My Small Backyard Garden: February 2018

Beautiful Melody Fills My Backyard Garden

Nothing feels more heavenly than to step into my backyard garden - when the sky is clear, when the soft wind whistles from afar, when the birds sing happily at the closest proximity and when the plants dance gently under the sun - amidst the most beautiful, pleasant and positive melody played from my Outdoor, Solar-powered Chanting Machine that fills the air.

And nothing feels happier than to share it here with all of you.. Hence, a short video clip .... Enjoy!

* I am sorry that the melody recorded is far from perfect as I am very much an amateur when it comes to video recording.

* And I am sorry that the birds had suddenly decided to stop singing for a while, while I was recording this the other day ( as though they did not wish to have their beautiful, precious songs being reproduced ).

** For this beautiful melody that fills my backyard garden, I have to really thank my eldest sister for giving me her extra Outdoor, Solar-powered Chanting Machine which my third brother had given her. I have to also thank my third brother for having given me ONE earlier which I had installed at my front yard planter. They are such easy to install and operate machines. There are a few melodies to choose from and the volumes are adjustable. I did not even have to read the operating manual when I assembled the parts and operated them. So far, they are able to play melodies 24 hours a day non-stop. GREAT MACHINES! AND HOPEFULLY, GREAT, HAPPY PLANTS!

Butterfly Pea ( Clitoria ternatea ) - The Amazing Herb

Butterfly Pea ( Clitoria ternatea ) is an amazing herb that is frequently being drank as tea or used as natural food colouring in Southeast Asia.

In Thailand, ‘Nam dok anchan’, a commonly consumed refreshing indigo-blue drink, is made from Butterfly Pea flowers, honey and sugar syrup.

In traditional Thai cooking, Butterfly Pea flowers are squeezed for their blue extract, which is then mixed with coconut milk and other base ingredients to naturally colour Thai desserts in blue and purple.

In Burmese and Thai cuisines, the flowers are also dipped in batter and fried.

In Malay cooking, an aqueous extract is used to colour glutinous rice for ‘kuih ketan’ and in ‘nyonya chang’.

In Kelantan, east Malaysia, the locals add a few buds of this flower in a pot while cooking white rice to add a bluish tint to the rice known as ‘nasi kerabu’.

Aside from their numerous uses in colouring food and making tea, Butterfly Pea Flowers are also reputed for their many health benefits. Below, is a list them:

1) Improve eyesight

Clitoria Ternatea contains an antioxidant called proanthocyanidin, which increases blood flow to the capillaries of the eyes, useful in treatment of glaucoma, blurred vision, retinal damage or tired eyes.

2) Improve hair growth

Rich in bioflavonoids, Butterfly Pea can promote hair growth and reduce greying of hair.

3) Improve skin

Butterfly Pea’s antioxidants stimulate collagen and elastin synthesis, which helps rejuvenate the skin and lessen wrinkles and other signs of ageing.

4) Aphrodisiac

Butterfly Pea has been traditionally used as an aphrodisiac particularly for women and used to treat menstruation problems or white vaginal discharge (leucorrhoea).

5) Antioxidant

Flavonoids, anthocyanins and phenolic compounds in Butterfly Pea flowers activate antioxidant activity, which helps decrease oxidative stress caused by disease causing and ageing free radicals.

6) Nootropic

Butterfly Pea has been shown to enhance cognitive function and boost brain function.

7) Diuretic

Butterfly Pea promotes normal urination, which in turn lowers blood pressure

8) Analgesic

Clitoria Ternatea has been used traditionally as a local anaesthetic as it has been shown to help relieve pain and swelling.

9) Anxiolyhic

Butterfly Pea has a calming effect on the body, reducing stress and anxiety

10) Anti-inflammatory

The deep indigo flowers contain flavonoids. Found in almost all fruits and vegetables, flavonoids are powerful antioxidants with anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits.

11) Anti-Asthmatic

It is used in common cold, cough & asthma as it acts as an expectorant and reduces the irritation of respiratory organs.

12) Anti-anxiety and depression

Indications are that high doses of Butterfly Pea may be adaptogenic – helping the body deal with stressors.

13) Anti-diabetic

Butterfly Pea has shown to inhibit glucose intake from the diet.

14) Anti-HIV

Butterfly Pea is one of the few herbs to contain cyclotides, which have exhibited anti-HIV effects in studies.

