TIBETAN BLACK GOJIBERRIES
Heirloom seeds from Tibet were procured for this journal. We wanted to be certain these plants started from the uncultivated wild variety as possible for our study. As the plants grew, I found them to be entirely unsuitable for apartments’ corridor gardens or anywhere on commonly shared grounds because of these thorns on […]
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GROW TEA TREE FROM SEEDS
This is the tea tree plant whose leaves yield essential oil and not tea plants. There were not many pictures on how these plants grew from young and we wanted to track its journey from seeds to hopefully, maturity, and be able to extract our own tea tree oil. Oil extracted from […]
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BLAUBERREN BLACK BERRIES
Blauberren or Schwarzbeeren literally means “blackberries” in English but they are also known by other names. Edible Black Nightshade (English) Schwarzer Nachtschatten (German) Morelle noire (French) Hierba mora (Spanish) Paslen Cernyj (Russia) Scientific name – solanum Nigrum L They are not the same species as Garden Huckleberry, Wonderberry, or Sunberry although the […]
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GROUND CHERRIES
Ground Cherries are not cherries 🙂 These belong to the nightshade family, similar to capsicums and tomatoes. They are also known as husk tomatoes or sweet tomatillos. Another common name that is confusing, is “Cape Gooseberries” (Physalis Peruviana), which really is a type of ground cherry that shared the “gooseberry” name and […]
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PINEAPPLE CARAMEL STRAWBERRIES
The taste consensus is in. This variety is sweet and when very ripe, the taste profile is caramel + pineapple flavored strawberries. However similar to other white strawberry varieties, it is also slower to grow and very challenging in our environment. We grew in both Kratky (non circulating hydroponic) and soil to compare […]
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MIGNONETTE
One of the French variety that we started in 2018 was the MIGNONETTE Alpine strawberries. This variety was easy to grow, entered the flowering stage at 3 months, and a vigorous grower with about 100 – 120 fruits in a 4 months window. This matched growing data from gardeners abroad, even though we […]
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TROPICAL STRAWBERRIES
It had been 4 years since we grew and documented journals on growing strawberries from seeds in Singapore. With the compilation of data and observations from our plants, we began to test what we hypothesized about strawberries in the tropical zone since 2016 and these were some of our findings. The parameter for our […]
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CARNIVOROUS BYBLIS
Byblis is a carnivorous “Godsend” plant for many gardeners faced with flying pests troubles. Their long sticky leaves trapped anything that flies by. Enquire for availability in SHOP And all they need to thrive are filtered water and as much sun as they could get. They can be placed outdoor without […]
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OYSTER LEAF
We are grateful for moments of heightened curiosity when excitement and intrigue sparkle and we were drawn into the chase to look for answers. These recent years had been one roller coaster after another, finding answers to growing challenging (cold seasoned) edible plants in our tropical climate. After strawberries (still an ongoing search […]
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KALE – SO EASY !
The general rule of thumb for anyone who loves kale and wants fresh harvest regularly is to grow 3 to 4 plants per family member. Grow your own at home saves money, as this is a cut and grow plant. As a gauge, a 10 weeks old plant will yield 5 big leaves […]
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ZERO Carbon Footprint
In 2015, when we started planting strawberries, we thought keeping them cool in our tropical climate was important. As we grew and learned more about strawberries, we found it was possible to grow them in our natural environment without too much fuss once the seedlings established (4 months ++). Thus, this discovery, the […]
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Gardening 101
I was a noob myself in 2015 and still remembered how I start. What seems common sense to seasoned gardeners may not be so clear for new gardeners. I read a lot of posts in every group that I joined. Do some reading in gardening books and watched online videos and yet, with […]
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DWARFING A PAPAYA
Notice I did not add a “tree” behind the papaya in the title? There was some debate during the sharing of this post in our group (SG Farming in Apartments) whether a papaya plant is a tree, herb, or both! 🙂 What is interesting about the papaya plant is that it has three […]
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Ethan Phang’s Sleek Aquaponics
The idea is simple. Reared some marine life, be it fishes or shrimps, then channel the aquarium water to feed vegetables. It’s a self-sustaining system that auto-irrigates your edibles while you are on holiday! Sound great, right? But this post took me the longest time to write, even though I told Ethan Phang […]
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Apartments’ Rice Paddies
Update 2018 – Hydro Rice in natural nutrients began! Test trials underway. In land-scarce Singapore, it is not impossible to grow rice for fun and where space allowed, for our own consumption. We thought this is a great gardening project to do with children as well. Hopefully, with the experience, our urban kids […]
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Pineapple Strawberry
UPDATE 2018 – Successfully grown in non-circulating hydroponics (KRATKY) and began 3rd generation seedlings trials. This variety was acclimatized to SG natural environment by 2017. The parent plants of this variety began their journey on January 16 2016 in soil. This is Alpine heirloom Pineapple strawberries, a low growing variety with […]
