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Thursday, January 26, 2012

How Doth My Garden Grow?

The garden was a disgrace for 1.5 years. Between having to teach Little Boy almost everything he needs to know to tackle PSLE, and supervising the construction of the new house, the garden has been neglected. Many plants died and others limped along. It's been 6 months since I started nursing the garden back to health.


First, I rooted new rosemary plants. I lost the 1st lot to the birds who come by and pull the cuttings out of the soil. I had to devise a way of protecting the cuttings with overhead projector transparency foils. These cuttings each had 4 leaves when the went into the soil. They've now begun to look somewhat bushy. I rooted these from a Cold Storage bag of herbs and frankly, I am amazed at the size of their leaves. They're 3 times the size of the leaves from the rosemary plants I bought from plant nurseries. Clearly, a superior strain of rosemary meant for the dining table.


I managed to get lemon thyme. They smell divine. They came home very very bald but have since exploded into a respectable mass of star-shaped green leaves. Like a spray of green fireworks in a pot.


This trough of thyme was rooted with cuttings from a bag of Cold Storage herbs. It started with 4 leaves at 2 ends of the pot. This too has exploded. Unlike the pots of thyme you buy from nurseries, this particular strain of thyme has larger leaves, tougher and wirier stems.  Again, a superior strain of thyme meant for the dining table.


This brinjal plant was grown from seed. It has flowered and I think I have a baby brinjal growing on the left of the picture. I need to inspect this plant carefully for aphids every now and then. I've treated it once for a very heavy infestation with aphids clustered like mini grapes on the undersides of the leaves. It isn't difficult to get rid of aphids. I use a thick brush to paint an emulsion of oil+dishwash over the insects. They dry up and drop off soon enough. The emulsion clogs up the breathing pores of insects. Works on ants too if you paint over them.


I love lady fingers. So does The Husband. So, we're both looking forward to eating these little yummies.


I can't get over it. My lemon verbena has flowered. This has never happened before. I dunno what I did but I can't wait to see what the blooms look like.


I love salads, so these batavia salads are gonna be all eaten up as soon as they grow big enough. Yummsies!


The wild rocket salad leaves have already been eaten.

9 comments:

Blur Ting said...

Wow, you're coming back with a vengeance! You've got green thumbs!

Petunia Lee said...

Ting - Yup!! I'm coming back with a vengeance alright!!

Wen-ai said...

The herbs are looking really good!

Petunia Lee said...

Wen-Ai: Thank you!

Malar said...

The herbs and vegetables look so healthy! I never have luck with eggplant so far....

Petunia Lee said...

Malar - I've never had any luck either till now. They flower but never fruit. I really must thank the bees that come from the patch of jungle to visit the garden.

suhting said...

Hello, I would like to know where I can buy a lemon verbena plant? I would like to grow this. Thanks.

suhting

suhting said...

Hello

I would like to know where I can buy a lemon verbena plant as i would like to grow one.

Thank you.

suhting

Petunia Lee said...

suhting - I don't know where to buy them. Mine were all gifts.