15) Anti-cancer and anti-tumor

Clitoria Ternatea’s cyclotides can cause cancer cell death by disrupting cell membrane integrity.

16) Anti-microbial

In several Indian studies, Butterfly Pea exhibited significant anti-microbial effects against Staphylococcus Aureus.

17) Anti-convulsant

Butterfly Pea has been shown to help reduce the severity and stress on the body from convulsions useful in treating epilepsy.

18) Anti-pyretic

Clitoria Ternatea can help reduce fever by dilating the blood vessels right beneath the skin, whereby air can cool the blood easier.

To enjoy their many reputed health benefits or simply to release some stress, drinking Butterfly Pea Flower Tea may be simplest way.

Here is how you can prepare Butterfly Pea Flower Tea :

1) Simply steep 10 flowers, fresh or dried, in a cup of hot water, let sit 15 minutes.

2) When there is no colour left in the petal, strain the liquid and discard the flowers. You will be left with an amazing indigo-coloured broth.

3) Add some sugar if you prefer it sweet.

4) The tea is then, ready to be enjoyed.

Additional tips : Fresh or dried lemongrass can be added during steeping to improve its flavour. The tea can also be consumed with some drops of lime juice to create a sweet ‘n’ sour flavour and turn the luminous indigo to a deeper purple colour tea. Simply mixing the tea with fuchsia roselle hibiscus would turn the tea to a bright red colour.

Butterfly Pea flowers are usually quite readily available to Malaysians. They are often found sold fresh or dried in many local Malaysia wet markets. However, in countries where Butterfly Pea Plants are not usually cultivated, the dried form of flowers may also be quite easily available. All you have got to do is just a little bit of googling. There are plenty of online shops out there selling them.

Finally, should you want to learn about Butterfly Pea Plant and how to grow one, you can always have a read HERE.

An Hour Of Rush In The Garden

Always, when you have guests around, time seems to pass by unnoticed. Very soon, it was time for us to pack our things and go back to Kuala Lumpur. At the very last couple of hours however, there were still lots of things which were not yet done in the garden. I had yet to take pictures of it and harvest the remaining vegetables. I had yet to apply the coffee ground fertilizer and condition the soil with my diluted homemade, eco-friendly enzyme. I had to be extra quick. Else, we could be stuck in a traffic jam if we start going back later than twelve noon. I just had an hour or so to spend on these tasks.

Luckily one of my guests love to do harvesting a lot though she never really likes gardening actually. She had volunteered to give me a hand on this. So, I let her harvest the top parts of the Gynura bicolor and Basil leaf plants using a pair of scissors. The bottom of the plants were left to continue their growths. As most of my guests ( who are typical city people ) are phobia of tiny creatures, I had to shake off uncountable ants which were running about the vegetables as much as I could before packing them in plastic bags for them to bring back to Kuala Lumpur as souvenirs.

Here is one third of my total harvest from the Gynura bicolor plants.

Here is one third of my total harvest from the Basil leaf plants.

I did not have enough time to even think about growing new vegetables this time. Luckily, I had got some chilli seeds ( which my eldest sister had given me sometime back ) and some saved sweet potato cuttings from an earlier harvest. At least there were something to fill up the precious empty space in the planter. Else, the space would be fast taken up by weeds in no time. After sowing the chilli seeds at a corner of the planter and planting the sweet potato cuttings, I top-dressed the whole planter with coffee grounds which my eldest sister's neighbour had given me. So far, it had been such a good mulch and nutrient source for my soil. Normally, I would leave this top-dressing task until the very last minute because coffee grounds tend to have a kind of foul smell that is very difficult to ignore. All my tasks were deemed to have completed after I sprayed the already top-dressed soil with my diluted homemade, eco-friendly enzyme.

Picture of my backyard planter - after the harvests and after the soil was top-dressed with coffee grounds and sprayed with my diluted, homemade eco-friendly enzyme.

The chilli seeds which I had sown at the corner of my backyard planter

There was not enough time to pluck the Madeira Vine's leaves one by one this time. So, I had to leave them on the vines.

I found it difficult to judge whether the pumpkin was mature enough for harvest. So, it took me a long time to finally decide leaving it on the vine. Hopefully, it could still wait until the next time I go back - which could possibly be around mid of March. Till then...Wish me luck!

