Club Gardening - Herbs
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schweppes:
:rotflmao: Chilli plant reminds you of me. Maybe should change my nick to chilli padi, which incidentally was one of my childhood nicks cos of my size but sharp tongue and quick temper.
WHOA Funz!! Well done :salute:Funz:
http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m560/cylsfun/5825dc07.jpg\">
There is something really satisfying about cooking with herbs from your own garden. These are my almost weekly harvest from my little herb planter that I started in May. The kids and I can spend like an hour in our little garden looking at the ecosystem going on there. They will ask me why I let some insects stay but get rid of others. DS even started his list of beneficial/harmful insects.
very lovely crop of harvest u have there! ISn't it gratifying to cook something from your own garden?
Currently, I have this pot of chill padi that is thriving well. For some reason, when I see my chilli plant i think of u as I know u love your chillis. haha!! -
Funz:
aiyoh... hope u were not offended. :imsorry: That's not what i meant hor
:rotflmao: Chilli plant reminds you of me. Maybe should change my nick to chilli padi, which incidentally was one of my childhood nicks cos of my size but sharp tongue and quick temper. -
micollh:
i bought one pot of Basil from pasar malam.. this type can use for cooking right? my house cant get much sunlight outside, so i thnk it's not growing well.. like drying up.. so sad lor.. how to grow basil/mint properly ? it surely needs sunlight right? any method to grow like water or something
Mints (and laksa leaves) are water hungry full sun plants. They like soil that tends to be somewhat clayey... and direct sunlight for at least 4 hours a day. More is better.
Sweet basils (3 hours) prefer less direct sun than thai basils (6 hours), and they both need soil that drains but retains a lot of water. Basils tend to attract pests. If your basil is withering even though you water everyday, it may be due to
(1) root rot (because too much water and not enough sun). Once the roots rot, the plant can't absorb water
(2) soil mealies (these soft bodied insects live in the soil and attach themselves to your plant's roots and suck the life sap out of it)
I have lost many a pot of sweet basil to soil mealies. They are very hard to eradicate. The most effective solution so far is to immerse the whole pot into strong soap water (I use SPIN washing machine detergent) with a few drops of tea tree oil. These are edible plants so I did not want to use pesticides.
Washing detergent dissolves the furry protective layer on the coats of these pests and they dehydrate to death. Washing detergent also breaks down into components that plants need for growth... e.g., nitrogen...
Edible herbs tend to attract pests. Whatever humans like to eat, insects also find yummy. I watch my plants for early signs of infestation and then quickly act. If the pests are leaf mealies... or spider mites, the solution is simple. These pests live on plant leaves. Just bathe the plant everyday for 2 weeks using your fingers to gently rub each leaf and stem. After washing, leave in bright shade to prevent leaf burn. You can use dishwash. Make a foam with your hands and bathe the plant. Must repeat over 2 weeks to get at the eggs that hatch progressively over time.
The best way to counter pests is to fertilise well. Plants need a balanced diet. So I rotate plant fertiliser from week to week...
(1) calcium sulphate
(2) fish emulsion
(3) seaweed extract
(4) Phostrogen
(5) fermented milk
(6) High phosphorus chemical fert -
Funz:
OMG! These are very lovely herbs!! Congratulations!!http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m560/cylsfun/5825dc07.jpg\">
There is something really satisfying about cooking with herbs from your own garden. These are my almost weekly harvest from my little herb planter that I started in May. The kids and I can spend like an hour in our little garden looking at the ecosystem going on there. They will ask me why I let some insects stay but get rid of others. DS even started his list of beneficial/harmful insects. -
Chenonceau:
Thanks dear.. i have lots to learn.. let me absorb what you have shared.. thanks !!micollh:
i bought one pot of Basil from pasar malam.. this type can use for cooking right? my house cant get much sunlight outside, so i thnk it's not growing well.. like drying up.. so sad lor.. how to grow basil/mint properly ? it surely needs sunlight right? any method to grow like water or something
Mints (and laksa leaves) are water hungry full sun plants. They like soil that tends to be somewhat clayey... and direct sunlight for at least 4 hours a day. More is better.
Sweet basils (3 hours) prefer less direct sun than thai basils (6 hours), and they both need soil that drains but retains a lot of water. Basils tend to attract pests. If your basil is withering even though you water everyday, it may be due to
(1) root rot (because too much water and not enough sun). Once the roots rot, the plant can't absorb water
(2) soil mealies (these soft bodied insects live in the soil and attach themselves to your plant's roots and suck the life sap out of it)
I have lost many a pot of sweet basil to soil mealies. They are very hard to eradicate. The most effective solution so far is to immerse the whole pot into strong soap water (I use SPIN washing machine detergent) with a few drops of tea tree oil. These are edible plants so I did not want to use pesticides.
