Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Growing exotic herbs and vegies under the Hill Hoist.


I woke up to a frosty and cold winter morning as you can see from the photograph I have taken from our veranda. And in the right corner of the garden, the old snarled plum tree is stirring from its winter's sleep.




Some of its blossoming buds have already burst into flowers even before I noticed. It is telling me it's time to get off my bottom and make the bed for the herbs garden. I have decided to relocate the old herbs garden as it is looking a bit tired and worn and have chosen to start a new bed under the rotary clothes lines because it is in the sunniest sport in the backyard. The only drawback is that we have to plant low growing vegetables and herbs - before we find our washings and sheets tangling with the tall growing plants such as the sweet corns and tall tomatoes. Unless I can negotiate with my wife that I will fix a retractable clothes lines in the veranda in exchange to use the Hill Hoist ( Aussie rotary clothes line) as a trellis for the cucumber, climbing beans and bitter gourds.



( The Hill Hoist -the Aussie rotary clothes lines)




Many of you may be wondering why I bother to start and grow my own vegetables, when I can get a bunch of bok choi, Chinese Kale (kai lan), and choy sum for less than a dollar each at the Asian grocery stores. Furthermore, these popular and common Asian vegetables are always available and take time and effort to grow. But, I am sure many will agree with me fresh home-grown vegetables have a flavour rarely matched by those bought from a store.
There are many kinds of reason to start a home vegie garden and economy is just one.But if saving cents is my reason it make little sense for me to grow English cabbages or onions which are cheap to buy and always available. On other hand, Asian herbs such as Lemongrass, Vietnamese mints, turmeric, galangal (langkuas) are expensive and availability is variable for such exotic like daun kaduk ( wild betel leaves), We have kept all our precious and exotic herbs indoor during winter as they grow poorly in cool weather and very susceptible to frost. Once the new bed is ready and prepared ,I will move the potted herbs and planted them in the open until autumn next year.

19 comments:

  1. phil, you should grow shallots (bawang merah kecil) and ginger (halia) in your garden. they cost so much more in australia than in s'pore.

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  2. Hi YG,
    I have halia growing in a pot but have difficulty growing the shallot.
    Cheers, Phil

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  3. Hi BY,
    Yes we have two banana trees growing along the fence, but still waiting for the fruits. But we harvest the leaves to use as wrapping for cooking kuih and food.
    Cheers,
    Phil

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  4. Hi Uncle Phil, do agree that homegrown herbs & veggies tastes so much better and working in the garden is so therapeutic too. Looking forwrd to pics of your new veggie patch!

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  5. Hi Uncle Phil,

    I think it's very innovative to use the Hill Hoist ( Aussie rotary clothes line) as a trellis for the cucumber, climbing beans and bitter gourds!

    Cheers,
    Lim

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  6. Phil
    I am surprised, can the banana trees survive thru winter ? How old are your trees ?

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  7. If you look closely at the right corner of the top photogragh, you can see the yellowing banana leaf. It was planted many Christmases ago, but we yet to see any banana growing on it.
    Cheers.

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  8. Yama Chan,
    Mi tasol wok hart long garden bilong mi. Pikinini b'long mi les tru, na no save helipin mi. Wokim garden hia no oslem PNG. na mi nogat wokboi helipin mi.
    Cheers.

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  9. Uncle Phil

    That First pic from Verandah looks like it is showing the Drive way from the Main gate of ur house......LOL
    Cheers......Notti Paw

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  10. Hi Notti,
    Nice to hear from you again. Actually it was frost on the grass. It looks like a driveway in the photo. Are you in Melb?
    Cheers,

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  11. Hi Uncle Phil

    Stumbled into your blog from Makansutra this morning. Read everything and am so amazed by your entries.

    I'm a Singaporean Ah Ma living in California. I must be older than you as boys in my age group were the first to do NS!!!!

    Just returned from a trip back home. Still miss the place and the food especially. Do you have a recipe for Kuay Chap? The kuay chap stall I frequent in Singapore always knows when I'm back because I never miss eating there.

    Regards

    VT

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  12. Hi VT,
    Thanks for your visit and taking the time to read my blog. If that is the case, you are only a Singapore Aunty leh. We have to wait for another 10 years before we can claim the honourary titles of Singaporaen ah kong and Ah Ma. :) We are lucky to get square sheets of kway tiaw (uncut) in our Asian Stores in Sydney and we used it as a substitute to make the kuay chap. We have a recipe for making chee cheong fun in which you can use as kuay chap. Are you able to get pig's offall in California. Thanks again for visiting and we hope you continue to comment and contribute to this blog.
    Cheers.
    Phil

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  13. Hi Phil

    We get the dried kuay pieces here too. It is the soup that I long to be able to make. I think the Viet markets here have the "spareparts". The other day I overheard a lady asking for pig's blood which I know is available!!! She couldn't tell the butcher what she wanted in Cantonese so I did my good deed for the day and she was a very happy mama!

    VT

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  14. Hi VT,
    Good to hear that you are able to get the pig's offalls. We used the same recipe as the "Tao Yew Bak"(Pork in Soy Sauce)as a base for the kuay chap sauce. We'll keep you posted for the recipe soon. We have placed a special order of pig intestine at our local Asian butcher and will be making some lup cheong (Chinese sausages)using the intestines as casing for the sausages before the warmer season arrives.
    Are you in San Diego?

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  15. Yes but in the northernmost part. Can count the number of times (on one hand!) I've been downtown.

    Say hi to Mrs Phil for me.

    VT

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  16. Hi VT,
    My wife Jo sends her greetings to you and your loved ones. It has been 23 years since we visited Los Angeles and San Francisco. It is time to visit again.
    Cheers,
    Phil & Jo

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  17. Great published release. I really enjoyed you post on exotic herbs. Look for Herb9.com legal buds.

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