Showing posts with label Aloe Vera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aloe Vera. Show all posts

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Saffron Crocus Finally Showing!

6 of my 12 Saffron bulbs from Tessalaar have finally emerged around the peach tree.
1 of the 2 Artichoke Green Globe has produced 4 new shoots.
The two Clementis The President seem to have taken the soil next to the small black gate fine.
Snow peas growing.
Protected my aloe veras from the coming cold.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Rare Plant Expo and Some Others

On Saturday, our family attended the Rare Plant Expo. Samuel was very excited about the lily pad. It's huge!
Hubby and I almost bought one of these plants. The pitcher plant is the most attractive. But when he told me he would like to put it in the bathroom, I said 'No thanks.' Imagine a meat-eating plant in our bathroom...I am not in for it.
My brave boy went forward to say 'Hello' to Mr Stephen Ryan, the host of Gardening Australia. Mr Ryan even gave him a card with his autograph on it. Samuel was so happy.
My new aquisition - Water Chestnut! I have been wanting to buy this a long time but did due to various reasons. Since it was in front of me at the Expo, I could not resist and bought a pot.
We bought two pots of Clemetis "The President" to replace the juvenile ivy growing on the fence fledging my small gate. I decided that I would pull the ivy out because it is very invasive, despite loving its gorgeous green and white leaves. The Clementis is a perenial but most time of the year, it would be green and flowering. I love the large deep purple flowers.
I also bought two pots of Hellebore Double Red. I have planted them under the Plum tree out of my son's window. Next winter, it will produce pretty red flowers. Hellebores are also called Winter Roses.
Some more yummy strawberries, not many to go.
Harvested a large bowl of red skin potatoes I believe called Desiree potatoes. They came from a single potato. Cooked a pot chicken curry with them.
My 3 Cyclamens decided to green up and flower at this time, just right after they died. I thought they are spring flowering???
This patch of kang kong or water spinach is ready to be cut.
Those in the bed are almost ready too.
Look at my aloe vera. They are growing so well. Better check up recipes on how to boil them for a drink.
A few brown turkey figs are ripening. Can't wait to eat them.
My tomato Silvery Fir plants are having new leaves and flowers. I could not bear to pull them up even though the new fruits probably wont ripen now in autumn.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Carolina Black Rose Alive!!!

How exciting! I am totally over the moon as if I have struck lottery. That was how my hubby described me. My Carolina Black Rose Grape vine is alive! I found 3-4 green buds on it. A while ago, it looked like a dried forked twig and I have sort of lost hope that it would live. I will have to fertilise it and plan the support soonest, oh as well as protection against my golden retriever Marco. The pomegranate, which I have no clue about its name, is putting on beautiful red leaves. I plan to spray it with a mixture of pyrethrum and white oil in case of white flies or scale attack as last seasons.
I have propagated two pots of Aoenium. As I am clearing up more planting areas with my lawn revamp, I may need new plants.
Planted a little pot of coriander here in Patch C after the seeds germinated.
Most of the seeds - kang kong (water spinach), chilli padi, tomato silvery fir, cucumber, bittermelon - I have planted and pots kept in this plastic container (to imitate greenhouse environment) have germinated. It has been a really cold spring start and they are growing very very slowly. I wish I have a glass or green house to speed up things.
The pot of chives has also germinated. It is doing better out in the cold.
A new pot of thyme germinating too.
I had to remove growing pups from my original aloe vera pot as they were overcrowding the pot. This two are some of the babies I have removed. I think soon I can start some plant sale?

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Garden Update

Lots of harvesting to be done. The olive tree is one but I am not doing so as I am not keen to do any pickling : Been harvesting these ripening hot chillies. They are really hot stuff.
My beautiful protea pink ice in bloom in its pot.
Gorgeous aloe vera. Harvested for some steamed dessert with sugar.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Bitter Melon, Pioneer Stringless & Strawberry Delight

A bunch of parsley for baking dog biscuits to freshen up Marco's breath, and a bunch of buk choy for lunch.
My aloe vera plant is really huge now with lots of growing pups.
I sliced off one piece for soothing a bit of itchy skin.
Hooray! Another eggplant is growing!
Two bunches of sweet strawberries growing from the two plants I have successfully propagated from the parent strawberry delight plant. As the two plants are under nets, they are growing very well without much pest disturbance.
Beans Pioneer Stringless are ready for harvesting. Going to simply blanch them in boiling water. They are named as such because there is no strings to be removed from their sides, unlike some beans.
My harvest of my first bitter melon/bittergourd and a bunch of beans Pioneer Stringless.
My pot of Kalanchoe has been attacked by caterpillars again though it was netted.
It's a new caterpillar which I have not seen before. It's colour is very similar to the kalanchoe branches but still not difficult to spot. I found more than a dozen!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Sweet Potato Creepers & Others

Since we migrated, I have not found sweet potato leaves for sambal stir-fry. I am really pleased that the space around the golden sheen trees can be used to plant this useful & edible groundcover, rather than being space for weeds or some decorative inedible creepers. One of the first sweet potato creepers planted. It has produced many shoots and creeping in all directions, just as I intended.
Here's the one my dog trampled and chewed on. Fortunately the wire cage works to protect it while it regrew and it is doing well too.
Here's the 3rd one.
This is a new one which I had just planted.
And another new one.
The last one here also doing great except being eaten by some pests.
The ivy which I transplanted to the conifer area is beginning to extend itself upwards. I would like it to twine around the black fencing for privacy.
Wow la...my aloe vera...mother plant is growing more succulent and baby plants growing larger by the day. They are extremely precious to me and I look forward to planting some babies in the ground...That would be an experiment.
My beautiful sanorita has put on new growth...those reddish ones...I did not even notice the new growth until recently.
Protea (Special Pink Ice) has also put on two new branches (lighter in colour). Both the Sanorita and Protea seem to be easy to grow as they do not need any fertilising and are drought resistant. I look forward to flowering. :)
"All that mankind needs for good health and healing is provided by God in nature...the challenge of Science is to find it." - Paracelcus, the father of Pharmcology, 1493 - 1541