Washing detergent dissolves the furry protective layer on the coats of these pests and they dehydrate to death. Washing detergent also breaks down into components that plants need for growth... e.g., nitrogen...
Edible herbs tend to attract pests. Whatever humans like to eat, insects also find yummy. I watch my plants for early signs of infestation and then quickly act. If the pests are leaf mealies... or spider mites, the solution is simple. These pests live on plant leaves. Just bathe the plant everyday for 2 weeks using your fingers to gently rub each leaf and stem. After washing, leave in bright shade to prevent leaf burn. You can use dishwash. Make a foam with your hands and bathe the plant. Must repeat over 2 weeks to get at the eggs that hatch progressively over time.
The best way to counter pests is to fertilise well. Plants need a balanced diet. So I rotate plant fertiliser from week to week...
(1) calcium sulphate
(2) fish emulsion
(3) seaweed extract
(4) Phostrogen
(5) fermented milk
(6) High phosphorus chemical fert -
schweppes:
No no, not offended. Just tickled. haha
aiyoh... hope u were not offended. :imsorry: That's not what i meant horFunz:
:rotflmao: Chilli plant reminds you of me. Maybe should change my nick to chilli padi, which incidentally was one of my childhood nicks cos of my size but sharp tongue and quick temper.
I actually had mint in my herb planter as well but in the end I removed it as it grew like weeds and I don't use as much mint as I do the basil and curry leaves. -
Chenonceau:
Thanks Chen. Am beaming like a proud mama.
OMG! These are very lovely herbs!! Congratulations!!Funz:
http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m560/cylsfun/5825dc07.jpg\">
There is something really satisfying about cooking with herbs from your own garden. These are my almost weekly harvest from my little herb planter that I started in May. The kids and I can spend like an hour in our little garden looking at the ecosystem going on there. They will ask me why I let some insects stay but get rid of others. DS even started his list of beneficial/harmful insects.
Anyway I read your blog and am amazed that you managed to grow a strawberry plant that actually flowered and bore fruits in this climate.
Took your previous suggestions to rotate fertilizers as well. No patience though to bathe every leave. -
Funz:
Thanks Chen. Am beaming like a proud mama.
OMG! These are very lovely herbs!! Congratulations!!Chenonceau:
[quote=\"Funz\"]
http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m560/cylsfun/5825dc07.jpg\">
There is something really satisfying about cooking with herbs from your own garden. These are my almost weekly harvest from my little herb planter that I started in May. The kids and I can spend like an hour in our little garden looking at the ecosystem going on there. They will ask me why I let some insects stay but get rid of others. DS even started his list of beneficial/harmful insects.
Anyway I read your blog and am amazed that you managed to grow a strawberry plant that actually flowered and bore fruits in this climate.
Took your previous suggestions to rotate fertilizers as well. No patience though to bathe every leave.[/quote]You should be proud ok!! The size of those chillis make me drooooooool!! -
Funz:
Those look really nice, Funz. Look at the size of your chilli.http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m560/cylsfun/5825dc07.jpg\">
There is something really satisfying about cooking with herbs from your own garden. These are my almost weekly harvest from my little herb planter that I started in May. The kids and I can spend like an hour in our little garden looking at the ecosystem going on there. They will ask me why I let some insects stay but get rid of others. DS even started his list of beneficial/harmful insects.
For those of you who grow your own herbs, do you get the potted plants from cold storage? Where do you get the plants from? -
jtoh:
Cold Storage potted herbs are good value and they are of good edible strains. If you repot them, they last longer than those from Far East Flora (which die within a few months) which look very bushy at the start. These used to retail at $18/=. When a plant is too bushy at point of sale, one suspects that some growth hormone had been applied and these could have hurt the plant. It takes some skill to bring a plant back from hormone withdrawal.
Those look really nice, Funz. Look at the size of your chilli.Funz:
http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m560/cylsfun/5825dc07.jpg\">
There is something really satisfying about cooking with herbs from your own garden. These are my almost weekly harvest from my little herb planter that I started in May. The kids and I can spend like an hour in our little garden looking at the ecosystem going on there. They will ask me why I let some insects stay but get rid of others. DS even started his list of beneficial/harmful insects.
For those of you who grow your own herbs, do you get the potted plants from cold storage? Where do you get the plants from?
Thai and sweet basils like TREF potting soil (neat from the bag).
Rosemary, thyme, sage and tarragon like a mix of 50% TREF and 50% perlite. All thrive in full sun of 6 to 8 hours a day but hate the rain. If you have a glass covered patio, they will be happy (especially if you dun water them too often). If they're outside, don't water at all. If you water too much, their roots will rot and then the plant will wither because it can't drink water through rotted roots.
Have fun with your herbs!!