Plant Project : Grow My Own Mini Herbs

Last month I participated in a "Grow Your Own Mini Herbs" workshop by Eats, Shoots and Roots at Riuh in the City, Bangsar - it was my first visit to the beautiful event. 

If you are new to this blog - big note : I love plants and animals. That explains my Plant Projects throughout my adult life. When we were small, gardening was a weekly chore with my dad - and plus, he opened a nursery in MAEPS called The Plots after he retired. So.. yeah. Among us siblings, I am the only one that still uses all the knowledge that my dad taught us about plants.

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Grow Your Own Mini Herbs :

For RM 70, we had a quick 1.5 hour class about plants (herbs), soils, fertilizers, compost and basic 101 in caring for our own herb garden. Fair enough - I really want to know the basic stuffs anyway. It was a quick and fun class, because I truly wanted to know. I wish I was eager to learn all these stuffs when I was in school. 

We each received a metal container, soils (3 compost + 1 cocopeat + 1 sand) and herbs of our choice. From the class, I chose : Ulam Raja (seeds), Thai Basil (seeds), Mint (cutting) and Dill (cutting).

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Things I learned at the workshop (1.5 hours) :

• Basic soil mixture | 3 compost + 1 sand + 1 cocopeat 
• Basic on planting herbs using seeds and cuttings (need to choose sturdier ones and give it a clean cut) 
• Choosing edible plants (they advised us to try planting local herbs first because plants like rosemary, thyme, etc are a bit challenging for beginners - those herbs are not used to our climate) 
• Easier herbs : thai basil, ulam raja, coriander, dill 
• Herbs can survive under the shade, they need at least 4 hours of sunlight every day - so it is suitable to be potted at your apartment's verandah 
• Basic on how to make your own compost

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Almost 20 days after the workshop :

• 4 Ulam Raja sprouted and already around 1.5 inch tall
• Only 1 of my Thai basil survived and it has not even reached 1 inch
• My dill cutting died
• My mint cutting survived, sprouted and has new roots
• 2 of my new Pak Choi seeds also sprouted
• I planted 4 new Season Lettuces

Aren't this one of the most beautiful thing in life? 

A new life from a small dot of seed, just with water and the sun.

 

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Today marks a special day in our Malaysian history.

I write this specially to indirectly mention about the birth of a new life.

Congratulation on playing your part as a responsible citizen.

#GE14

Plant Project : Seeds

Every time I go to places that sell seeds, I'll buy 1-2 types of them.

By now I've planted okra, alyssum, coriander, chinese celery, aloe vera, mini wisteria, gingko biloba, petunia, carnation, persimmon, mini red maple, and chilies.

Every glass bottles and egg containers are used as planting place. 

I've come to visit every nursery in my area, buy mixture of soils and pots, tell almost elaborated updates everyday to one that patiently listened. I learned a thing or two about soils and watering technique and the most happiest is to see them sprouting excitedly everyday. Too bad the only place I can plant them is in pots and I have to wait to see whether it works for them or not. 

And because I planted so many seeds and I didn't label them, I'm starting to get confused on which is which. All big sized seeds like wisteria and gingko bonsai aren't so cooperative, so nothing came out yet even after weeks. This leave me with stalking over thousands of littlest baby sprouts from smaller sized seeds.  

My goal is to have overwhelming greenery and colourful flowers in my empty apartment. I want to see them grow, to enjoy the slow process and to appreciate the beauty not by having to kill them i.e : bouquet of cut flowers as a gifts. 

I understand now, why my dad dedicated his days to planting plants. 

It's therapeutic. 

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Carpet of snow, alyssum :

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Okra :

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Petunia or carnation ? :

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Left over alyssum :

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I always tell myself that you can see the core of a person by seeing :

1. How they treat plants,

2. How they treat all animals including dogs and pigs,

3. How they treat children.

See how a person treats those that can't judge, complain and give nothing in return. 

And you'll maybe see a tiny glimpse of the person's hidden soul.

PS : 

But my dad isn't so nice with people, and too nice towards plants and animals. 

This case study of mine always collides with this annoying fact. 

Maybe he just doesn't like human much, just like me.

Plant Project : Bendi Seeds

As for the last week's continuation on this post, where I posted about my shopping spree at MAHA, I also posted an image of those Bendi seeds in recycled egg carton. I didn't expect much on the first few days, but 2 days after I planted them, they sprouted their first leaf. 

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Their growth is alarmingly fast. In just several days, they got as high as 5 inches. Not sure whether that is normal or not, last time I planted seeds was 12 years ago. But those red maple bonsai seed and gingko biloba seed that I planted on the same time aren't showing any progress, so I guess it depends on every plant.

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New pot, almost all crammed together in a limited soil. Aha. 

I need longer pot, more soil, and organic fertilizer. 

