Eats, Shoots & Roots

READY, SET, GROW! “A Little Green Kampung In The City” – 8th Issue, October 2017.The space was being eyed by a private corporation for development when the residents decided they would much rather have a green spot. And that, simply, is how this award-winning edible community garden in USJ6, Subang Jaya, began in 2015. This community garden in USJ6 has all the plants and herbs you’d normally see in village gardens..“Previously, we didn’t have an ongoing, continuous programme that brought residents together. This garden brings people in almost every day. We also wanted to make this area more environmentally friendly and ceria (lively).” said Dr Sairin Salleh, chairman of the 344-member persatuan penduduk (residents’ association)..“You can’t replace a living garden with artificial plants. When you touch a plastic plant, you can’t feel anything, it’s just hard plastic. When you touch a real plant, you can feel there’s life in it. And where there’s life, there’s love. You need love to grow all the plants,” said Carol Teng, a financial planner and avid gardener at the USJ6 community garden..Dr Sairin also mentioned that the garden also supports residents who don’t have the opportunity to balk kampung to do their gardening or farming activities..Read more about the USJ 6 community and their kampung in the city in Star2, The Star* #eatsshootsandroots #garden #ReadySetGrowESR #TheStar* Don’t forget to get your copy of The Star newspaper today!

By Eats, Shoots & Roots, ago

“How To… Make Your Own Worm Bin” | READY, SET, GROW! – 6th Issue, August 2017 [LINK IN BIO]-INGREDIENTSWorms: red wiggler or African night crawlerCardboard or newspaper, shreddedAny one of these: fruit, veggie scraps, dry leaves, or grass clippingsGunny sack clothCoconut coirBox with lidFine meshDrill-METHOD:1. Drill holes into the bottom and sides of the bin. Cover holes with mesh and tape to prevent other bugs from getting in.
2. For the bedding: Layer the bin with coconut coir or fine twigs, shredded cardboard, newspaper, dried leaves, grass clippings, compost, soil, worms.
3. Cover with damp gunny sack cloth and top lid.
4. Bury the food in one corner at a time according to the day. When the worms eat one part and move on to the next, you can harvest the previous part as vermicompost.
5. Food you can use includes cardboard, and fruit and vegetable peelings. DO NOT use meat, citrus, onion, garlic, chilli, dairy, anything plastic, chemicals, or cooked food. Keep the surface as moist as a wrung out sponge.
6. Ta-dah! You should be able use your vermicompost in three months.-
Learn more on how to make your own worm bin in Star2, The Star #eatsshootsandroots #garden #seed #plant #ReadySetGrowESR #HowTo #TheStar

By Eats, Shoots & Roots, ago

Q: I noticed that my plants have whitish specks on the leaves. What are they and what can I do to get rid of them? Thanks. – Felicia-A: It looks like mealy bugs. Take a closer look at the white specks, and you should see powdery white and soft body insects, about 2mm long.If you have only a few infected plants, the best method is to simply wipe them off the leaves. Keep doing this until they are gone.Alternatively, you can spray a neem oil mixture as pest control.-Find out more in our Ready, Set, Grow! column in Star 2 – The Star [link in bio!]-If you have any gardening questions, send your queries to http://questions.eatsshootsandroots.com-* All questions are answered by Dr Christopher Teh, soil biologist and senior lecturer at Universiti Putra Malaysia #eatsshootsandroots #DearPlantDoctor #ReadySetGrowESR #TheStar #garden

By Eats, Shoots & Roots, ago

Q: My curry leaves develop dried brown patches when the leaves grow bigger. What can I do to have all green leaves? – Soo-A: The leaves in the photo seem to be eaten, leaving a skeleton-like or window pane appearance on the leaf surface.Try examining the leaves more closely and check the surrounding area. Do you see any beetles or larvae? If you see strange, alien-like beetles, they could be the tortoise beetle. Pluck them off the leaves and try to remove them entirely from the surrounding area.You could also try spraying with neem oil and water mixture for pest control.-Find out more in our Ready, Set, Grow! column in Star 2 – The Star [link in bio!]-If you have any gardening questions, send your queries to http://questions.eatsshootsandroots.com-* All questions are answered by Dr Christopher Teh, soil biologist and senior lecturer at Universiti Putra Malaysia #eatsshootsandroots #DearPlantDoctor #ReadySetGrowESR #TheStar #garden

By Eats, Shoots & Roots, ago

Our friends at @ilhamgallerykl will be hosting us at their newly opened Ilham Gallery Gift Shop for a gardening workshop designed for anyone who is interested to grow their own mini herb garden on their balcony!-Before you start planting, first you need to understand the basic knowledge of healthy soil and how to create a happy space for herbs to grow in a container.-This workshop will cover:• Choosing the right container• Preparing your own potting mix• Planting seeds and seedlings• Keeping your herbs happy-RM105 / RM85 Special Rate*(Inclusive of printed booklet & planter kit worth RM50)*Special price if you register before 10 October 2017-Registration link in bio or email clarice@eatsshootsandroots.com#eatsshootsandroots #workshop #garden #green

