May 2014: It's the Season to Grow Herbs!!

May 2014

My green fingers are on full steam ahead and I have been planting several things. Some more successful than others.

Starting from March, I had been growing chilli plant from seed. The progress was awesome until it hits a snag when we went off a week back to Oz on hol without watering and so the seedlings suffered a drought shock and started to drop leaves. So I'm back to tending it with ample TLC and hopefully to resurrect it without having to go back to Square one.

Looking back at the whole process from an inconspicuous seed, it is rather fulfilling to watch them grow from nothing. Everyday, it's a joy to see them growing taller. I dont have much morning light indoors and so its so funny to watch them bend sideways reaching towards the light and I have to do pot rotation every day to get them growing straightup.

Right now, my chilli plant seem to be bigger and I decided it's time to move them up the roof.

Mar: After 1 week, the seedling sprouts! Horray!

Forming first set of leaves

April: The true leaves begin to form

After two weeks, I think my chilli plants are slowly back on track to recovery but its one slow process. All of them had dropped off the bottom 2-4 leaves. So now they seemed to be trying to grow back leaves at the bottom instead of top to recompensate for the loss. Some leaves looked a little on the yellow side. It's either from lack of nitrogen or magnesium. Not sure which but I had to resist from watering them before I drown them again in my over eagerness to curb the drought shock. Plus the humidity does not make it easy for me and I had to stick my finger into the soil to check for moisture. My nails are seriously getting grubby!

May: My Chilli Seedlings still recovering from shock but slow recovery. 

Meanwhile, had a ball getting and growing other plants from seeds.

Lavender is the hardest to grow because they take forever and I dont think they like humid HK weather very much. Still I try my best. The seeds lay dormant for the longest time because when I planted them in late Feb, the weather was still cool. Plus, I killed 2 seedlings without realising as babies, they really dont like strong sun. through trial and error, I grew my 2nd batch and they seemed to be thriving! My first born is of course still my fav!

My first Lavender seedling

Lavender seedlings waving Hi!

 I didnt know its so easy growing Basil from seedling and unfortunately I got ahead of myself and over sow the amount of seeds and so now I have a monster growth! They got too full from the small pot and so I had to buy bigger pots to contain both Basil and Corriander. Lesson learnt, Basil are easy to move but NOT corry. Coriander are just too fragile to uproot and move. Killed half of the crop. Damn. But those that survive seemed to be growing beautifully.

My Repotted Basil seedlings!

1st May: My seedgrown basil, oregano, coriander seedlings after one week!

20th May: My corry are sprouting their first set of true leaves! 

As for my Mr Mint...they are LOVING it up there. They are so weedy but so NOT needy. I could basically not care about them and stick it in direct sun and even with rain onslaught, they are propagating like mad!!! They did suffer a drought shock too when I was away in Oz and there was NO rain. Where's the fking rain when I need them? So half of the mint leaves were decimated. I was so freaking sad.

However fast forward 2 weeks from half dead plant, the Mint bounced back and rewarded my TLC with PLENTY of mini Mint. Even had to give it a good trim because the naughty fellow was creeping out of the pot onto the ground. That translate to a good cup of fresh pipping hot Mint tea for me. Gotto love my Mr Mint!

20th Feb 2014: The initial week up on roof

20th May: Look at how much they have grown!!!

Fresh mint tea!