Seven red fruits, magical.

We thought seven is just a number, but when we search around we can find 7eleven as neighbourhood 24 hr  convenience stores, Seven or Se7en 1995 American detective psychological thriller film and of course the huge fairytale Snow White and  Seven Dwarfs.

Yesterday both of us peeked through every branches of our two miracle berry plants.  They are all red in colour, ripening. We counted, there were 7 miracle berry fruits.

Plant A

miracle berry fruit 1

miracle berry fruit 2

Plant B

miracle berry fruit 3

miracle berry fruit 4

miracle berry fruit 5

miracle berry fruit 6

the youngest of the seven fruits, 

bangchik and kakdah

seri kembangan

Vegetable Gardening - a realistic approach.

We had been very expressive with vegetable gardening over the years, when space wasn't the issue. It's so tempting to push for exquisite garden concept. It's so satisfying to let out creative energy, when one has full control over space and content.  If the lack of time to do watering and frequent outstation trips are the issue,  the technology offers solution in form of fertigation method, and automatic watering system. Gardening is sweat and fun.... all the way 2009 - 2013 and now 2014.

Gardens are not made 

by singing 'Oh, how beautiful,' 

and sitting in the shade.

Rudyard Kipling

Putrajaya Garden days 2009 2010
Putrajaya Garden days 2009 2010
Putrajaya Garden days 2009 2010

Coconut husk as edging

bitter gourd

Tanah Merah Garden, Kelantan 2011
Tanah Merah Garden, Kelantan 2011
Tanah Merah Garden, Kelantan 2011

potted plants at Tanah Merah Home

Four papaya, our Tanah Merah Home compound

Roselle seedlings in polybags

Rooftop Gardening - Chilli

Rooftop Gardening - Chilli

Rooftop Gardening - engagements

Pasir Gudang Garden 2012  2013
Pasir Gudang Garden 2012  2013
Pasir Gudang Garden 2012  2013

Pasir Gudang, Garden set up

Pasir Gudang - a row of roselle

Pasir Gudang - new seedlings

Bawang dalam pasu

Bawang dalam pasu, Roselle dalam polibeg

Cilli Farm - 

Grandchildren posing in Chili Farm

Pineapple Garden

A row of cabbage in pots

Amaranth

rows of vegetable bed

Rows of vegetable bed

sireh as hanging plant

Watering system

Pokok ubi kemili

Zinnia

Seri Kembangan Garden 2014

Seri Kembangan Garden 2014

Seri Kembangan Garden 2014

Now it's 

container gardening only

onions

onions

mulberry shoots

Available space, budget and time

more or less determine

the final look of a garden.

bangchik and kakdah

seri kembangan

Tanam Bayam - Spinach - a rarity (report 3)

The term succession sowing of spinach every 10 days really makes meaning, since we are witnessing such a fast rate of growth. Succession sowings will ensure continuous harvest of young sweet leafy vegetables.  In our case, three pots of spinach at different stages will do. The eldest son Yop was just offered electrical engineer job with National Electricity Board (TNB) and he would soon spread his wings to far away city. The youngest son Adik had just finished his studies and will soon leave the nest into hotel industry.  We cannot be too over ambitious with vegetable growing .  Only two mouths to eat.......


Spinach planting schedule. - Seri Kembangan 
Sowing: --------------10.01.2014
Report 1 -------------18.01.2014  Vegetable Gardening - a new start
Report 2 -------------12.02.2014  Tanam Sayur Sendiri, bayam or spinach.-report 2
Report 3 -------------20.02.2014

week 1

Spinach - Bayam, just tiny seedlings 17.1.2014

week 5

Spinach, a month after sowing 12.2.2014

week 6

Bayam - Spinach top view 20.2.2014

week 6

Bayam - Spinach  side view 20.2.2014

Spinach planting schedule. - Seri Kembangan 
Sowing: --------------10.01.2014
Report 1 -------------18.01.2014  Vegetable Gardening - a new start
Report 2 -------------12.02.2014  Tanam Sayur Sendiri, bayam or spinach.-report 2
Report 3 -------------20.02.2014  Tanam Bayam - Spinach - a rarity (report 3)