A Bountiful Harvest, Not A Pretty One Though

As I had mentioned in an earlier post, I would be back to my holiday home for a week-long stay. So, here I am. It has been a few days since I came back. But what I have managed to do however, was only a little bit of harvesting at my backyard which has been quite long overdue.

Though not a pretty one, I would say the harvest was bountiful, given the size of the planter where the vegetables were planted.

The sweet potato plants had provided tasty vegetables for at least 6 people. The harvested leaves, after a small bit of frying, were devoured by me and my guests in no time when served on the table.

In favour of the yummy greens, a tiny sweet potato was however, sacrificed during the harvest,

The red and green Amaranths were the most favoured ones among all my vegetables, it seemed, judging by the amount of ' stolen ' bites here and there before the harvest. I am proud though that the ' pest guys ' had found them tasty, just like us ( me and my guests ), despite they being quite ' aged ' and not pretty actually.

The Madeira Vines have been spared this time pending next harvest.

So, have the Basil leaf plants.

And the Gynura bicolor plants.

At the front yard planter, the pumpkin has matured a little bit. The colour is slowly turning orange. Harvest time could be not too far off.

All for now. Till next harvest... See then...

Butterfly Pea ( Clitoria ternatea ) - The Amazing Ornamental Garden Climber

Butterfly Pea ( Clitoria ternatea ), also known as Bunga Telang, Aparijata, Shankha Pushpi, Anchan, Asian Pigeon Wings, Blue Bell Vine, Blue Pea, Cordofan Pea, Darwin Pea and etc., is an amazing ornamental plant native to tropical equatorial Asia. Being a fast growing perennial climber, it provides quick cover for lattice, trellis, arbor or wire mesh fence. It bears abundant, stunning, bright indigo blue, upside down flowers that bloom in the mornings. Thus, making it great for any garden.

I would be growing one at my small backyard garden so that it could cover-up the wire mesh fence - to screen off my back neighbour's kitchen ( for more privacy ).

Here are some information which I have gathered from my eldest sister ( who has been planting this plant in her garden for many years ) and on the internet, that could be of help should you, like me, would like to grow one in your garden :-

1) Care And Growing Requirements For A Butterfly Pea Plant

Butterfly Pea prefer to grow under full sun but it will tolerate light shade. Though it is a very drought tolerant plant, it should be watered regularly ( but not over-watered ) for better growths.

This plant does well in poor soil and does not need any fertilization. ( In fact, it is known to condition the poor soil and make it more fertile. Being a member of the legume family, it has root nodules that contain rhizobium, a fungus that converts atmosphere nitrogen into usable nitrates in the soil. )

It should be pinched regularly to induce its bushiness.

In order to get its seeds, flowers should be left to mature on the plant. Let them drop off naturally so that elongated pea pods will develop. A pea pod will have many tiny seeds in it. Once mature, the pod and the seeds within will dry and could thereafter, be harvested and kept for future germination use. ( If left on the plant, the pod will split open, dispersing the tiny black seeds from within. The outer skin of the empty pea pod will curl when split. )

In colder regions of the world, Butterfly Pea may still be grown but as an annual plant.

As it is a fast grower , it would normally flower after a month or so from the day it germinates.

2) Growing Butterfly Pea Plants from Seeds

The seeds of the Butterfly Pea should be nicked or filed, then soaked overnight in room temperature water before sowing. They can be sown directly in the garden.

For colder regions, start sowing in the greenhouse or indoor at least 6 - 8 weeks or more before the warm weather arrives, maintaining a temperature within the growing medium of 70°-75° F.

Germination would take around 2 to 4 weeks.

Happy growing and wish you success!

Upcoming related blog post : Butterfly Pea ( Clitoria ternatea ) - The Amazing Herb

A Pumpkin Surprise And More...

The need to get a washing machine in to cater to my laundries during my week-long stay next week got me travel back to my holiday home where my small backyard garden is on Sunday. For the past months, I did most of my laundries at our old family home which is located some 20 minutes drive away. As I would perhaps host a little more guests this time, it would be most inconvenient for me to shuttle the increased laundries to and fro. Getting a washing machine in, is however no more than an excuse I tried to give myself, for in fact, I can easily get one in anytime. I missed my plants. They have been left to grow under the care of nature for more than a month. I was a little worried. Hence, my decision to travel back.