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For Lavender Fans
UPDATE 2019 – GROW LAVENDERS IN LIQUID WORKSHOP AVAILABLE! Our Unique curriculum includes how to acclimatize lavenders for our climate! These plants are able to renew growth from dry wooden barks on their own. Hardy acclimated lavenders are easier to maintain in our climate. This is how the […]
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ROSEMARY – GROW THEM WELL
Rosemary plants are one of the easiest herbs to grow once we understood what they need. As a novice gardener in 2015, I could not say the same as I was a serial killer of rosemary plants bought from nurseries, even though I followed their instructions of care faithfully. I did not understand then […]
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Wolfberries / Goji Berries/ KAU KEE Plant
Updated 2018 June 30 – We completed the full cycle journal on Kau Kee cutting to fruits and other observations. These plants continue to surprise while gifting us knowledge and food. As fresh berries were not available in our markets, we grew to share them with our family and neighbors. Last but not least, we can grow […]
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White Strawberries
In 2017, we began a new exploration of white wild Alpine strawberries varieties in KRATKY (passive hydroponic) method. These varieties are not common commercially and too fragile to ship, thus we had to grow them from seeds. We were keen to grow them out of curiosity because their taste profiles were described as intensely […]
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Strawberries’ Overview – From Seeds to Fruits :)
In March 2015, my 11-year-old daughter’s birthday wish was to harvest strawberries in our apartment. 🙂 It would not be a hard wish to grant if we were living in a temperate climate region, but we are living in Singapore, a tropical country. Right from the start, we were met with disbelief and skepticism […]
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ORANGE THYME FROM SEEDS
This thyme has a hint of citrus which explodes on one’s palate. Seeds were relatively easy and fast to germinate. They were sowed on May 26 2020 at 5.19 pm and sprouted on May 28. True leaf peeked on May 29. These are interesting thyme with a sweet orange […]
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HYDRO HUCKLEBERRIES
This plant deserved its own journal instead of writing it under our 2019 post, which was not successful in liquid-based. We sowed the seeds on April 26, 2020, at 2.31 pm. When it germinated on the 28th, we thought it was a blueberry because this errant seed has gotten into our blueberry […]
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LEMON BALM
These are nice herbs to grow as the leaves carry a scent and taste of lemon to any drinks and meals without the hassle of growing an actual lemon tree indoor! Our seeds were sowed on November 11, 2019, and germinated on the 18th. Six to 7 days to germinate. […]
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ARROZ CON POLLO
Main Ingredients – Rice, Chicken, Vegetables This is a traditional meal in Spain and Latin America, similar to paella. This can be a simple meal with three basic ingredients or an elaborate one with layers of flavors. We like the elaborate one as long as there are enough ingredients to make a […]
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CREAM CHEESE TARTS
The original recipe was from Richard Goh. From Toa Payoh Central Community Center, Baking Class, in 2010. Tarts pastry recipe – 200g hard butter 100g sugar 1 Egg, beat 350g Plain Flour, sieve 50g ground Almond, toasted, until slightly brown This tart base can be used for cookies or whole cheesecake […]
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LEMONGRASS FROM STALKS
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting them to grow after being left forgotten in my fridge for over three weeks. The leaves and stalks were brown and dry. To my surprise, new shoots grew from midsection like this after sitting in 3 cm water for two days. STEP 1 – Trim away […]
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BERGAMOT FROM SEEDS
OMG! The leaves’ scent is intoxicatingly beautiful and we are excited to explore them for essential oils and other uses. Seeds were sowed on February 19, 2020, at 2.35 pm and they looked like these – Strawberries’ germination method can be used for these seeds. The first to […]
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HONEY EUCALYPTUS FROM SEEDS
Not much information can be found about this species and thus, we will build the data as the plant grows. Honey eucalyptus seeds were sowed on March 2, 2020, and they looked like this. Germination rate is 1% Only 1 seed out of 100 seeds germinated. Seedling was extremely fragile. […]
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HUMMINGBIRD MINT FROM SEEDS
They belonged to the genus of aromatic flowering perennial plants known as Agastache. These edible flowers emit a scent that is a great attraction for pollinators and hummingbirds, thus the name. We sowed our seeds on November 19, 2019, and they germinated on the 26th. Seed Leaves showed on the […]
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EUCALYPTUS FROM SEEDS
We germinated eucalyptus seeds using our balancing act from the strawberries seeds experience. The first batch of seeds was sowed on February 19, 2020, at 2.35 pm and they looked like these – The success rate was not great, about 1%. A tiny sign of seed life showed on the 22nd, […]
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CHRYSANTHEMUM GREENS (TANG OH 茼蒿, 春菊 )
A must-have vegetable for any Chinese steamboat gathering of sorts and it’s known by different names in many kitchens. The West labeled it as an edible chrysanthemum, Choy Suey greens, or a crown daisy. In Japan, it is called Kikuna or shungiku (春菊) and the Koreans called this “sukgat”. In appearance, the Japanese […]
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DOCK BLOODY SORREL
