My Seed Germinating Project - January 2012

Sowing Date : January 2012

Shiso

Shiso/ Beefsteak Plant (Perilla Frutescens)
A cross between basil & mint
Medicinal : Curing cancers, asthma, colds, cough, lung afflictions, influenza prevention, nausea, vomit, abdominal pain, constipation, food poisoning, allergic reactions
Insecticide : Repel ticks (crushed plants)
Others : Companion plant for tomatoes
Culinary : fish, rice, vege, soup, stir-fries, tempura & salad

Germinated in 4 days

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Lemon Basil

Lemon Basil (Ocimum citriodorum)
Popular herb in Arabic, Indonesian (Kemangi), Lao, Persian and Thai cuisine

Germinated in 2 days

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Basil Ararat

Basil Ararat
Bi-color appearance with slight licorice flavour

Germinated in 2 days

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Sweet Mace

Sweet Mace/ Spanish Tarragon (Tagetes Lucida)
Glossy leaves with small anise-scented orange flowers
Salad (flowers), soups & stews (leaves)
Dried leaves & flowering tops - aniseed tea

Germinated in 2 days

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Hyssop

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
Medicinal : antiseptic, cold & congestion, when applied to bruise-heal cuts promptly- deter spread of infections
Culinary : slightly bitter minty flavour - leaves can sprinkled sparingly over salad/ add to apple stew & pies, a few leaves- rich stews & marinade
Insecticide : repel flea beetles & lure away cabbage moths

Germinated in 2 days

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Lemon Gum Tree

Lemon Gum Tree (Corymbia citriodora)

Insecticide : Crushed foliage gives off refreshing spicy lemon aroma to deter mosquitos

Germinated in 6 days

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Basil Lettuce-Leaf

Basil Lettuce-leaf
Large leaf variety of sweet basil
Sweet but not as strong as other sweet basils
Culinary : Salads/ wrapping fish, chicken/ rice stuffing for grilling

Germinated in 2 days

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Greek Basil

Greek Basil
Smaller leaves & softer stems with quite strong flavour
Antibacterial & antispasmodic
Can be applied to insect bites

Germinated in 2 days

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Purple Delight Basil

Basil Purple Delight
Similar to purple Dark Opal Basil- strong scented

Germinated in 2 days

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My Summer Savory seedlings

Summer Savory (Satureja hortensis)
Somewhat peppery flavor with a minty thyme undertone
Culinary : traditional flavouring for broad beans & lentil soup, enhance fish, vege, eggs & cheese, pea soups, beans and many other dishes
Combines well with other herbs

Germinated in 4 days

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Orange-scented & Lemon-scented Thyme

Orange-scented : combines flavor of Old English Thyme with orange & balsam scent & pale pink flowers
Culinary : flavor hardy meals, bone warming soups & piquant sauces, fish, poultry, veal, roasted vege, stews, soups, marmalades & chutneys
Blend with Tarragon & Savory
Add parsley & bay leaves- enliven & give depth to the flavour of soups, stews & sauces
Aids digestion of high fat foods and used to preserve meat
Medicinal : tea of 2 tsp dried herb per cup of boiling water- steep for 10minutes. Add sage if you have a nagging cough. Stronger tea is useful as a mouthwash/ rinse to treat sore gums

Lemon-scented : Whole plant can be used- leaves, flowering tops & oil

Medicinal : A week herbal tea can be made to help with respiratory problems, including asthma in children

Culinary : leaves - flavour fishes, stuffing for poultry & vegetable

Germinated in 2 days

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Yellow Evening Primrose seedlings

Yellow Evening Primrose (Oenothera)

Young roots can be eaten like vege (peppery flavour)

Shoots - salad

Medicinal : Ease bruising & speed wound healing

Seed Oil : prevent PMS & beneficial to skin of the face

Leaves - edible, leaf vegetable

Germinated in 2 days

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Sweet Green Basil seedlings

Sweet Green Basil

Tastes of mints & cloves

Culinary : courgette, tomato dishes, pesto, salad & pasta

Germinated in 2 days

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Oregano (Origanum Vulgare)