It was already very dark and late when I got back. Though I could still see my plants with the car porch and backyard lights on, it was not detail. I managed to see only the top parts. I couldn't see the growths beneath them, if any. And I dared not use my hands to feel them further in case there were frogs preying for insects there. I am most afraid of frogs though I know they wouldn't do any harm to me. I was not taking any risk. Accidentally touching their bulging eyes or cold, wet, ugly ( I'm sorry for making this remark ) skin are enough to make me faint out of fear. So, as soon as the sun was up the next day, I went out to check on them.

I started off with my front yard planter. The whole planter was densely-covered with pumpkin vines. There were only one bloom and a few flower buds in sight. In between the vines, a few sweet potato plants emerged through their leaves. I gently searched beneath some of the pumpkin plant's leaves to see if there are any signs of fruits. What I got to see however, were only some expected small turmeric plants ( which I had planted using some rhizomes last December ) emerging from the surface of the soil . Nothing else! " Hai, " I sighed to myself. What a disappointment! Although I had actually expected this, I was still very disappointed. I have been hoping that somehow, I would be lucky enough to have some insects around to help me out with the pollination. Then I would have some pumpkins. But, right then, I had to accept the fact that I didn't have any such luck.

" Perhaps I should just give up on this plant, " I thought to myself. But, just as I was thinking this, a dark green thing in between the leaves at a far corner edge of the planter which I had skipped searching, suddenly caught my attention. I quickly went over and pushed the adjacent leaves aside. There, a pumpkin, the size of a 20 centimetres or 8 inches tile, was hiding below the leaves. I almost jumped with joy. " Oh, I've got a pumpkin!, " I blurted out. Luckily, none of my neighbours were around. Else, they might have thought I am funny for feeling so happy at getting such a small pumpkin.

Now, back to this immature pumpkin fruit on the plant, I have no idea how long I have to wait before it can be harvested. What are the signs I ought to look out for, to tell that it has ripened. I must find out now so that I won't miss the best harvesting time. Pray hard that I would get to enjoy this one and only pumpkin fruit soon.

The dark green pumpkin - hidden underneath some leaves

A small turmeric plant emerging from the surface of the soil

The front yard planter - densely-covered with pumpkin vines and some sweet potato shoots here and there.

Next, at the backyard, the planter of plants looked somewhat like a mini herb and vegetable jungle. Beautiful. I have always loved wild-looking gardens. A jungle-like one to be exact. Disorderly planted Basil leaf herbs, a climbing Madeira Vine, some sweet potato plants, some Gynura bicolor plants and at least 3 types of Amaranths plus some weeds here and there, were all that made this planter of plants looked like one. Most of them, if not all, had grown incredibly well despite my long absence. There might be some nutrient deficient ( possibly lack of Nitrogen ) and pest-affected leaves in the Green and Red Amaranths but they were still acceptable to me. On the whole, they still looked great.

Though I had found that all of them were good for harvest anytime, I would only do so when I go back again for the week-long holiday. As I had to quickly get a washing machine in as planned and go back to Kuala Lumpur before noon.

Here are some of the pictures which I have taken at my " Mini Herb And Vegetable Jungle ":

Here is a short video clip featuring part of my " Mini Herb And Vegetable Jungle ":

Thank you for reading this and sharing in my joy. Have a great day everyday!

The Aromatic Herb - Murraya Koenigii ( Curry Leaf Plant )

Murraya Koenigii or Curry Leaf Plant is a small tree, growing 4–6 m (13-20 feet) tall, with a trunk up to 16 inches in diameter. Its leaves are pinnate, with 11-21 leaflets - each leaflet 0.8 - 1.6 inch long and 0.4 - 0.8 inch broad. They are highly aromatic. The flowers are small, white, and fragrant. The small black shiny berries are edible, but their seeds are poisonous.

The leaves are highly valued as seasoning in southern and west-coast Indian, and Sri Lankan cooking, especially in curries. They are usually fried along with the chopped onion in the first stage of the preparation. They are also used to make thoran, vada, rasam and kadhi. In their fresh form, they have a short shelf life, and they don't keep well in the refrigerator. They are also available dried, though the aroma is largely inferior. Although most commonly used in curries, leaves from the curry leaf plant can be used in many other dishes to add flavor.