By Eats, Shoots & Roots, ago

READY, SET, GROW! “A Green Journey On Campus” – 7th Issue, September 2017.Teachers at this institute are using a garden not only to teach their students how to grow plants but also how to grow as people and future teachers themselves..Fazida Hj Osman, Mohd Fuzi Osman, and Ruslan Mohammad work at the Teachers Education Institute-Islamic Education Campus (IPG-KPI) in Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor; Fazida, 54, Ruslan, 58, and Mohd Fuzi, 56, are in charge of the garden and the syllabus taught around it at IPG-KPI..“We wanted to build a campus in an orchard, not an orchard in a campus. We wanted our students to have some understanding of and love for nature and the environment. So we started by instilling a love for greenery by getting them to begin gardening,” said Fazida on how the garden started..“That’s what makes this course different. Environmental Education covers many things, and you have to think of the values, the creativity of the students – when we choose a plant for them to grow, for example, we also have to choose the values that the plant can teach the students. We want to educate them, not just teach.”.Read more about IPG Bangi and their journey to green their campus in Star2, The Star* #eatsshootsandroots #garden #ReadySetGrowESR #TheStar .* Don’t forget to get yourself a copy of The Star newspaper today!

By Eats, Shoots & Roots, ago

#ESRHarvest: Ubi Kayu (Cassava).Also known as Tapioca or Yuca, this plants are widely grown in Malaysia. The plant prefers well-drained soil and modest rainfall but it can survive where soils are wet which is why they thrive in our weather. Their roots contain 30 percent starch and are high in carbohydrates. The roots are usually prepared and eaten like potatoes while the leaves can be boiled and eaten as Ulam or can be cooked in coconut gravy (i.e. Pucuk Ubi Masak Lemak). Kuih Bingka Ubi and Lepat Ubi are some of the common local delicacies that uses cassava roots. How do you cook your Ubi Kayu? #eatsshootsandroots #cassava #ubikayu #growyourown #organic #urbanfarm #kebun #malaysia

By Eats, Shoots & Roots, ago

“How To… Garden In A Bottle” | READY, SET, GROW! – 5th Issue, July 2017 [LINK IN BIO]–INGREDIENTS:Plastic bottleCutterNail punchCotton wickMasking tapePotting soilPlant cuttings/seedsLight-proof material (eg: jute, felt, thick paper)–METHOD:1. Cut bottle in half.
-2. Make five drainage holes (about 1cm in diameter) around the neck of the bottle from the inside. Hold the piece tightly and use the nail punch to make the holes.
-3. Insert the cotton wick and guide it out through the bottle’s neck.
-4. Place this into the bottom half of the bottle. Make an overflow hole in the bottom half of the bottle below where the neck of the top half sits (separate the halves to do this, then put them back together). This will allow excess water to flow out as too much water can rot the roots of some plants.
-5. Tape the two pieces together with masking tape to secure their positions.
-6. Fill the top half with potting soil and then insert the seed/cutting. To get the capillary action going, water from the top until water flows out through the overflow hole in the bottom half of the bottle.
-7. Wrap the whole container in lightproof material (cloth/jute/paper); this is to prevent algae from growing within the container.
-8. Keep the container away from direct rain. Keep the top moist and compost-fed.–
Learn more on how to make your own garden in a bottle in Star2, The Star #eatsshootsandroots #garden #seed #plant #ReadySetGrowESR #HowTo #TheStar

By Eats, Shoots & Roots, ago

Shooting straight up from the ground topped with layers of bright pink, red or white petals, this tropical perennial plant is called Bunga Kantan or Torch Ginger. It is an indispensable ingredient in Malay and Nyonya cuisine, where the buds are used to zest up curries and seafood stews. This fresh spice has the power to mask strong fishy taste as it does in the famous Penang Asam Laksa. So how do you use your Bunga Kantan? #eatsshootsandroots #torchginger #food #spices #malaysia #garden #growyourown #green #bungakantan #ESRHarvest

By Eats, Shoots & Roots, ago

Q: I have a passion fruit plant in a big pot and it produced two fruits a few months ago. Since then, there have been no sign of fruit production. I would love to know how often these plants bear fruits, and what can I do to encourage healthy growth and production. – Janis Lee-A: Passion fruit trees can be a challenge to grow as they require careful pruning and training to ensure they grow well and bear fruits. They are also susceptible to diseases. Prune the tree once it reaches the desired height, then keep pruning off the top to encourage lateral growth. Remove excessive side growths.You do not want to have entangled, messy side growths. The idea is to have a few main side growths that will have ample space to grow. You also have to train the branches so they will grow along the netting or wire mesh you have set up.Fertilise the tree four times a year. Give as much nitrogen as potassium but less phosphorus. Follow the instructions as recommended by the fertiliser bag and adjust accordingly with your yields. Avoid over-watering by watering only when the top soil is dry.-Find out more in our Ready, Set, Grow! column in Star 2 – The Star [link in bio!]-If you have any gardening questions, send your queries to http://questions.eatsshootsandroots.com-* All questions are answered by Dr Christopher Teh, soil biologist and senior lecturer at Universiti Putra Malaysia #eatsshootsandroots #DearPlantDoctor #ReadySetGrowESR #TheStar #garden

By Eats, Shoots & Roots, ago

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