These babies are growing too fast. These are just 6 days old :

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Little Things 158 : Little House 3 + Baby Plants

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Here are things that I bought at MAHA 2014 for less than RM 50 *except for some of the seeds - etsy, baby aloe vera and moss of course. Look at those different types of orchids, not quite sure which are which now.

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Aftermath :

I took several hours to replace their pots. Not quite sure whether planting orchids this way would work or not tho. Inspiration taken from too many images in pinterest, and hanging them up next to a window seems like a great idea :

Had to read several more how-to from Google to keep them orchids alive.
I don't want to repeat the past :F

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I also planted several seeds - I felt quite optimistic until I read several articles on how fussy it is to plant things indoor - in pots, compared to outdoor in their natural habitat :F Now I feel like giving up and wanting to buy all baby plants instead of seeds.

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I once asked a seller in one of the nursery in KL about air plant. I didn't know about it much, so I was just as curious as any new gardener would be. It is just a plant, that doesn't need soil and much water - perfect for this one glass ball I bought for no reason when I followed my sister to a warehouse in Balakong last month. But, the price was RM35. 

I left the place feeling a bit shocked. Clearly wasn't ready to hear such littlest being to cost that much. But when I went to MAHA, there was 3 booths that sell various types of air plants costing around RM8 - RM 15, depending on the size. So I bought one :F

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Little bonsai needs its sunlight, so I had to put it in now-healthy-looking-aloe-vera that I brought from home. Before this, the aloe vera almost died. Over-watered. Hah. 

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Little mosses were scooped up from the apartment area. I stole it, in front of the guard - picked it up with my mini tools and a plastic bag. These littles moses are by far the most fussiest plants that I'm currently taking care of. Sometimes they turned brownish and dry, sometimes they looked like they are ready to die because I over-watered it. I have no idea how much should I water to make them look normal. =.= Need more time to understand each pot's water requirement.

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I'm really glad I started indoor gardening :D

Much cheaper than taking care of Awan, although plants don't really respond much as cats do. 

Little Things 153 : Plants

I've noticed that I've taken an obsession towards little plants.

Maybe to replace Awan's absence. I miss the cat a lot and she misses me too, but I can't let her stay at the new place alone all day long, 5 days a week before I come home from work everyday, can I? She will be terribly lonely T^T

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I should thank my dad for teaching me basics stuffs that I should know to take care of plants when I was young. I've been in-and-out from nurseries around my area, trying to find nice little plants - but avoiding my dad's-right-in-from-of-my-eyes nursery. Ha.  

I hunted for some cactuses :

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I'm going to live with Awan, books and little gardens in my apartment.

Now I need to find a husband to complete my little circle :D

Doodle : Book on Little Things *for sale*

Hello,

I managed to compile 20 pages of illustration consist of little things that I found on my outing days. This includes : dried leaves, pine corn, insects, flowers and other random things. Many of these things are available out there, ready for you to discover. I felt deeply inspired in these couple of months while I was hunting for little things, despite the hot weather, 'muka belang' and 'bau masem-masem peluh', so I illustrate it again in simpler stroke because keeping pictures in Instagram and illustrating it again in your record book very different indeed. And I compiled it into a small book of little things !

I want to show you what simple activity can do to your life.

The book is available now.

Page : 20 pages of illustration

Paper : Double A - 80 gsm

Size : A6 - 9.5 x 13 cm

Price : RM 15 *including normal postage* 

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Self compiled, printed and made into wire-bind book.

If you enjoy digital version on your computer or a tablet, here is a link to my behance, I put most of the illustrations here. The idea is still sharing these little things I found outside the house in simple strokes. 

If you want to buy the book, you are paying for the printing, binding, cutting, packaging and posting cost. Thanks for the support. I'm working on compiling other doodles as well. Stay doodling !

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Send me an email : azreen_31@hotmail or reply in the comment box below with your email and I'll contact you or PM me in my Facebook.

Little Things 95 : Little Garden

I spent some time at Dad's last tuesday.

My dad loves plants and animals - the effort and time he spent to take care of them always leave me with odd feelings of both amaze and envy. He has an amazing nursery behind his house and another one in Dengkil. 

How can a person take a great care of plants and animals with so much love ? 

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I remember things he taught us about plants and gardening when we were much younger. Although we hated it at that time. The weekly activity spent at that time was the last thing we wanted to do on lazy Sunday morning. It was hot and sweaty, and I didn't find any reasons to agree on things he said - kids being kids. 

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I remember one particular moment when my dad let us choose any flower/fruit/veggie and plant the seed ourselves. I chose watermelon and every afternoon after school, I'll stop by to take a look before entering the house, to see if there were any improvements. It got bigger and bigger by days. When it was ready, Bibik helped me pick it up and cut it. It was halfway red and white, it was not so juicy nor sweet. But that was the most exciting fruit experience I've ever encounter in my life :D 

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