The leaves of Murraya koenigii are also used as a herb in Ayurvedic medicine. They are much valued as an anti-diabetic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, anti-hypercholesterolemic, etc. They are high in iron and folic acid. Thus, they are good for keeping anaemia at bay. They also stimulate digestive enzymes and help break down food more easily. Thus, it is a good remedy for nausea and indigestion. Chewing a few leaves every day can also helps in weight loss. Curry leaves are also known to improve eyesight. So make sure you do not throw away the leaves while eating. It is also believed to prevent cataract. Curry leaves are also good for hair growth and colour. If you don’t like its raw taste, you can use dried, ground leaf powder and sprinkle it on your favourite dish or rice. This will prevent premature greying of hair. Alternatively, you can also add a few curry leaves to your hair oil and boil it for a few minutes. Applying this hair tonic will keep your hair healthy.

My interest in curry leaves however is more in its culinary uses. Whether cooked in curries or with pumpkins or boiled with chick peas, I always find it hard to resist the temptation of their aroma or flavour. For this reason alone, I guess many people like me, would be interested to grow one curry leaf plant in their yard.

Here is how you can grow Curry Leaf Plant :

1) Only use ripe and fresh seeds to plant because dried or shriveled fruits are not viable. You can plant the whole fruit, but it is best to remove the pulp before planting in a potting mix that is kept moist but not wet.

2) Alternatively, you can use stem cuttings to grow one.

Step 1: Cut Off a Section of Stem -> To make your cuttings, select healthy growth that is about 3 to 6 inches long.

Step 2: Remove the Lower Leaves -> Clip off the leaves on the lower half of the shoot so that you have a bare stem to insert into your potting mix.

Step 3: Pot Up Your Cutting.

Curry leaf plant loves warm, humid surroundings and loves subtropical and tropical heat. In countries like Malaysia, it is very easy to grow even for a beginner. All it ever needs are full sun and moderate watering to thrive. Here, this plant, is hardy when matured and does not die even in the severest of conditions like drought, extreme temperatures, and infertile soil.

Gardeners at cooler areas where winters are harsh should grow it in a container so that it can have the flexibility to be moved about. Spring is the best season for planting. Initially, it would be best to plant it in a small container and upgrade the size of it as the growth progresses. It can tolerate mild freezing temperature but needs a lot of care during winter time. For too much cold would cause its leaves to shed. And the plant would go dormant until spring when new growth will start again. Alternatively, it can be brought indoor or placed inside a greenhouse.

Generally, whatever the climate or whether you grow it from a seed or cutting, curry leaf plant is a slow grower in the beginning. It may only grow about 6-10 inches in height, in a year (depending on the climate and growing conditions). So, do be patient..

Regular pruning or picking of leaves is essential to promote the fresh foliage growth. Use nitrogen rich fertilizer ( preferably bio-fertilizers or compost ) in a month or two to boost the growth especially if it is planted in a container (do not fertilize during the dormant stage of the plant, which occurs during winter time in cooler areas). Usually pests are not a great concern for curry leaf plant since the leaves are constantly being removed. If you see berries appear on the branches of your plant, you probably want to pluck them off. This will encourage new leaf growth. If you leave them on, they will turn into beautiful and sweet-smelling flowers. However, this would also mean that your plant will be putting its energy into growing the flowers other than the leaves.

It is better to keep your curry leaf plant more on the dry side than to give them too much water. Let the soil dry out between watering. When you are transplanting your curry leaf plant to a bigger container, try not to break any roots. Add good quality potting soil to the new container as well.

Curry leaves are easy to harvest. Simply pluck off any amount of leaves that you want for cooking. These leaves have the best flavour when they are used fresh. However, if you prefer a much lighter taste of them or simply want to get their many nutrients , you can always make some dried ones to use.

Here Is How To Make Sun-dried, Crushed or Ground Curry Leaves :

1) Select and harvest some fresh curry leaves together with their stems in the morning on a sunny day.

2) Wash them clean and dry them under the hot sun on a wide tray until they are somewhat dried but not yet brittle.

3) Bring the tray into the house / under a shade to remove the stems.

4) Dry them further under the hot sun until brittle.

5) Crush them into smaller pieces using dry, clean hands. Put them out to dry again under the hot sun. Repeat this crushing of the leaves and drying under the hot sun a few times until the leaves are completely dried and brittle.

6) Crush or grind them further into almost powdered or small pieces. Store them in air tight glass / plastic container for future consumption or cooking use.

Finally, hope you would enjoy this magical, aromatic herb to the fullest!

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