Setting up the first phase of Seri Iskandar Garden.

We spent 2 weeks recently over in Seri Iskandar home, a house built almost fifteen years ago but we never stay even for a night. The feeling is still like coming home.   The inside is empty, surprisingly all lightings, pipe fittings, built in kitchen cabinets and bedroom wardrobes are still in good conditions.  A dream house some years ago, and now we coming to stay for real.

Kakdah was busy with her curtains and getting the basics going. New big refrigerator, washing machine and gas stove were purchased. It's like a young couple getting basic infra into their first home....... We realised things are costly now.

While kakdah was busy inside, I stayed outside assessing what's need to be done. Some seedlings had been prepared and carried all the way from seri kembangan, 300km away.

Garden and Lawn

Before: 2  mango trees, 1 lime tree (limau kasturi), 1 henna tree (inai), 1 big clump of lengkuas or galangal, and 1 clump of  lemon grass.  And there is colony of cherry trees at the front gate which probably grow through birds dispersal. The rest are all patches of grass growing on poor soil.

After: Both of us discussed, and agreed to allow only one mango tree, so one had to go.  I did it in stages, trimming branches and upper parts, before finally coming to the main trunk.  . Mansor brought in 10 bags of decomposed cow dungs, 5 bags of palm oil refinery waste from Pengkalan Bharu for soil improvement.  I put in a number of plants to form skeletal framework to the garden.

patchy grass on poor soil

soil improvements done in sections

soil improvements done in sections

a peek through old mouldy front fence gives eerie feeling

limau kasturi / citrus microcarpa  at the backyard

Ceperai/ champeria manillana    

3 papaya seedlings

papaya close up with coconut husk as soil cover

3 papaya seedlings

4 pineapples seedlings

3 companions : asin-asin, keladi and ginger

It's the eventual retirement house, so we will keep coming back to get used to things around here, the house, the garden and the neighbours.  Newly introduced plants like pineapples, asin-asin,  keladi or yam/taro/caladium, papaya, cemperai, lemongrass, Leucaena leucocephala/petai belalang  and Napier grass. are tough and they dont need a gardener to babysit them on daily basis. We will keep returning to the old house on regular basis, once a month at least, until I finally retire.

It's really a rare 2 weeks long vacation.

bangchik and kakdah

Gardening at Seri Iskandar Home.

Keladi, the focal point.

Edible keladi is rarely regarded as beautiful, definitely not exotic. It's the smaller keladi with multi-coloured leaves that are very much sought after, always end up in pots, treasured by ladies. Once plants become source of food, they become very common, left in the field very much alone. That's how life goes.....

keladi = taro

So, our very common keladi really enjoyed the new space in a new setting. Seeds or tubers were all brought from Tanah Merah, our former place. 

Two types of Keladi. the smaller at far end, and the big ones.  13mac2012

KELADI, 15 jan 2012, 3 months old.

KELADI, 13 march 2012, 5 months old.

They were  planted five months ago, wait another month or two, they need to be harvested. Farmers in Kelantan mentioned about Keladi maturity starts after 6 months... But these keladi are real drinker. They really love soil to be wet and moist all the time.

bangchik and kakdah

Johor

Vegetable Garden maturing

It's slightly over two months since we arrived here, Pasir Gudang Johor. Weather is getting slightly drier, no more daily shower around 5pm. The other day, cloud swelled heavy, indicating it's readiness to rain, then some how wind carried the whole heavy cloud away.... surprising.  Neighbours Syed, Sanusi and Sahul mentioned about Jan and Feb being very windy, pointing out  that Pasir Gudang International Kite Fest will always be held in February.  This year, it is 15th to 19th February.

Our Vegetable Garden is really maturing now. A few weeks ago, roselle and lady's finger bent almost flat to the ground, as wind blew hard. But the next morning they sprang up like nothing happened.  Wonderful to know how plants endure wind, sun and rain again and again. They are designed to survive. Judging by the number of seeds most plants produce, they really are programmed to last to the end of time.

vegetable bed, okra, ulam raja and keladi

vegetable bed viewed from top left

sweet corns and pineapples

bayam

Keladi

okra / lady's fingers / bendi

Lady's finger flowering

Bayam has been harvested many many times, more for the neighbours than our own kitchen.  Lady's fingers were attacked by black ants a week ago, and of course I fought back. Now lady's fingers are growing happily and first harvest will happen tomorrow. Two months had passed, vegetables are maturing, harvest is daily chore for kakdah...... and our neighbourhood is blessed with fruits of labour..... gardening.

bangchik and kakdah

Pasir Gudang

Keladi (taro), treating them differently.

How garden evolved, from a bare patch to lawn and vegetables. Nine ulam raja were there 3 feet apart at the front of  left side balcony. They had flowered and passed their prime so they were taken out. A month ago I squeezed in a row of Keladi  (taro) between Ulam Raja and the fence. Now Ulam has gone, keladi has the whole space for themselves. I am thinking if they can handle themselves, being all alone, minus the shade given by ulam raja. I dont think Keladi will let out tantrums. They will do what the genetic code had in store, SURVIVE!...

Keladi squeezed in between. (photo 8th April 2011)

Keladi, without Ulam Raja as companion. (16 April 2011)

Keladi like selom, thrives in wet areas, 

I wonder if they have enough water to grow healthy.

Bangchik and Kakdah

Tanah Merah, Kelantan