I have a chance to see how eight lady's finger plants (okra or kacang bendi ) fare in a rain free environment, and compare them with another six in a normal raised vegetable situation. They are just 15 feet apart...
row of eight lady's finger plants
rain free environment, in white poly bags
one of the eight lady's finger plant.
Kelantanese call okra, kacang meo.
Kelantanese call okra, kacang meo.
row of six lady's finger plants
in the open raised vegetable bed.
One thing for sure, those in the open are enjoying more freedom. Roots can spread as far as they can for water, nutrients and for better anchorage. With automatic irrigation system, I wonder if roots should spread far for water. Probably they would just do that for better anchorage even though they are spoon fed with drips 3 times a day; at 8am, 12noon and 6pm. Tiny flower buds are quite visible in both.
I guess Kakdah will just prepare fish curry with the first harvest......
Happy Chinese New Year!
bangchik and kakdah
Taman Kota Harmoni, Tanah Merah, Kelantan
Earlier post on lady's fingers /okra:
lady's fingers making a comeback. 4th January 2011
I think all of your plants look wonderful Bangchik. Your new gardens are really taking off.
ReplyDeleteThe Lady's Fingers...Okra plants are very green and healthy looking with both types of watering! And will produce abundantly in your garden, I am sure. I've never had fish curry with or without okra...look forward to when Kakdah prepares it!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely, what an interesting experiment. The fish curry sounds delicious. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a good experiment. I wonder which will do better?
ReplyDeleteI love experimenting in the garden. Im going to do some testing this year as well! Your Okra plants look amazing! I love Okra in stir frys
ReplyDeleteKacang meo, that is a new word again I learned for you.
ReplyDeleteKacang kelisa and kacang meo.
Bangchik, it is very clever to plant these vegetables in the white poly in the very dry environment. Know you will enjoy eating them in a short time!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, I enjoy eating eating okra, raw, and sliced... put them on top of hot rice, ummm, nice...
ReplyDeleteIt is good to enjoy hot curry during this holiday.
ReplyDeleteA hot, hot and hot holiday.
Hocking Hills Gardener
ReplyDeleteThanks..,they are doing alright, but weather is getting drier and hotter. Plants cry for water.
Theanne
I hope they stay green and healthy until harvest. Fish curry is popular in this part of the world...
Rebecca
For now, it seems those in polybags are slightly taller and healthier. Quite understandable, when water remain in a closed area... whereas water spread far and wide in open raised bed.
meemsnyc
For now, those in polybags are a little bit better. I think over time, those in the open will overtake.
Jenn
Pests are shying away for now, leaving the young plants growing undisturbed. Good luck to your experiment..
Malay-Kadazan girl
ReplyDeleteKelantanese come with unique names for plants. Have you heard "keteneh" for petola and "ketereh" for gajus?
Janet
Okra is quick... I notice little buds forming already.
Lrong
Never tried raw okra. Kakdah always serve stir fried or add-on for curry...
rainfield61
Yes, the weather is getting hotter. But it rained a little on Chinese New Year.... as always.
Bangchik and Kakdah
Tanah Merah
Kelantan.
Hi Bangchik, KakDah,
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely to see your garden in Tanah Merah developing. Very soon, you will have a lush vegetable garden.
I would like to enquire about your water irrigation systems. Is it a DIY or did you buy it ready-made? Is it expensive? As we are always going back to hometown, I feel ashamed to trouble my next door neighbour to water my plant for me. I am thinking of alternative method of watering my plants when I am away.
~JC
ReplyDeleteA simple irrigation system. A tank, a pump, a timer and pipes. It costs a few hundred ringgit. You can do it as a DIY project.., or get a contractor to do it... as a starter google for fertigation or irrigation for ideas. You can go up cameron highlands where they use these extensively for vegetable growing. now.., I am almost a consultant!.. haha.
Teh lady finger plant looks so healthy! They must be enjoying your irrigation system!
ReplyDeleteMalar...
ReplyDeleteI think they are enjoying the new irrigation system. Malar, you can even try aquarium set to water 10 pots or so, as long as there is a tank, a pump, a timer if you want it to be automatic..... of course there should be a way to let inlet for water into the tank.
I have 24 plants but none of them grow as healthy as yours. Why ar? Harvested (only) 2 today, lol.
ReplyDeletemilka
ReplyDeletehow would I answer that... make them happy with penetrable soil for the roots to play around... water and fertiliser as snacks... they will smile.
Assalamualaikum,
ReplyDeleteI like reading your efforts on planting/raising vegetables.. my plants vege or decorative, always die on me :D I suppose I did not give enough love and food for them :D
I would like your permission to link this blog to mine, if I could. Thank you.
~i amsterdam
ReplyDeletewassalam...thanks for the visit. Of course you can link it.... Some plants die on me too... of old age or pest ridden..