Every Seed is A Promise of Life: Sowing Peanut Butter in My Small Garden

Peanut Butter seedling 31 days after sowing seed

2 Seeds, 1 Life

My best buddy, Ironwulf, gifted me with an unusual present last holiday season -- two peanut butter tree seeds from Davao. I would've requested for more had I known this but went ahead and planted them in my small balcony garden anyway. The present was especially auspicious as they were given to me on the same date as the passing of my brother, the 29th.

I'm happy to say that the seeds got a 50% germination rate. The plant showed new growth daily ever since the seed sprouted in my second pot after just a week.  I've transplanted it just yesterday and found the root system to be extensive, balling up in the small pot where I've sown it. I've gardened for most of my life and up to now, I don't take seeds for granted. It's really amazing how such a small package hold the blueprint of life. I can't wait to post again after another month and see how tall this plant will grow. I know it takes two or so years before it fruits but I want to enjoy the process.

This simple act offers lessons -- one, is that life continues, and two, to give things a try. 

Gardening Notes: When The Universe Sends You Something To Affirm Your Faith In Humanity

A green set of gifts -- Alocasia and Caladium

It's been a kinda bittersweet couple of months, especially, the last few weeks. I would've thought that there was relief coming to my corner of the world after a trying period from last year -- losing my job, getting sick with Long COVID-19 (4 months), selling my belongings to survive, being scammed, getting close to getting employment about thrice but not clinching it, getting sick with psoriasis, getting scammed again, and getting scammed still one more time. The past month, one of my brothers suffered a stroke. Honestly, if there's a reset or reboot button, I would've pressed it long ago.  I admire my sister for all she had to put up with. I can't do even half of what she does.

The other day, I was particularly on the low side of moods -- my two-month-old Logitech wireless keyboard and mouse faltered (my best bud called it Lugi-tech). I'm facing a payday with one day less pay. I mean, c'mon Universe. 

Then, I met a 2-3 year old cute kid wearing a shirt that says "Today is going to be a great day." Hmmm, I get the humor but I feel pained. I felt like telling the Universe, "you think that's funny, huh?" 

Urban Gardening Notes: The Wind, The Afternoon Sun, and Pressing On

Bitter gourd/melon

I got mixed results from sowing seeds a bit too late in the year.  Or is it?  It's El Niño season so I can be wrong. The wind funnel effect of living in a building sandwiched in between other buildings is proving to be tricky in trying to grow my own bitter gourd (ampalaya) which is a climbing vine. I'm still trying and the vines are still holding on so we'll see. The wind may just have an effect in making the surviving vines stronger and more resilient.

Basil getting bigger

I also moved some of the potted plants around, taking the basil and hot chili plants out of the longer western sun exposure (my balcony faces west though the ledge casts a shadow on one side of the balcony area) along with my dragontail plants (Epipremnum pinnatum) which thrives more on reflected light compared to its cousin, the Pothos plants I have in abundance (I use a few pots indoors for cleaning indoor air and letting a bit of nature inside).

The basil is thriving, growing larger leaves which in a few weeks' time, I can use in cooking or to make an aromatic olive oil mix since I would have to trim it anyway.  But I'm so happy it's doing well. The other time I tried growing some, the Eurasian sparrows who I used to feed in my former abode, would feed on the leaves when they ran out of birdseed.  I miss the birds and I wonder if they themselves wonder what happened to the human who used to feed them daily for almost two decades. In time, I would go back to feeding the birds and hopefully some of the sparrows can find my new location.  For the time being, I'm happy growing some of my own herbs and edibles.

Green-Minded: How The Pandemic Brought Back The Green In Our Lives But Distorted Its Meaning

I admit it, I've always been green-minded. I distinctly remember gardening at the front of our old house, scavenging whatever material I can use as a pot/container.  Even living in a medium-rise building all these years has not diminished my love for plants.  It's just that being cooped up from the quarantine last year made me get back to adding some more plants. Nothing really fancy or expensive though, I do not want to ride the bandwagon of "expensive is beautiful" that took off with the pandemic's rise.