Popeye wasn't wrong in choosing spinach as his energy booster. And he could also have known the other benefits too which include: managing diabetes, preventing asthma and cancer,  lowering blood pressure, strengthening bones, promoting regularity of bowel systems and making hair and skins healthy. At least that's what the experts say..... and I am just a keen vegetable gardener dealing with simple vegetable of such rarity.

bangchik and kakdah

seri kembangan

Cycling as green hobby gaining popularity

Cycling seems to be the fashion of today.  They mostly cycle through scenic routes . They do that to keep fit and stay in a group. It's more of group recreational activities . We seldom see bikers doing it solo. Like anything else, bikers get hooked with the trends and fashion. Their striking attire/gear, the colourful bikes and the way they ferry their expensive bikes on cars,  can turn heads. And they will talk about the details, like roof mounting, rear mounting, tow bar mounting describing how they ferry bikes around.

bikers group 

                                     Refer: AhPek Biker - Old Dog Rides Again: Putrajaya :  Lovely Lakeside Ride

car rack................. refer: baikbike.com/

roof mounting carriers......... refer  www.rogerjobs.com

roof mounting carriers  refer: www.motorbasar.de 

tow bar mounting bike carriers    ... ref : roofbox uk

Reading the following excerpt, will give some indication on close relationship between bikers and the bike business .

WHERE CYCLING was once a necessary form of transportation, now it is seen as a hip, environment-friendly hobby and a trend that bicycle shop owners are happy about. Pedalspot managing director Ben Tan agrees that the business these days is better than it has ever been in the last 10 years. Most of his customers cycle as a hobby and to exercise.“Being green is the trend now and cycling is an environment-friendly sport. 

Refer Rising popularity of cycling is good news for owners of bike shops

  

Do you cycle?

bangchik and kakdah

seri kembangan

Miracle berry, looking for flower and fruits.

It was last week that I saw fresh miracle berry buds, very white and almost round. Weekend are days when we can look deeper and longer. Yesterday I saw tiny buds transforming into flowers like what Frank wrote in how to make miracle fruit produce

Frank had tried brushing as a way to help pollination. But I resort to giving the branches just a little shake. Otherwise I would look like an artist with brush in my hand and I already made my mark here as keen/ weird photographer hiding behind plants always looking for the best angle to shoot.

Last Week, miracle berry flower buds -

Within a week, the flower buds really changed,

 they became longer with tiny pistil protruding

This Week A cluster of miracle berry flowers - pic 1
tiny pistils are quite visible

Single miracle berry flower - pic 2

Single miracle berry flower - pic 3

a cluster of miracle berry flowers - pic 4

While busying myself checking flowers and angle to shoot, 

I notice ONE ripe miracle fruit berry hidden behind leaves. 

Then I wonder, how could I miss this fruit the past month.

I found a ripe miracle berry, hidden behind leaves. - pic 5

Lets see if a light shake of miracle berry branches help pollination 

which eventually produce more fruits.  

bangchik and kakdah

seri kembangan

Nursery Pasar Borong Selangor, Seri Kembangan.

Weekends is like  brief stopovers. Kakdah would check the fridge, make a list of things to buy. Yesterday morning we went to Pasar Borong Selangor (or Selangor Wet Market),  a twin sister (or brother) of Pasar Selayang. On the way out, one cant miss this lovely little nursery. The place is quite busy during weekends. It is surprising that the owner picked the name "Nursery" as his business brand. We went around, and came back with pakchoy, cabbage, kale and lettuce seeds. Kakdah bought her favourite garden accessories too....

The NURSERY guy himself posing for a shot.  The shirt has "batu kurau" as logo,
and that explains his northern accent .

The signage only says NURSERY

The second NURSERY guy helping out customers

one of the many flowers

one of the many flowers

one of the many flowers

NURSERY Pasar Borong Selangor:
view  from roadside

NURSERY pasar borong selangor:
 the peatsoil and ornamental stones

NURSERY pasar borong selangor:
Pots of various design and sizes

 I have not ventured into Mardi (Malaysia Agriculture Research and Development Institute) which is less than 2 kilometres away. I guess Mardi would have it's own business outlet too. For the moment the NURSERY is the nearest from our home. The guys there were very pleasant and very helpful, of course we will drop by every weekend after Kakdah has done her regular fridge stock checking......

bangchik and kakdah

seri kembangan