Aromatic, warm & slightly bitter taste

Culinary : tomato sauce, fried vegetable, grilled meat, pizza

Medicinal : Cure for stomach & respiratory ailments

High in antioxidant activity

Germinated in 2 days

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Chrysanthemum morifolium

Medicinal : Chrysanthemum Tea - to treat influenza

Germinated in 5 days

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Apple Scented Gold Pom Poms

Tea (grass) - aroma similar to pineapple with hints of strawberry & caramel

Apple scented when brushed against

Germinated in 6 days

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Greek Myrtle (Myrtus communis)

Evergreen shrub with small fragrant dark shiny leaves when crushed

Culinary : flavour similar to bay leaf/rosemary.  

Use sprigs and/or wood on the coals of the grill or place chicken, fish or pork directly on top of the herb which has been placed on the rack.

Stuff sprigs inside a chicken or turkey before roasting.

Try using the leaves in a marinade for any meat.

Use sprigs in herbal vinegar.

Use fresh tender new growth finely chopped with squash or zucchini.

The small purplish-black berries that the follow the flowers can be used like juniper berries, such as in roast meat or any marinade.

Athenians nibbled on myrtle berries as a confection, with the added benefit of having sweet-smelling breath. The berries were also made into a wine that would not intoxicate.

Have not germinated

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Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)

Culinary : leaves - fish, potatoes & soup

Juice of leaves : fighting fungal activities, mildew & scap

Repels Insects

Have not germinated. Chives seeds need to germinate in the dark



The Year 2012

For the previous year, I have started sowing seeds. In the beginning, I tried sowing fruits that I ate. Knowingly my father in law has successfully grown mango, apple, starfruit and lychee trees from seeds of fruits he ate and threwn onto the garden, I thought of giving it a try. Unfortunately, I must admit that I dont have the green fingers. So, I tried my luck for the second time with seeds I bought online and in KL. It worked better that way :-)

All you need is Seeds germinating tray or pots, Peat moss and a lot of patience.

My Seeds Tray - Marigolds, Lemon Balm, Lime Basil, Roman Chamomile

My first try worked out fine. Most of it germinated. Half of it was destroyed due to my inexperience. Sigh!

This year, I'm planting many types of seeds. Culinary, medicinal, fragrant, insecticidal and unique plants. And my main aim now is to attract beneficial insects like butterflies and ladybugs :-D

 

It's sad that I love herbs & spices and my in-laws don't. I love spicy & curry food and they don't. I love western food and they don't. So, I will just experiment and cook it elsewhere - My Own House where my parents, siblings and my friends would be happier to be my white mice! :-)  

Try view some of the recipes I have in the other page in this blog. These recipes are recommendable :-)

The Other Existing Trees in My Garden

My husband's parents, especially my father-in-law, he loves throw the seeds of fruits he ate onto the garden. Many of it grew from seeds to trees.

In the older days, they used to live in a kampung (village) with a vast land. According to my husband, there were pink guava tree (been wanting to plant this tree myself, but couldn't it in the nurseries), guava tree, mandarin oranges tree (orange and green skin as well), jambu air, mango, nona & etc.

So, in our current garden now, it's half a fruit orchard! We have starfruit tree, mango tree, longan tree, papaya tree, limau purut tree, sugar cane, passion fruit, and even an apple tree! But this apple tree has never bear apple fruits before. It has flowered and still is, but we did not see any apples on the trees. We have seen small red fruits before. Probably got snatched and pecked off by the birds coz they have been pecking off my sunflower and wheatgass seeds as well! Seeds were pecked off from the germination trays before they could grow into seedlings! Argh!!

My mother-in-law herself has been planting this shrub called senduduk putih, of which she has been drinking dried flowers' tea. According to her, this plant is like a fairy tree that heals many sickness. But I don't think so! LOL. According to other websites, this plant Melastoma decemfidum roxb./Melastoma Imbricatum, the plant help heal old cough, for children who has trouble in talking, for diarrhea and also for white discharge. There are 2 type of this plant - white flowers or red/pink flowers. But according to my mother-in-law, the white ones are harder to find and has more medicinal values.

