Monday, April 25, 2016

Today, Australians celebrate Anzac Day.
Lest we forget the lives lost in all conflicts around the world, as today Australians respect and honour the tradition of Anzac Day. Let us Singaporeans living and working here remember and embrace, too, what the Australians have extended the spirit of Anzac beyond their shore into the hearts of all those who have known or know someone just like them who has sacrificed for his and her country.
Traditionally, Anzac has become synonymous with humble, selfless and self deprecating service whatever field of occupation or profession to help your mates. Lets us embrace what Australians have embraced since the first world war and beyond has been the humour and selflessness applied to helping others in otherwise trying circumstances. These can be their military, natural disaster, personal tragedy or simply in advocating and defence of the vulnerable.
Most of all lets us honour Australian and Allied Servicemen and women past and present.
Lest we forget.



Thursday, April 21, 2016

I am still receiving requests for Calamansi plants propagated by air-layering from my eight year old Calamansi tree or some Singaporeans call it “sng kum” others call it “keat lah” and in Malay, it is known as limau kasturi. Unfortunately I cannot fulfill all the requests as I usually do about half a dozen of cuttings each year. The reason is I do not like to over-stressed the mother-plant. I do have seeds to give away, The problem with growing fruit trees from seeds is that it may take very long to bear fruits - some times more than three to five years - and there is no guarantee that the fruits will taste same as the one from which you got the seeds.

Air-layering is one method of propagating a fruit tree from an existing one, which will bear fruits sooner, and the fruits will taste same as the mother-plant.

This morning I have just completed the chore of air-layering the Calamansi tree at our backyard garden and hope that it takes roots for me to give them away in June.