia stems in the process of propagation

So far, there is about 10 stevia stems in the process of being propagated.  I am keeping my fingers ....

... and toes crossed.

Logic tells me this might work but somebody still gotta tell the Stevia.

Mango Trees

Mangoes are one of my favorite fruits.  I grew up eating Mangoes from my own backyard.   

It taste different when freshly plucked.  The taste is incomparable.  I guess its with all fruits and vegetables.  But the strange thing is that, I purchase supermarket  fruits and vegetables for such a long time that when I harvested my own vegetables, I was elated with the taste.  I couldn't believe that vegetables can taste that good!

This Mango tree was tall but I just cut it into half a week ago

Nam Dok Mai tree still very small but I am dying to  taste it

I have plans to purchase a fully grown mango tree which is fruiting but I am not sure where to plant it.  

Passion Fruit Plants in Recycling Containers

I had some redundant containers which was kept.  It was 2 broken dustbins.  Somehow it was time to utilize it or discard it.

The dustbin was covered with plastics so that it can contain the soil properly

A large hole cut through 

Filled with soil and planted Passion Fruit plants

The 2nd broken dustbin, holed, filled with soil and planted with another Passion Fruit plant

Close-up of the Passion Fruit

This fence is just in front of my house, like a Security Fence.  I plan to let the Passion Fruit grow vertically onto the fence

Passion Fruit is one of my favorites and when I knew I could grow it, I have been so excited.  Unfortunately, I have not had a single fruit, so far.  

But.  

I. Am. Not. Giving. Up.

I am going to grow it till its successful!

New Compost Bin

My Compost Bin was one of the few things I implemented when I was started my Organic Garden.  I wanted something easy, so, I did the Chicken Wire Compost Bin.  It served me well.  I just dump, dump and dump.


Its been a year.


I have not used any of the finished Compost.  So far, I have only turned it twice.


Maybe its time to make a change....

That's how the Compost Bin looks now... overflowing

I was inspired to try another type of Compost Bin.  After I made some research in youtube,  I thought that the Compost Tumbler could work.  It seems simple enough...


A brand new Tumbler was about RM90 per pc but I didn't want to spend that much just to throw scrap.  I accidentally bumped into a junkyard along Jalan Bukit Kemuning, Shah Alam, Selangor.  They sell all kinds of recycle stuffs e.g. containers, scrap metal, etc.  I was soooo happy when they had the exact type of Tumbler I was looking for at RM25 per pc.  So, I bought 2 pcs.

Tumbler has a top cover with a metal clip

I washed it clean with detergent and dried it.  It didn't store any toxic chemical inside but I just want to make sure everything is clean.

Made up of sturdy plastic and should be durable for a long time, hopefully

The Tumbler requires holes for Compost aeration.  So, I had The Teenage Son and The Little Boy drill 16 holes, the size of a 20 cents coin.

The Teenage Son drilled and The Little Boy held the Tumbler down

I was all excited to try out the Compost Bin.


What I need to do is ....  fill 3/4 of the Tumbler with kitchen scrap/grass clippings and not more.  Gotta leave the Compost alone without adding more scrap.  If not, it will delay the Compost from being finished. Make the Tumbler lie vertically and roll it around once a day or few times a week.  I should have finished Compost in 21 days.


Seriously???!!!??


21 days ???!!!!?

The large cover makes it easy to throw scrap in

I can't wait!

Yam & Chili Padi

I don't recall having eaten homegrown yam.  Maybe when my Grandmother was alive...  I am not sure.  

But what do you know, I am planting them in my garden.   It was given by my Mother a few months ago and it seems to be growing well.  I am just not sure when to harvest it.

The Yam

A few months ago, I visited the Zenxin organic farm in Johor.  The Tour Manager was kind enough to allow me to take some cuttings of Sweet Potato leave and Malabar Spinach which I propagated successfully.  Incidentally when I was there, a chili plant was growing by the side and I could not resist taking a few fruit home.  I successfully planted it and this species is super spicy and aromatic.  I absolutely adore it!  Its great eating fresh chili padi whenever  I want it and however much but with restraint because I don't want to waste any.  Its my favorite thing to eat with anything and everything. 

Chili Padi plant - It has taken many months but it is at last fruiting loads

Chili Padi -  Very tiny but spicy

I currently have a few more seeds which I am going to plant.  Hopefully I can ensure that there will not be any interruptions of Chili Padi supply when this particular one dies of a natural death.

Green Smoothie

One of the best thing about growing my own organic vegetables are eating it cooked or raw without fear of pesticides.  Other than having it stir-fried or steamed, eating it raw guarantees that all the nutritions are maximized. 

But.

Who is brave enough to eat Kangkung (Water Spinach) raw?  Or Long Bean leaves, Four Angled/Wing Bean leaves or Sweet Potato leaves?  

Not me.  Except.

In my Green Smoothie.

Green Smoothie is a revolution.  There are many articles in the internet and I am fully convinced that its the best way to eat greens raw.  There are some technique to it e.g. 

• Make sure you do alternate your vegetables and not eat the same one continuously for weeks.  Eventhough you can use the same fruits.
• Mix only fruits and green leaves.  Absolutely no vegetables or nuts.  So, I always take away the stems, just use the leaves.
• Start with a few leaves and eventually add more.  Some who are not used to eating Greens might have some side effect.
• Slowly sip the Green Smoothie and mix with saliva before swallowing.

Victoria Boutenko from the Raw Family started the Green Smoothie revolution.

A bunch of freshly plucked Kangkung (Water Spinach)

A bunch of Stevia, a Fuji Apple, a Green Apple and an Orange.  Not the ideal combination of fruits but this is the only fruits I could find in the fridge

All cut up in cubes and added some cold water

Blended for 40 seconds and it turns bright Green

A Mug for me and one for my Little Boy

I have a lot of problems convincing my Little Boy to eat either cooked or raw vegetables.  Making Green Smoothie is the only way I can get him to gulp down Greens without much fuss.  Most of the Green Smoothies are sweet because of the fruits.  Mangoes and Bananas are the best to make smoothie but most times I just use whatever I have in my fridge.

1st Fruit of Eggplant

I tasted my 1st Eggplant from the Garden and it tasted awesome!  It was simply fried with some olive oil on the non-stick pan.

It's soft and fresh.

I am definitely going to plant more of this!

Harvested 2 pcs of Lady's Finger and 1 pc of Eggplant.  Almost 1 ft long :-)