We're doing OK!

Sorry for the absence. Everyone's ok around here. Thanks to the rainy season, the plants seem to be doing even better than before. I had almost given up on these 'bai cai' after they kept getting chewed up by snails, but look at them now! They're growing too fast for the snails to catch up.

The cute beanie shoots have grown into creepers now. It's time to build some support before they start climbing all over my other plants.

The corianders are moving along nicely, I just wish they are more tidy. They seem to be falling all over the place.

Everything else in the garden is fine. Now that the patio is getting lots of sun, there seem to be less cases of parasites and infestations. The sun is really a panacea for all kinds of plant ailments.

So boomz!

Now that the patio is getting full blast of sun all day, which only happens during the last quarter of the year, the flowers are blooming again. I also find that it's also the best time to grow vegetables, except that I have to be very diligent in watering or they get dehydrated very quickly. It's not surprising to return home to limpy kangkong in the evenings. The good thing is they perk up after dousing with water. Vegetables that do not get enough water may turn out bitter when cooked.

I grew some of my favourite beans the other day. I'm not sure what they're called but the beans are big, round and speckled with pretty purple bits. They have sprouted already. Aren''t this cute?

The small rose plant is flowering again. I see another bud at the tip of the plant, so I'll be expecting another bloom soon. This is so Boomz!

I like how the basil plant is covered with purple flowers. To me, this is like my local version of lavender. I doubt I can grow lavender in our hot and humid climate, so I'll just be contented with a blooming basil.

The bees love them too. I often see them buzzing around the plant. Too bad I didn't manage to capture any in action today.

Pretty fast

This little roselle plant grew from the seeds of a larger plant in my garden. Frankly I didn't pay any attention to the new seedlings. Some died but this one survived. I didn't even see any flowers recently but now there are 2 fruits on the small plant. Quite surprising really.

Flowers galore

I love it when my garden is blooming!

Yellow portulaca.

And basil.

Fresh seeds

I like to think that a gardener is able to grow anything. I'm not saying I'm a good gardener but so far, most seeds that I have sown, even lychee and orange seeds, germinate into seedlings. The difficulty is getting them to grow and thrive in our tropical climate.

This year, I sowed two batches of coriander (cilantro) seeds and none of them germinated. Thinking that the first pack that I bought from the supermarket must have sat on the shelves for too long, I bought another batch from the seed wholesaler.

I tried all ways and means to grow them. I soaked some seeds in water and even crushed some lightly to break the tough layer of husk before sowing. Nothing worked.

It was puzzling because my friends scatter the seeds on the ground and they grow effortlessly. I thought maybe the conditions are not right at my house but a gardener doesn't give up so easily.

I begged my friend for some of her seeds (I didn't beg. She offered them happily.) and guess what? All the seeds that I've sown germinated in a week. It's too good to be true.

At this point, I believe the quality of seeds is very important. The ones that have been languishing on the shelves for too long will no longer germinate. For me, I prolong mine by keeping them in the refrigerator. They're still good even after one year.

Horrible snails!

Petunia's pissed off with one snail and I'm just fuming over a bunch of them. They eat up our favourite plants you see.

That one in her patio ate up all her chamomile seedlings. I can feel her pain. Chamomile is not the easiest plant to grow. I've had no success so far.

A whole family of snails has been feasting on my succulent bai cai. It just pisses me off to see them attacking my vegetables when there are so many other things they can eat in the garden.

At first I couldn't even find the sneaky culprits. They only started crawling out when I flooded the pot with water.

See how badly they've chewed up my bai cai! I put them in a can and threw them down the rubbish chute. They can go eat rubbish for the rest of their life for all I care!

Bai Cai

The young and tender Bai Cai vegetables must be so delicious, so much so that I can't stop the little snails from nibbling.