Hooray!! Another successful kitchen blooms....

After the success of my kitchen blooms ie. the pink gloxinia late last December 2008/early January 2009,I was really overwhelmed with another successful experiment.

From this piece of leaf propagation last year....

To this elegant beauty just a few days ago....


Another successful plant placed at my kitchen window's sill is the 'Tiger Stripe' Episcia. From this initial plant given by a friend (Thanks Kak Mona)...

To really healthy plant that successfully produced a second bloom almost the same time as the purple gloxinia.


All plants & plantlets gracing my kitchen window's sill receive at least 2 to 3 hours of morning sunshine daily (provided it is not a cloudy or rainy mornings) and a few dose of diluted liquid fertiliser to enhance as well as to boost their growth & health.

For my successful gloxinias & episcia, I thank my forum friend who shared the same interests, who gratefully gave me the plantlets & leaf cuttings for the successful propagation. Thanks once again Kak Mona ;-))

Kitchen Blossoms...

First & foremost, a belated salam Maal Hijrah 1430 to all my muslim friends & readers and not forgetting to wish all my blog's visitors a very belated 'