Some Harvests and My First Compost-making Attempt

My neighbour who stays a few houses away from mine came and greeted me when I started to do some harvests for Fourth Sis, at my backyard in Ipoh on Wednesday morning. She told me that she has been harvesting my Butterfly Pea or Clitoria ternatea flowers all the while, while I was not around. She thought it is necessary to be honest with and inform me about her deed. I said I am fine with that as long as she would only do so whenever I am not around. As I may need them myself. Either for making tea or giving colours to my food. Though most of the time, I just love to leave them on the vines for the eyes to feast on and to beautify the dull fence. She said she understands and thanked me before leaving for her morning walk.

There were quite a lot of Butterfly Pea flowers for harvest this time but I only harvested some - just enough for Fourth Sis to use in her dessert-making this coming weekend.

The Basil plants were very strong and healthy. But the leaves were quite aged and tough. However, Fourth Sis did not seem to mind that. She insisted that I harvest some and bring back to Kuala Lumpur for her to cook.

The sweet potato leaves were aged and tough too. But still Fourth Sis wanted them. She said they would still taste good if stir fry with a bit more oil and water. And so, I harvested some for her.

After doing all the harvests, I began my first compost-making attempt - which I hope would eventually, become my long term project. ( Making my own compost has become very necessary and urgent nowadays, considering the fact that there is very little supply of coffee grounds by Eldest Sis's neighbour recently, and that I am not someone who would go around and ask for some! ) 

I had bought five quite big but rejected ( with a little bit of manufacturing defects here and there ) clay pots ( glazed on the outside ) from a nearby pot-making factory the day before with a good bargain price. I used the one that has a good depth and with a wide opening to pile all my compost material. I collected a lot of dried leaves, twigs, fruit peels and some long-expired food stuffs like grains, seaweeds, baking yeasts and mushrooms from my kitchen in Kuala Lumpur - and dumped them all into the pot. I had read about people putting in egg cartons to speed up the composting process. I have no idea how good is that and whether there would be any chemical leeching from them into my compost. But I tried anyway and see what happens next. 

The pot was only partially filled-up this time. I did not have any more to put in. So, I just watered and covered it with a more shallow glazed, clay pot for the time being until I go back again next time and put in some more material.

I wonder how long it would take for the compost to set and be ready for use. I have no idea at all. But I think I would find that out somehow! Someday!

All for now. Thank you for reading this! Till next time. Bye!