18 Growing Edibles, Gardening Jargon

The first seed of parsley, cili padi (bird's eye chili) and coriander was tenderly stuck into soil months ago. I blogged about it here.

Coriander never saw the light of day.... I'm just being funny, but I am devastated that nothing came out of those seeds because it happens to be my favourite herb. I use bunches of it!

I decided I could wait no longer and planted vegetables over the same patch. It's not that I've given up hope. I am a great believer of miracles, having watch a ton of Disney cartoons. I have faith that one day in between green foliage of pak choy, a coriander sprout will burst out of the ground and thrive like the rainforest of Borneo. And I will have a field day slashing generous bunches of fresh coriander for that pot of green curry.

In the meantime, spring onions have become my next best friend because it's the easiest to grow. I also added several other edibles to my little garden, like ginger and the white stemmed pak choy.

Here's a little peek on how some of my plants are doing.

The cili padi tree stands seven inches tall. Will I be seeing chilies soon? I'm quite sure I will!

Cili Padi

This parsley is two-and-a-half inches tall. Two other sprouts are coming along really slowly. Parsley, to me, would be a tortoise if it were an animal.

Parsley

Pak choy sprouting quickly! I still don't see any coriander. Do you?

White-stemmed Pak Choy

As I delved deeper into gardening, I learned some new words and names along the way.

Mealybug - A really tiny insect that resembles white cotton candy. I brought it home via an infected Portulaca. It first attacked my Mona Lavender. Then, it went for my ten-year-old cactus. That miffed me. I had to trim my plants bald and say goodbye to my cactus. The nerve of some insects...hmmph!

Germinate - Really, this is a happy word. It means that the seeds are developing into shoots. Woots!

Compost - Decomposing organic matter used as soil fertiliser. Ugh! 

Perennial - An everlasting plant. That would be my cactus, I believe...if not for mealybugs!

Bolt - When a leafy vegetable (mostly) prematurely flowers to produce seeds before you can harvest the crop. It hasn't happened to me ...yet. I can't decide whether to look forward to this or not - it would be exciting to harvest your own seeds, right?

Growing Edibles - Growing food plants.

Right, that's all about my gardening. Now, to share about a great green initiative I discovered while surfing the net. Are you someone who's concerned about the environment and want to help? Then, the Free Tree Society Kuala Lumpur is a great place to start! Check their Facebook page and website for details.

They give out little plants on environmental days. If your home is bare of any, this really is the best thing you can do for Mother Earth. Get some and green up!

A green thumb spirit is all you need to get that garden growing!

8 I Plant The Cili Padi

As my my interest in cooking grows, I guess it's no surprise that I've started planting herbs and vegetables again.

  Surely This Calls For Flag Planting

Years ago, spring onions were a regular feature on the kitchen window sill. I had also planted the pak-choi in a small corner out at the balcony.

Then, office work consumed my life. The aspect of "stopping to smell the roses" was lost. I remember the flurry of activities, I remember feeling accomplished. But deep down, I have always asked myself if there was more to life than four walls and a fat paycheck.  If I could control my want of clothes and more clothes, jewelery and fine dinners, my lifestyle would have been more balanced. This was my past.

I am catching up on the quieter moments in life now.... and it is magical. Oops, I've gone off topic!

Coriander, parsley and cili padi (bird's eye chili). These seeds were planted several days ago.

Can you see it? The cili padi (bird's eye chili) seed has landed!

Two days in, I saw a shoot from the pot where I had gently buried the cili padi seeds.

That is fast!

A Close-Up

Hours after, more shoots sprouted out of the ground.

Five already!

Considering how quick and easy it was to get the cili padi going, I know that we're going to be the best of friends. I may just flood my garden with chili plants one day and pamper them with the best fertiliser like a proud parent would.

It's ridiculous that I stalk my plant pot every couple of hours ~ no sign of coriander or parsley to date!