What we love about this perennial herb is that the tart lemon tasting leaves retain this unique flavor even when the heat is applied and of course, its pretty colors. The name probably comes from these bloody veined appearance on the leaves. Dock Bloody Sorrel originated in the Mediterranean region and are used […]
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BASIL FROM SEEDS
There is an astonishing array of basil that can easily be grown from seeds (or cutting if available) for our culinary exploration. Some examples are – Sweet Italian Basil, also known as GENOVESE basil Lemon Basil (excellent in cold teas or chilled beverages on a hot day) Mrs. Burns Lemon Basil (anti – […]
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SPRING ONION
Spring Onion is easy to start. We grew them in both liquid and soil mediums. ROOTING ONION There are many methods to grow spring onion, but we preferred to see roots first before planting. First, we choose a relatively firm onion. A medium to big size is good because they have more […]
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HYDRO WATERMELONS FROM SEEDS
We started watermelons from seeds indoor to study how they grow closer. This was our first vine plant and we had no idea how they would grow at all! Right from the start, there were some challenges growing this plant inside our apartment. A primary one is a lack of space for a […]
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TOSCANA F1 STRAWBERRIES
This was our first hybrid strawberry variety from seeds and the following summarized what we read about them. The growing notes were sourced online and soil-based as hydroponic data was not available. Hybrid, F1, Fragaria x Ananassa Restrained Runners Thicker leaves than heirloom varieties Same level of difficulties as white strawberry varieties […]
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HUCKLEBERRIES FROM SEEDS
From the beginning of our gardening adventures, we love the idea of foraging for homegrown berries in our gardens. Since growing strawberries in 2015, we had explored other types of berries plants, from mainly seeds and also from cutting. In 2016, we grew wolfberries, and this year (2019) began journeys into berries “bush” […]
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FRENCH ORACH
Also known as German mountain spinach or Saltbush , it’s an annual cool season herb that tolerates warm weather well. Unlike spinach, these will not bolt easily in our climate. They came in variety of colors, red, magenta, yellow, copper or golden and can be eaten fresh in salads (goes well with sorrel) or cooked. […]
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WHITE SOLEMACHER STRAWBERRIES
If only one word is allowed to describe this plant’s characteristic, it would be “pale”. Everything from leaves to stems is a lighter shade compared to the red Alpine strawberries varieties. It is known by other names, such as “Pineapple” Baron or ” Fraises des Bois” and highly sought by chefs […]
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ORANGE FROM SEEDS
Our orange’s journal began unexpectedly on January 31 2019 when this sprouted seed was found in our fruit. We will observe how it grows from this point more for curiosity’s sake than expecting any fruits. Moreover, it is unlikely our bedroom is able to support an orange tree. Its growth was […]
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SUNFLOWERS FROM SEEDS
Much to my surprise, sunflowers seeds were not easy to germinate. The following germination methods did not work for me – Pre-soaking in 40C water, overnight, then drained to sow on soil Sowed in moist soil after cracking its pointy tip Uncovered pot – seeds exposed to light Sow on moist tissues […]
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YELLOW WONDER STRAWBERRIES
Yellow Wonder Alpine strawberry is not difficult to start from seeds. It is recommended for beginner (strawberry) gardeners looking for more uncommon variety to try. These seeds were easy to germinate. In fact, it took less than 4 days when we sowed them on December 26, 2018. Please follow this post on how […]
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NEW ZEALAND SPINACH or TETRAGONIA
In appearance, and texture, these young seedlings are similar to ice plants, and they both taste slightly salty. This vegetable is also known by other names such as New Zealand Spinach, Cook’s Cabbage, Sea Spinach, Botany Bay Spinach, or Warrigal greens. In spite of its numerous common names, this plant is not spinach. […]
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WHITE SOUL STRAWBERRIES
Our first exploration of white strawberries was WHITE SOUL on August 23 2015 in soil. In 2017, we learned how to grow in a liquid base, and began new exploration using KRATKY hydroponics method. This post is a rewrite of the journal from 2015 to compare notes between soil-based and KRATKY, non circulating hydroponic. […]
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Grow Mizuna ミズナ, 水菜, Beni HOUSHI
Whether its soil or liquid-based, mizuna is easy to grow and quick to harvest. It is very delicious to eat as salads or cooked. The variety that we grew at home is called Beni Houshi, purple stem mizuna that is very popular in Japanese restaurants. Added to salads, the purple hue of its […]
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SULFUR SOAP FOR PESTS CONTROL
This article is written by Dr. Wilson Wong on how to use sulfur soap to kill mites. He is also the creator of GREEN CULTURE Singapore group in Facebook. The picture shows the sulfur soap product most commonly available in Singapore. Sulfur, in its elemental form (as a molecule S8) is better […]
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PERILLA or SHISO FROM SEEDS
Not all shiso tastes the same. In our kitchen, we find there are culinary differences between the Japanese and Korean Shiso and thus we used them differently. In the former (Japanese,青しそ, ao-jiso ), the leaves are thinner and the taste is suitable even for young children’s salads. Eaten raw, the minty flavor […]
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BURRITOS !
