Whether you wish to grow luffa to eat or to use as a loofah sponge, the great news is that luffa is an easy plant to grow. Personally I found it quite effortless to care for and I get a crop going every year so that I have enough sponges to last me for a while. In this blog post, I will teach you how to grow luffa from seed.
Are you curious about how to grow winter melons? Last year I discovered how easy it is to grow them, I harvested more than 50 winter melons from one plant, weighing at least 6.2kg on average, or 310kg. While I experiencedd this success in the tropics, winter melon fares well in subtropical and temperate countries when grown during the hot summer months.
Winter melons, also known as wax gourds or ash gourds, come in several varieties, some have smooth dark skin, some are light green and are hairy; they can grow as heavy as 30kg. Once harvested, they can store for 6 months or more in a cool, dry place.
Read on to find out more about how you can grow them at home.
It’s that time of the year to view sakura at Gardens by the Bay! For those of us in Singapore who are unable to visit Japan to experience it in person, this event is the next best thing. The theme for 2024 is Blossom into the night, and visitors can view it in daylight or after 7pm, the setting is perfect for Yozakura, or night sakura, when lanterns and light projections offer a different scenery for sakura appreciation.
In Japan, the Sakura festival is a celebration of Japan’s iconic cherry blossoms and the arrival of spring, a season of renewal and rebirth. As the sakura bloom, they symbolise the fleeting beauty of life and the importance of cherishing each moment. It is a reminder to pause, reflect, and appreciate the wonders of the natural world.
This year’s festival showcases more than 140 cherry blossom trees and features more than 40 varieties. Also part of the selection of blooms are plum and peach blossom trees. Here are the highlights of Sakura: Blossom into the night.
Making cordage from backyard plants is a skill that enriches our appreciation for the natural world. This activity is not just fun and rewarding, but it teaches patience, respect for natural resources, and the ingenuity to utilise available materials effectively.
Many plants in your backyard contain fibrous material that can be turned into strong, durable cordage when processed correctly. Pictured above is what I made using my homegrown Ramie plant, which some use as a food colouring agent or to make dishes like Hakka Ramie Leaf dumplings.
If you live in a tropical climate, plants such as sea hibiscus, jute, kenaf, banana, bamboo and sugarcane are excellent sources of fibre after retting. The long, tough stalks or bark of these plants are what you are after.