May 26, 2009

Combat the heat


Mum-in-law's wok recipe in combating the heat.
Rule of thumb = lots of onions : less of garlic.

  1. soft-grill mackerel (tenggiri in malay) until brown.
  2. sauté onions and garlic in oil.
  3. stir-fry to mix; 'saute mackerel'.
  4. sliced red chili as garnishing.

2 days ago, I blogged 'Surviving in Malaysian heat' about prescribed herbs. A potent concoction to combat heat that emanates from inner body, just in 2 - 3 days as compared to drinking daily Fu-Cha for a month.

It is recommended to get a qualified physician's advice. Prescription will vary accordingly to a person's health and heart condition, blood circulation, health history and metabolism.

Here's a pic of 14 types of herbs, dried to preserved, put together for an hour of brewing. The brew was surprisingly aromatic and flavourful to taste.

Did you know that herbs are brewed for beer? http://www.mansgarden.com/brewing.html


For heat strokes and dehydration sufferers; eating the right food helps, tips at http://www.indianexpress.com/news/to-combat-the-heat-eat-and-drink-right/304752/

Finally a rain! Showers lasted half an hour followed by cool breeze. Sensational!
Nothing beats Mother Nature's power to cool the earth and its inhabitants.

May 25, 2009

Frog chilling in our pond















I've blogged about the heat.


Never did I imagined that our garden frog need to 'chill' too!




In the still of the night, the heat was unbearable (we thank heavens that air-cond invented). Our garden frog, or Froggie, took refuge in our garden (early Christmas gift from mother nature).


It has never up to any mischief and tucked to a corner amongst our Heliconia psittacorum and Zebra Plant (Aphelandra squarrosa). It gets cool baths in the mornings and late evenings, during plant-watering, and feeds on plant insects. Perhaps on that night, it wasn't enough and it urge a cool dip into pond filled with guppies. In the middle, a pot of Common Water-plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica).

Initial scare when we thought it was feeding on the guppies but guppies were all intact. In fact, baby guppies were trying to nibble poor Froggie! I bet Froggie had a "ticklish affair".

Froggie must have been attracted to the coolness of the pond but it had quite an excercise that morning, over many failed attempts to jump out of the pond. The terracota pot has a slippery smooth finish made it ever more impossible feat for Froggie.






Do you think Froggie would stay clear of the pond or do we expect another hop-in-to-chill when the heat is unbearable again? Love to hear your comments.

May 24, 2009

Surviving in Malaysian heat











Across the globe, there are people wondering how to survive in the heat at 109 deg F (43 deg C). Already I'm wondering how to resist heat at 91 deg F (33 deg C).


Some tips on heat-survival is to wear light clothes and change often after sweating profusely. Adequately replenish your body with water, splash some water on face, rinse your hands & feet to cool down. Wear sun-protections if you do go out. Try to avoid the glaring sun from clear skies.



Pic above: Talinum P.'s after blooms now sets shiny gold seed. Common name 'Jewels of Opar'.

Pics below: Alisma (Common Water-plantain) bloomed this morning. This weed thrives excellently in this heat.







Recently I resorted to Chinese brewed tea, Fu-Cha (means bitter tea - it is exteremely bitter so be forewarned). If you're buying from a tea vendor, be sure to emphasise your requirement a) casual cooling down, b) ulcers/heaty or c) flu/cough.


Who should drink Fu Cha tea? What is Fu Cha? Nomadic Tibetans lives in extremely harsh climate every year and dietary intake consists high carbo-meats. They consume Fu Cha on daily basis. http://www.tnttea.com/index.cfm/aboutfucha/

Unsuccessful heat-reducing trauma after 3 rows of Fu-Cha, I visited a chinese physician (tabib cina) in SS15 for 5-day herbal prescription with strict dietary instruction. Off to the Chinese Medicine Hall, for 14 types of herbs - was intrigued by the shiny white powdery shavings (rhinocerous). These is so new to me. 2 days treatment, significant heat-reduction from my palms. Alleluia!



Notice the difference?

Close-up view of the Desert Rose's flower bract (left pic) and tiny growth on its stem (right pic). Each stem branches out, like a bract of 3 to 4 petals.


May 20, 2009

Jewels of Opar



Flowers bloom once. We're amused that its leaves closes in the night as if to sleep and opens wide when sunrise. 3 weeks ago, Talinum seedlings re-potted http://jaimeboey.blogspot.com/2009/04/herbs-cooks-best-friend.html, now it's blooming!




