The Tender Gardener

City

The 2018 Gardener’s Gift Guide

Christmas is coming, and for those who celebrate it, here’s a guide on affordable gifts you can buy for gardeners, or treat yourself!

1.An Urban Farming Kit with a cause. Packed by underprivileged seniors, buying these kits mean that you have given employment opportunities to someone who needs the help. Choose from three vegetable varieties – Chye Sim, Kang Kong and Kailan. Get yours from Super Farmers for $14.90 here.

2. This lovely Polygon Wood Planter looks great in the home or office. Order yours from Candy Floriculture, available here for $18.

3. This elho Aqua Care plant waterer is a considerate gift for the plantlover who travels and cannot find a plantsitter! Available at Far East Flora for $23.90, order yours online here.

4. If you’re shopping for something who loves all things cute and unique, The Misfit Pets is a great, affordable gift. Available at Tumbleweed for $15, get it here.

5. Seeking a smart looking desktop ceramic planter? Look no further, the Chloe Planter also comes in black with a wooden saucer. This is available at Noah Garden Centre for $30. Order yours here.

6. Lovingly handmade in Singapore by Knoette, these Macrame Plant Hangers go for $38 – $42. Get in touch with Joette to own a piece of her artistry! Find her on Instagram here or email her at contact.knoette@gmail.com.

7. My Mushroom Garden grow kit is a fun gift for any age! Mushrooms grow very quickly, and these will sprout within 8 days. Available from Mushroom Kingdom for $17.90, buy it here.

8. This one’s for the zero waster who wants to avoid the use of plastic wrap for their produce and other food in their kitchen. This DIY Beeswax Wrap Kit comes with all the materials you need to make 6 beeswax wraps. This has been put together by Agy Textile Artist & The Tender Gardener (yes I’m plugging myself!), available at my Facebook shop for $49.

9. Looking for something easy to grow? Edible Garden City has just the thing! Here’s a microgreens kit that is manageable for even the most inexperienced grower. Get your Spicy Mix Microgreens Seed Kit here for $14.90.

November 27, 2018 by Olivia

City

Workshops in December

I have a couple of workshops scheduled for December – a beeswax wrap workshop with Agy Textile Artist, and a Kokedama and plant stand workshop with XPC. December is all about making stuff!

Make Your Own Beeswax Wraps

Looking for a safe, natural and reusable alternative to plastic wrap and aluminium foil? In this fun, hands on workshop, learn how to make your own zero-waste beeswax food storage wraps for use at home! These perfect for encasing freshly cut fruit and vegetables, and sealing a variety of cooked food, and sauces in containers.

We are pleased to collaborate with The Green Collective for this session. During this 2-hour session, textile artist, Agatha “Agy” Lee, and self sufficiency advocate, Olivia Choong, will guide you step by step in preparing a delicately scented beeswax mixture for application on any natural fabric, and evenly setting the mixture to create a beautiful beeswax wrap, ready for you to take home for immediate use!

Once you learn how simple it is to make your own beeswax wraps, you will no longer wish to buy (and throw) plastic wrap and aluminium foil.

Each ticket is priced at $85 per participant, and includes all materials. Limited seats available, so book your spot today!

Skills you will learn:
Adequate preparation of beeswax mixture
Even application on cloth
Uniformly setting the mixture on cloth
How to choose and prepare cloth for beeswax application

All materials provided!

Date & Time: 8 December, 11am – 1pm
Venue of Workshop: The Green Collective, Kinex, 11 Tanjong Katong Road
Price: $85
RSVP: Reserve your seat here!

Kokedama & Plant Stand Workshop

The Kokedama, where Koke means Moss, and dama means ball, is a mini spherical bonsai sculpture which uses moss to retain moisture instead of a pots. In this workshop, you will be able to craft your very own ornamental plant from our selection of plants. So build and assemble a wooden Pine frame to showcase your creation and this will make a wonderful personal gift or a great conversation piece for your home!

Date & Time: 16 December, 10am – 1pm or 30 December, 2pm – 5pm
Venue of Workshop: Makerspace @ XPC, 19 Tai Seng Avenue 534054 #05-01
Price: $130
RSVP: Reserve your seat here!

November 25, 2018 by Olivia

City

Introducing my Vegepod!

I recently got my hands on this medium sized Vegepod and I’m a massive fan! I’ve had it for 4 months (18 weeks) and in this time I have enjoyed lots of leafy greens and the pleasure of sitting and tending to my plants in a raised planter, something I have not been able to do before, because as most of you can relate, I am usually squatting or kneeling when fussing about my plants.

I had been thinking of establishing a garden bed to grow green leafy vegetables and herbs at home, and as with all gardening decisions, I have to consider my curious chickens who are useful at turning over a spent vegetable bed but they also enjoy digging in the ones they are not supposed to! Also, the occasional mynah comes around and uproots my seedlings, which is pretty annoying. For many of my planters, I use cloches – which I make using chicken wire, and I also use plastic mesh to protect my plants.

Fortunately, the Vegepod comes with a netted hood, which help to keep these predators and many other pests out. It is optional for you to use, but aside from the protection, I appreciate the shade it offers – in this case 17%, which helps when I am growing plants that may not be acclimatised to our steamy tropical climate yet.

What exotic plants am I growing? Nothing exceptionally unique, but the seeds are mainly from overseas – curly and Tuscan kale, cherry tomatoes, sweet basil, dill, Italian parsley, nasturtium, white borage, red spinach and a purple carrot. One of the curly kale plants look really small, that is because I had just transplanted it not long ago.

I have placed my Vegepod in a spot which gets morning and mid day sun till around 2pm, depending on the time of the year. Previously I had grown lettuce and I could tell that the amount of sun was adequate because it did not taste bitter. The two kinds of kale also taste good, with no bitter taste, so this is definitely a good place for them to grow. The red spinach is definitely crying for more sun and the tomato plant seems to want more sun too, but are otherwise doing well.

September 23, 2018 by Olivia

City

25 August: Urban Farm & Feast Market

This Saturday, The Hive Lavender is hosting the Urban Farm & Feast Market – a local farmer’s market at their lovely co-working space. There will be a marketplace, where you can watch demos, purchase food, produce, plants, and garden products, and also on offer are health, gardening and urban farming workshops! I will be teaching an Intro to Soil Class for absolute beginners, and also have a booth selling seedlings, seeds and pre-loved gardening books, so pop by and visit!

Urban Farm & Feast Market Details:
Date: 25 August, Saturday
Time: 12nn – 5pm
Venue: The Hive Lavender, Level 6, Vanguard Building, 1 Kallang Junction
Admission: Free
RSVP: Book your ticket here!

Vendors and workshop providers you can expect to see include:
The Sustainability Project
Healing Food = Food that heals
The Tender Gardener
Yumicorn Singapore
The Green Co.
Farmily 家和农
 Foreword Coffee
Well Dressed Salad Bar & Cafe
Quan Fa Organic Farm
3D-Printing-Hub.Asia
Simplified Technology Pte Ltd and others.

To view the entire list of workshops on the day, visit the Urban Farm & Feast Market event page! Know someone who could benefit from learning about choosing the right soil for growing plants? Book my class here!

I hope to see you there!

August 21, 2018 by Olivia

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