These are food for the soul on cold rainy weather in Singapore! For meat burritos, we like earthy herbs like Sage and Oregano as they compliment tomatoes very well. These herbs are grown on our window gardens, ready to be harvested at our convenience. We can use any […]
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GROW SAGE FROM CUTTING
Growing Sage from cutting is easier than germinating the seeds. Steps to propagating sage from cutting Cut the stem’s end at 45 degree Remove bottom-most leaves as this part will be in the water Need only 2 or 3 leaves at the top Use net-cup to support roots tip in water […]
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STICKY CINNAMON BUNS
The recipe was from CHEF ANNA Olsen’s “OH YUM” YouTube Channel, posted below. Nothing is changed from her recipe except the sequence of ingredients added in bread dough preparation. An all-time favorite at home with Summer and her cousins, as well as adults (although we really shouldn’t indulge! ). We are re-writing […]
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Colorful Lettuce
We rarely grow lettuce at home as we much preferred kale varieties but these colorful ones were hard to resist. The red or four seasoned lettuce will spruce up any salads presentation. Most of the seeds germinated within 3 days. Our favorite way is to sow on moist kitchen tissues and cling wrapped […]
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ALGAE SHIELD
Algae is present whenever there are liquid and light. In hydroponics gardening, where light, water and nutrients are present, algae growth can be a weekly maintenance headache to clean. Algae can be present in the soil as well. Wherever light meets moisture. To prevent or at least reduce algae […]
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APPLES FROM SEEDS
Before we get too excited about these apples seedlings and dreams of picking fresh apples from our own trees, some reading would suffice to put everything back on track, firmly in reality. Here are the “BAD NEWS” about apples from supermarkets’ fruits seeds – The seedling will become a tree, about 6 […]
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SWISS CHARDS
Swiss Chards are cold seasoned biennial ( 2 years to complete life cycle) vegetables and come in beautiful vibrant colors, livening up any salads. We don’t see them on our supermarkets’ shelves and thus decided to grow from seeds. As they belonged to the beets family, their seeds are similar-looking as well. […]
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WESTERN PARSLEY
Lest we get confused with Chinese Parsley, which tastes like celery, these so-called “Western” Parsley are Curly leaf (English) and Italian Flat Leaf Parsley. As this herb is a biennial, meaning it will bolt (flower) in the second year and then died, we much preferred growing them from seeds than buying from the […]
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CHICKEN PIES With FRESH THYME
Our chicken pies are an all time favorite with guests, parties, picnics or home meals. When the children were young and dislike eating vegetables, it was also my way to sneak in as much greens as possible into their favorite tea time pies and they could not picked it out! We love to use herbs, […]
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My friends who knew me well probably guessed its the name, “Sugar Loaf” that attracted me to try these seeds! Little did I know that this vegetable is fame for their slightly bitter undertone. These vegetables are used commonly in the Italian or Spanish kitchens in soups, grilled or cooked with cheeses, garlic, lemon or […]
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Powerhouse Golden Purslane
Although Purslane is considered a weed in many countries, it nonetheless packed a powerhouse of nutrients for salads lovers. The health benefits include high omega 3 fatty acids (helps lower cholesterol), natural antioxidants, Vitamin A, B, C, iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Native to Asia, purslane is now enjoyed widely for its nutrition and […]
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POTATOES IN CONTAINERS
My daughter, Summer, loves potatoes in any form, whether grilled, roast with our fresh herbs, mashed for pot pies, or steamed. So I decided to try planting our own in the outdoor apartment’s gardens. We choose small to med sized potatoes rather than large Russet potatoes for our first trial. The […]
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Grow Ginger in Pots
Growing ginger is surprisingly easy, but in hindsight, I should have planted them individually or in a wider pot to allow the roots to grow more. Fellow gardener, Ms. Pek Nyuk recommended starting planting them in shallow soil depth in a wide pot and then top up with soil as they grow. This […]
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Moist Carrot Cake
Original Recipe from Richard Goh (October 2010). For 9 inch square tin, paper lined. Preheat oven at 180C Part 1 – WET Ingredients In big mixing bowl, beat well – 175 ml Sunflower or Veg Oil 175g […]
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