While researching on this herb, I chanced upon a beautiful shot by Kamala http://www.flickr.com/photos/50863590@N00/2351059495 - a bloom from her Paruppu-keerai plant in her garden.
Loads of recipes on Paruppu Keerai Masiyal http://www.zimbio.com/Recipes/articles/16386/Paruppu+Keerai+Masiyal
Folks believes it has good properties for lowering one's blood glucose level, treating their mouth ulcer, diabetes, cough, pulmonary tuberculosis, diarrhea and gastritis.
It could grow "anywhere" http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Talinum_crassifolium_1.jpg, taken in Machida city, Tokyo, Japan.
Best picture would be Rob's http://www.robsplants.com/plants/TalinPanic.php, the whole plant, flowers and seed pods! Yup, he sells seeds.

I think these Jewels (picturing Rob's) will look wonderful in my flowerbed.


Talinum paniculatum, sometimes known as Jewels of Opar, is a member of the Portulaca family. Found in many herb gardens for the leaves which were boiled and eaten. Ten-inch panicles of ephemeral, star-shaped pink (or occasionally yellow) flowers crown the plants year-round, unless cut down by frost. Seed pods were valued by floral designers as a substitute for the ubiquitous baby's breath.Can grow into 4 foot behemoths in rich organic soil, in full sun and will rarely exceed 2 feet. Established plants are drought-tolerant and are seldom bothered by pests. http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/florida_gardening/23186

May 16, 2009

O blessed rain


Yippee rain! O blessed rain, a gift from sky to earth.

Light rains that last between 3 to 15 mins. Temperatures 27-28°C with high humidity 79%. So it feels like 32°C instead.
Vinca Periwinkle a gift 7 months ago, we fondly call it 'ChengEng periwinkle'.

It was 3' tall 2 months ago, now reaching 4.5' tall. Expecting 5' in June, wait and see.

It withstood harsh sunlight, torrential rain and minimal fertilizer (time-release fertilizer once a month); growing well as compared to Catharanthus roseas or Madagascar periwinkle.


Notice a couple of black Carpenter ants (bottom-right)? Carpenter ants are are outside insects; not dirty, not vectors or carriers of any disease, do not sting and cannot really "hurt" you. Population is high when moisture is abundant. Lots of rain often means more carpenter ants are forced from their normal habitats into the areas where you see them. On sunny days, these ants would be crawling everywhere in the garden because they prefer hot!

Carpenter ants do not damage a structure like termite colony and (the good news) they are mortal enemies. When they do meet, there is WAR! Usually, the ants win, they are much tougher than termites. Besides, the ants are terrestrial, while termites are not, and the open ground is where they generally meet. More advices from exterminator expert at http://unexco.com/carpants.html. Life-cycle of Carpenter ant about a week.

Thousands of Ixora buds.


Previously, we've bought a 3' tall water plant and divided into 2 pots, placed diagonally in our courtyard - softens the water feature's hardscape. At the end of the bloom, sprout of growth emerged. The plant was getting leggy and out-of control, so I trimmed the young shoots and potted into our smaller water feature in the porch. Concerned as the little water plant's leaves gets "fried" easily during sunset. 6 months later, voilĂ ! Flower buds emerged! I snapped this pic during sunrise. Strangely, no buds sighted on the 2 pots of larger water-plant. Puzzling.

Nursery caretaker told us that it is water-orchid, but the profile didn't fit.

Closest resemblance would be the Maianthemum bifolium or May Lili, somehow the flower didn't quite match. I'm still searching for its name and welcome reader's suggestion/advice.
Update May 17,'09: Looks similar to Common Water-plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica), also known as Mad-dog weed, grows in shallow water, and consists of a fibrous root.

May 14, 2009

Frightfully Hot, Rainless in Kemuning

We've endured 3 - 4 weeks of glaring sun in clear skies, under the blazing heat and by night, we're steaming after a good cold bath!

7-Day Weather Outlook in Selangor - isolated showers possibly rainless http://www.met.gov.my/htdocs2/data/S007E.html

Earthquake (magnitude 5.1 Richter) in Philippines on May-13 http://www.kjc.gov.my/home_e.html





















On Labours holiday, we did some sightseeing of neighbouring gardens for ideas. Inspired to give our Lantanas a clean-look, we bought cane-sticks, 3' tall, from One-Stop. Easy fit into the ground as compared to the foldable plant support (see periwinkle).
Improvised with raffia string, I've gathered the Lantanas and achieved the neat-tall-look. Some pruning and adjusting for unimpeded growths & blooms.
Update May-19,'09: Wrote description as 'Spreading Sunset' in http://jaimeboey.blogspot.com/2009/01/as-iridescent-as-prism-in-morning-room.html also known as Horrida (native Lantana) can grow to form a shrub 8-feet tall and nearly as wide.

