New growth

Here's an update on some of the edibles growing in my balcony:

One of the shallots I harvested but left in to grow out

The other small pot of green onions once harvested

You can still see the cut where I made the first harvest

Yet more happy tomato seedlings!

Trimmed rose plant & anticipating new buds!

Re-potted watermelon seedings

Did I follow up with...

...the outcome of my compost project?

The compost got along very nicely and I am guilty of using it up before any photos were taken! It is sitting nicely in my pot and helping my red shallots sprout delicious and spicy green onions.

Here's how you can grow your own green onions too:

1. Get some shallots if you don't have any.
2. Pick out those that are already budding or have a little green tips.
3. Plant them in a pot of soil. I usually have them in a small pot because I only plant a couple.
4. Place them in a sunny location (which shouldn't be too difficult in Singapore nowadays) and wait for them to grow out. I'm assuming we all remember to water the shallots on a daily basis so I've skipped a step.

My husband and I harvested our first batch of green onions by digging up the entire bulb. But then I read online somewhere (I'm sorry I don't remember where!) that if you cut it at the point slightly above the bulb, along the light green/white part of your green onions, you will get a fresh set of growth. Do note however, that this regrowth only works once. Once you get your second set, it's time to remove the bulb and plant in a new one.

Nowadays, I try to keep some small red shallots around at home. They are great for stir-frying and adding sweetness to food. More importantly, I keep them around to grow those lovely green onions. We just love them and my husband's adamant about boycotting store-bought green onions now. You might want to try experimenting with other kinds of onions like big red onions or yellow onions using the same steps.

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You may have found this post dry because of the glaring lack of photos. So I will try to be less enthusiastic about harvesting my green onions next time and remember to take some photos of them to share in another post. But till then, you'll have to rely on my words and try growing some green onions yourselves. I guarantee you'll be amazed at how easy it is. Enjoy!

Saving the Bamboo Plant

Recently, I mentioned that my bamboo plant was drying out and I suspected that it was due to the move plus the erratic weather here in Singapore. I shifted its position so it now sits in sheltered sunlight for the bulk of the day and gets direct morning sunlight. I also had to drastically trim off all the leaves that looked yellow or dried out. After two weeks, the new leaves are out and looking much better! Although the plant on the whole still looks pretty sad and bare...

Newly grown out leaves on the pretty much bare branches

A little tip on saving our bamboos. They do need a fair amount of water and if your bamboo plant is looking unhappy, consider shifting its location. If you are facing the same problem as I did (yellowing, dry leaves), you might also want to consider "saving" it by trimming off most of its unhealthy leaves along with the stems. Do make sure to check the condition of your bamboo stem before cutting it bare - if the stem is green, it is likely to be healthy and will grow back even if you trim off most of its leaves. However, if the stem is looking dry and has largely turned brown, you might want to hold off on trimming and consult your nearest nursery for advice; they might be able to figure out what's going on with your plant.

And that's all the sharing for today. Happy gardening on this cheery day!

A wall of bleeding hearts

Weeks ago, I reorganised the balcony and said that I was building a wall of bleeding hearts to keep out some of the traffic and get some privacy from (imaginary) prying neighbours. I am happy to share its growth thus far:

This plant definitely enjoys full-on sunlight. You can just see it straining to get more. I'm just really glad it's growing out and can't wait to see the wall complete!