Senduduk Putih

 

Recently, my father-in-law has been craving for green skin mandarin oranges. My mother-in-law said this crave started 2 years ago! But she only told us that last week. It has been hard for us to find the edible fruits for sale in our area. So, my husband and I went to search for the plant in a nursery. Lucky us, they sell it. So, off we went to buy the plant - a new addition to our so-called "Fruit Orchard".

Green skin Mandarin Orange

Some Recipes That are Gathered, Tested & Proven

Laksa Baked Salmon
Recipe taken from GoodFood Asian Edition Magazine

3 tbsp laksa paste
2 tbsp dessicated coconut
1 handful laksa leaves (daun kesom/ vietnamese mint) - finely chopped
2 tbsp coconut milk
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 egg yolk
Pinch of salt & pepper
2 skinless salmon fillet (150g each) (i prefer to use cod fish)
Banana leaf (optional)/ aluminium foil

1) Put all ingredients into a large mixing bowl- mix well.
2) Spread mixture evenly on top of the salmon fillet- chill in fridge for 10minutes.
3) Preheat oven to 170¤C.
4) Bake crust side up 5 to 7 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Crunchy Apple Salad
Recipe taken from GoodFood Asian Edition Magazine

2 apples, cored & thinly sliced
Juice of 2 limes
1 tsp Thai fish sauce
Pinch of sugar
Small bunch of coriander leaves roughly torn
Small bunch of mint leaves roughly torn

1) Mix lime juice, fish sauce & sugar
2) Stir in apple slices. Add in coriander and mint.

Frozen Lychee & Mint Cocktails(makes 4)

1) 400g can of lychees - drain the syrup into a blender
2) Add 4 of the lychees, a small bunch of mint leaves, 100ml vodka & juice of 2 limes
3) Add 2 handfuls of ice & blend until slushy
4) Serve in glasses garnished with a mint sprig & a lychee

Thai Basil Chicken Stir-fry
(serves 2-3)

Chicken fillets
Thai basil leaves
Some garlic (cut finely)

Stir-fry sauce :
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup chicken stock
1-2 tsp chilli sauce/ 1/2 to 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Optional :
Onions - sliced
Red chillies

1) Heat up oil
2) Add in garlic pieces. Stir till golden brown
3) Add in chicken fillet. Stir fry for a while
4) Add in the stir-fry sauce
5) Add in the basil leaves. Serve.

The Year 2011

All this while, I have been buying books about spices & herbs. Have always been curious about the wonders of culinary spices & herbs. Bought bottled herbs - Mixed herbs, Blackpepper, Oregano, Italian Herbs, Allspice. Experimented with it and it does make wonders to your food.- Grilled, Stew, Soup. And ever since I bought fresh potted herbs from Village Grocer (KL), I've gone crazy. I bought :

Rosemary

Sweet Basil

Red Basil

Sage

Cinnamon Basil

Marjoram

7) Lemon Balm
8) Lemon Basil
9) Dill (seeds I bought from Houz Depot)
10) Marigold (seeds I bought from Houz Depot)

Then, not long after, I found several other herb plants from nurseries here - Oregano, Mint, Peppermint, Chinese/ Common Chives, Parsley, Thyme, Thai Basil.

    

Peppermint

Common Chives

Mint/ Pudina

Thyme



Lime Tree

Pomegranate Tree

At that time, mosquitoes seems to stick to my young son like bees to honey. So, from then on, my collection went bigger scope, from culinary to insect repellent herb groups as well. I started researching about it and started collecting herbs like :

1) Halau Nyamuk (Pelargonium graveolens)

2) Patchouli (Nilam)

3) Serai Wangi/ Citronella Grass (Cymbopogon nardus) - noticed my dog is attacking & munching the leaves?

