Sunday 11 September 2016

Success and Failures in our garden

Dear Family & Friends

Every gardening year is different from the last. Most of it has something to do with the weather pattern, the timing of sowing and planting, plus soil condition. There's always the successes and failures - but that is not important...I just take in the joy of all surprises that comes our way, then dream and hope for a better one - next time!

My first time success with luffa - I'm happy:)

I have my share of garden failures, but today I am sharing you my garden joy. As you can see, this year I pat myself for I managed to grow luffa that bear us some fruits to eat and use - for the first time after my 3 attempts!! It took me 3 years!!

This one will be left to become sponge and for seed saving

Look...just loook!! The fruit looks good, heavy and big, although the leaves and the whole plant seems pathetically small. I have about 10 fruits out of the whole packet of seeds I've sown in early summer, which came to about 5 plants! I am already happy with that. I will leave 3 big fruits to dry, get its seeds (my very own this time) and turn it into luffa sponge. The rest of the fruits will be cooked. It's delicious eaten as stir fry with garlic and tomatoes - using the young fruits.

my rows of 5 buckets of the exotic kang kong plant:)

Another exotic plant that I never give up with is the Kang Kong. (also known as water spinach or cong xin cai). It's not a local plant, so it gives me a lot of challenges...but it's my comfort food. As a child I never like eating veggies but somehow I like eating this, stir fried with just garlic and salt.

leafy kangkong greens which is a cut and come again plant

This plant doesn't grow robustly here as it is more of a tropical plant. I plant them in buckets and water them as much as I should. Every now and again, I snip the leaves for cooking...you need a lot of it because they just shrink once cooked. Oh...it's so precious here -that I have to divide a small bowl of this stir fry into 4 to share...LOL! I'm thinking of ways to overwinter them so that next year I can replant a lot more - for the moment, I'm not too sure if I will succeed on this plan.

Aloe vera,  boxwood cuttings, apples from seeds, citrus plant - growing in pots for the time being

There are many other plants I like to grow which need extra care that I'm not prepared to do. This year, I grew aloe vera. From last winter's mandarin oranges we ate, two citrus plants sprouted from seeds! A few boxwood cuttings I potted because I'm hoping to trim them for indoor decor. There's few apples that sprouted from seeds that came along the pot of tomato seedlings that a neighbor gave us this year. These are bits and pieces of plants that I'm experimenting with:)

our boxwood that was attacked by moth :( really sad looking.

When you learn as you go, everything seems exciting. Although not everything will go well as I dream it to be. The above photo of a big boxwood in our garden was attacked by moth this year. I didn't know and understand what was happening that time - until the aftermath. Now...I'm wiser...just hoping it will recover.

drying onion seed head blown by the wind and landed into this tub

It's time to sow veggie seeds that would grow in cooler days. I should be more meticulous with this chore, but sometimes it doesn't turn out as I planned it to be. In a tub of soil fell my onion seed head, blown by the wind, so they sprout in bunches. It's still a keeper...I will dig and separate them individually to replant on garden beds later on. For the moment they are all growing haphazardly:) They're happy - I'm happy:) 

Sometimes it's good to just chill out. I wish you a happy week too:)

Yours

12 comments:

  1. I've heard of luffa for sponges, but didn't realize they were edible as well. As they say, learn something new.......

    Every year brings wins and fails in the garden. I tend to think that's what keeps it interesting. And yes--where would a gardener be without "Next Year"! (That's why gardener's never die---they just HAVE to stick around for that perfect garden that is soon to be) Ha!
    Have a great week
    :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's right Sue...gardeners just keeps going whatever the weather be. It's beautiful here today...sunny with a crispy cool air - Love! and I'm sending this perfect day to you..hope you receive it immediately. Have a lovely day Sue!

      Delete
  2. You make me curious, I never heard about kang kong, I have to find out. In the past I have grown luffas too, but I did not know we could eat them. I only used them as ornamental value. I also like experimenting with seeds and cuttings of all kind of plants. And...as a matter of fact, the differences each year of the weather, the growing and the blooming keeps us going, that's the excitement of gardening.
    Wish you a great gardening week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Janneka, perhaps if you happen to visit an Asian restaurant...you could try ordering kangkong...mostly popular with the southeast Asian countries.
      All of a sudden, it feels very much like autumn here...earlier than expected. Yesterday I saw a yellow crocus spring bulb already blooming in our garden!! Confusing weather but at least it is constantly sunny...I hope it is as beautiful season in Holland too:)

      Delete
  3. Experimenting and seeing what works is half the fun, although that doesn't make it any less frustrating when something fails that you really hoped would thrive

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Failures makes us more resilient in life and our successes encourages us to go further on. We definitely need both of them...but hopefully more of the successes, specially for someone like me who likes winning all the time...;P Sending you wishes for a great fun week with your family:)

      Delete
  4. Well done on putting three years of effort in to get the fruit you wanted in the end! That's why I love gardening, it's as hard or as easy as you want to make it. I like to make it hard for myself I think! your garden always looks so lovely.
    i like Aloe vera and have some growing on the window sill inside, it survives because it doesn't need much in the way of care, this year it has flowered and set seed so I might grow a few more.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Three year sounds crazy investment for a mere annual vine isn't Kev? If it were a tree, it would start bearing fruit by now and onwards...! Aloe Vera is very handy for skin burns. I see them sold as drinks these days too! Won't it be easier to grow them by propagation...they produces little babies that you can repot. They're pretty and useful ornamental plant too!

      Delete
  5. Like you, I too have my failures in my garden. Its the joy and excitement of seeing the success and rewards that kept me going. I can't grow luffa because of limited space in my garden. Have a beautiful day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nancy, as long as we don't give up...failures are there to give us the opportunity to prove that we can do better next time. Most of the time we learn and become successful...then, we move on and face another one:) Enjoy your day too:)

      Delete
  6. I saw luffas growing in Rhonda's garden on her blog Down to Earth, years ago and I would really like to grow some. I am wondering if they would be a green house plant in England? I would hopefully grow them and then give them as presents with some smellies. I am hoping to take the plunge and try and make my own soap!!!! Eeek.

    Can you get Gardeners World on iplayer there? I am sure I remember Monty Don rescuing his box wood garden back from the dead tree look... could be worth a look.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A gift of Luffa sponge with a homemade soap would be a very lovely, practical and organic present Sol:) I also want to try my hands on soap making but we can't get the basic ingredients for it here. As for the luffa, I think it is best to sow them indoors earlier because they prefer the heat and they take a long time to grow. Mine's still hanging on the vine and it feels like our autumn has arrived early this year. Don't know if they'll be ready before then. I've watched Monty on you tube...yes, I will check on that. Thank you for the suggestion:)

      Delete

Thank you for taking the time to comment. Although I do not have the time to reply to everyone of them on a constant basis, but, I do read every comment and appreciate it all.