Planting Sugar Cane in Container

When I visited my friend's organic farm about a month ago, I was sent home with some Okra, passion fruit and two stalks of sugar canes(of different varieties). I purposely asked for it since I want to try to plant sugar cane in container. So he made sure that the stalks has suckers sprouted from its knuckles/joints.

There are some suggested ways of how to plant sugar cane: 

1)You can cut the stalks in between the joint/ knuckles and plant each knuckles horizontally. 2)You can also plant the stalk by sticking it right into the soil/ container (vertically) 3)and you may also soak the stalk in the water for a week or two to root first.

As for me, I like to make things simple. So I just stick them into a big container which I used to plant eggplants. And I follow the progress every week. Apparently, I see some signs of growth as the suckers grow taller and after a month or so I can see small roots poking out from the bottom of each sucker. Well, it seems that the time for re-potting will come soon... Happy Gardening Y'all !

How to Plant Mango From Seed Part II

I want to make an update to my earlier post on how to plant mango from seed.

On that post I suggested to let the seed sits near the windowsill for about 2-3 weeks(from the information I got from Wikihow) to dry before we crack it open to release the kernel and plant it. Through my experience, this is not always the best idea,'cause the kernel has higher possibility to dry up inside or spoiled during that process, even when we only put it to dry in room temperature(away from the windowsill/sunlight).

I recently made a new experiment by cracking open the seed(of mango fruit that is stored in room temperature, the kernel of the refrigerated one tends to be spoiled) to expose the kernel, once the flesh has been eaten. As you can see below, the kernel is still at its best condition and fresh. Then I soak the kernel for about 12 hours before I planted it outside under the sun, in a germinating pot. But once it sprouted, I moved it under the shade in order to protect the young leaves.

Then after the the second layer of leaves came out, I bring the plant inside and place it under my reading lamp until the leaves wholly developed.

The seedling is growing well. The the third and fourth layer of leaves have come out but I will wait a little longer before I transplant it to its permanent home.

Planting PEANUT -- Green Manure

I am still in the stage of experimenting with different kinds of plants. This time I am planting peanut. More for the green manure than the nuts.

I am actually trying to find different kinds of ways to improve my soil beside using my own liquid enzyme and compost.

It's one of the sustainable ways to improve our soil from time to time. 

Actually, I want to plant clover to fix the nitrogen in the soil but I should find something locally, otherwise, I have to import  the seed. 

Thus, peanut is one alternative for me at this moment. 

And yes, this is still an experiment for me. 

I started planting about 2 months ago and so far so good, they are growing prolifically in the containers.

The ones we planted at one of the bed at our Church's front yard for the Youths Gardening Project are also growing well. I hope we will have a good harvest in another 1 month, if the Lord's willing.

  

I plant some here together with 2 new Amaryllis plants.

And more in this bed where I used to plant eggplants, but now I use it for some different plants like peanuts, rose and sugar canes plus some oregano to deter pests.

Planting Grapes from Seeds

 Last February, I tried germinating grape seeds from the 

store-bought grapes—red globe grapes and black grapes. 

I have always wanted some vines 'cause our tropical weather is perfect to plant grapes. Yet, you know that germinating grape seeds are a bit tricky as they need stratification process etc., 

just like berry seeds.

I had tried stratification process to some berry seeds I bought but none was successful. So, this time I just skip it. 

I planted them right away in my Kale bed. 

I was planning to just give it a shot.

To my surprise, two of them grows in that bed and 2 more in the seedling pots I put indoors.

I haven't repotted these two since they're still too small and frail. I'll let them grow to as high as 10-15 cm before repotting them, but I have repotted the other two and have taken them outdoors and put them at the corner so they can adjust with the heat and weather but still have some shades to protect them from the afternoon sun.

Well, we'll see how it goes. I'll keep you updated! :-)