4) Lavender (2 types)

5) Ekor Kucing (Acalypha hispida) - for medicinal purposes (it looks cute as well, with red pointy bush like cat's tail)

6) Pokok Ajaib (Synsepalum dulcificum) - for collection purpose (coz not long after u eat the red colored berry-looking fruits and you then consume sour food like lemon, you wont feel sour-ish. This feeling will last for maybe 20minutes? Tried that and it does work! :-)  )

The fruit of my Pokok Ajaib (was waiting for it to turn red & ripe, But the birds pecked it before I could pick it :-(  )

7) Stevia/ Sweetleaf - the leaves does taste sweet after you munch it. Great for diabetic patients.

Knowing that there isn't many choices available, I experimented to buy seeds online. The plants I started from seeds :

1) Catnip (Nepeta cataria)

2) Catmint (Nepeta mussinii) - claimed to be the same as catnip by the seller

3) Lime Basil

4) Christmas Basil

5) Thai Siam Queen Basil

6) Red & Green Holy Basil

7) Spearmint

8) Tomato

Besides that, I also tried to root cutting Lemongrass and Vietnamese Mint (Laksa leaf/ Kesom). I bought both from the grocery shop and soak them in water. Not long after, the roots will grow & you can transplant them into soil. However, after transplanting them into pots & soil, my dogs started to attack hmy Lemongrass. They seems to like to eat new shoots (Argh!!) & white mealy bugs attacked my Kesom (Argh!!) And my rabbit attacked my Patchouli (Nilam) plant!

                                                         My rack of Herbs back then


So far, back in year 2011, I surely have had many problems with the abovementioned plants. The plants that have RIP are indeed bad bad sacrifices to make me a more experienced and better gardener.

1) Rosemary (2 plants - 1 due to overwater & 1 due to attacked by unknown black bugs)
2) Red Basil (1 plant - after I transplanted into the pot)

3) Sage (3 plants - after I bought it back from Village Grocer)

4) Dill (2 plants - after I transplanted & 1 after germinated from seeds)

5) Marigold (1 after overpoisoned by over fertilized. LOL)
6) Lime Basil (1 Successfully germinated from seeds. But Died due to over fertilized & attacked by black bugs)
7) Lavender (2 plants - I overwatered them)
8) Patchouli (2 plants - 1 was attacked by my rabbit & 1 wilted)
9) Lemon Balm (2 plants - wilted)
10) Rosemary (2 plants - dried off)
The plants that remained until today, I will post the photos soon :)

Several things I learnt till to date;

1) After you buy the herbs from Village Grocer, soak them in water using a plate or something (for a couple of days). Let them get used to the weather at your place before you transplant it into pots.

2) To get rid of White Mealy Bugs, I bought a bottled chemical from Houz Depot to get rid of it. It's some sort of soapy water. It works but you need to spray a couple of times to fully get rid of them. And it works on some plants and doesnt work on some plants. Experiment on mealy bugs on a small part of your plant first before you spray the whole plant. I've tried spraying on Pokok Ajaib's stems and leaves - it was safe. However, my frangipani leaves turned yellow. Im not sure if it was caused by overfertilized by my rabbits' poos or caused by the spray.

3) A lot does not mean very good - Do not over fertilize your herbs. With several plants died due to that matter, I can say I am experienced in that. LOL. For herbs, it is better to fertilize the organic way, especially those that you are planning to consume. For my herbs, I'm now fertilizing using fish emulsion, dilute with water. It works splendidly on my Basils and now currently experimenting on other herbs as well.

If you cant find it in the stores, you can produce your own fish emulsion the old way, like my Grandmother. She loves eating Basils but cant find it in Kuantan market. Since I have many Thai Basils, I gave her 1 pot. My grandma's Thai Basil seems to grow bushier than mine! Hmmph!

Her secret was her own fish emulsion - the water she used to wash raw fishes). And since then, i started researching for ways to fertilize my herbs. Before that, my herbs were growing on just plain water diet, and that was why they were so skinny! :-P

4) Preferably use pots with holes in the bottom to plant your herbs. This is because most herbs prefer good drainage system. When I firstly planted my herbs in pots without holes that I bought from Ikea (coz pots without holes looks better isnt it? Their designs looks way cuter!), some of it died coz water clogging in the soil, and it caused root rot or attacked by some white colors bugs. Remember, Cute doesn't mean Practical. 

*will update on my 2012 Herbs Adventure :)