We also bought 2 pots of Pentas Lanceolata or Egyptian Star Cluster (Rubiaceae) was featured as Plant of the Week June 20-26, 2008 www.plantoftheweek.org/week465.shtml. Pentas adds colour-variety amongst Lantanas with similar growing habit - both known to be thriving in hot weather, between 32°-38°C (considered as landscape perennial shrub) and grows up to 2'-3' tall, spreads 14"-18" wide.











Right now its 2' shorter than Lantanas, is already so bushy and flowering profusely in huge clusters - I just can't wait for it grow into a shrub. Did you notice that both Pentas aren't the same? Flowers with white in the middle, the other has purplish or bluish center instead. These Pentas took a slimmer Lantanas spot which relocated next to its buddy-Lantana, combined size and sharing a cane-stick. Recommended watering at the base of the plant, just above the soil, or you could loose some flowers. Water once a day is sufficient, allow water to soak in soil before second round of watering. http://www.webindia123.com/garden/flowers/pentas.htmhttp://herselfshoustongarden.com/2007/09/egyptian-star-cluster-pentas.html
Pentas prefer a soil pH of 7, gardeners recommend adding lime annually to encourage profuse flowering. Propagate through stem cutting. Excessive drought and watering will cause severe yellowing and necrosis.
Update May-19,'09: Similar variety called 'Nova,' is a Georgia Gold Medal winner for 1999. Great for a Butterfly garden http://www.greenbeampro.com/content/view/1458/205/
Also a retired horticulturist recommends planting Pentas with Lantanas http://www.plantanswers.com/calvin_finch_articles/Plants_to_Attract_Butterflies.htm


We brought home from a nursery along Jalan Hicom, a pot of Desert Rose (Adenium obesum) and 3 pots of Melampodium paludosum (Gold Medallion or Butter Daisy).

Since Desert Rose known to take a good deal of neglect, I shall do so!

For maximum growth and flowering; 1) plant terracotta pot in well drained soil and 2) lots of fertilizer. http://mgonline.com/desertrose.html


By end of May, I envisioned a flower-bed on ground, in the front garden, filled with Thiam's favourite yellows; Medallions or Butter Daisy (pic below). It makes a fuss-free flower-bed because 1) profuse flowering 2) less than a foot tall, 3) sun-loving, 4) no deadheading.
Nursery caretaker recommends to avoid the flowers when watering. http://www.phillipoliver.net/melampodium.htm






















Our new garden-additions proved to withstand the frightful heat & high humidity, showed signs of growth after a week since transplant. I had to restrain myself from over-watering. I could feel the vapours from the water hose the whole time after sunset. End of the evening-garden-ritual, I looked as if I've ran a 1km marathon!

May 1, 2009

Sparrows @home with Us


Goodbye Tailorbird, Hello Sparrow!

Tailorbird hatchlings left its nest, quite a miss to watch for its first flight. But our disappointment masked by a joy of excitement, as we watched sparrows nesting in our roof. Bird-watch in our garden continues ...


Caught red-handed for stealing our coco-peat. Original 1-minute clip was edited to 50 seconds of interesting footage.

Nest-in-making progress. (Watch it trying to stuff coco-peat into their new home, doing a twirl for the camera and loosing its balance with a heavy twig in its beaks.) Original 2-minutes clip edited to 1.5-minute.

Sparrows taking a breather. (Watch it gasping for air and fanning itself to cool down then recharge its energy as it leans on the wall.) After that, they began plucking leaves and twigs from our Lantanas. Original 10.5-minutes clip edited to 3-minutes.

Feeding our guppies. Watch the rippling effects on water - 24 seconds.

Crimson blooms in May (rose garden)



Choon's roses, crimson red, now bloom healthily after 2 months of care; deep fertilizing, liquid and pellet fertilizing, frequent pruning and sufficient watering daily.

In early April, it gave a good sign - a wonderful sight of two healthy succulent stems growing upright from the middle. Stood straight & tall. Gesture of confidence, perhaps? http://jaimeboey.blogspot.com/2009/04/burst-of-freshness.html

Further back a month ago, roses had thin stems with couple of brownish blooms, was given and destined to be transplanted into a terracota pot, 3x the size of its original white pot. http://jaimeboey.blogspot.com/2009/03/gardeners-itch.html

Well, it's a good start for month of May; starting with Labour's Day and Wesak day in the 2nd week. Almost everyone in the neighbourhood took long vacation, away from home.

I did some research, found close resemblance to Rosa 'Hope for Humanity' (Shrub Rose) - classified as a true red, the fragrant, ever-blooming, double, 1.5- to 2-inch fragrant, blood red blooms are quite outstanding. A smaller shrub of only 2-4 feet in size creates an ideal perennial garden or border use. Prefers full sun. http://www.alaskahardy.com/results.php?category=Rose











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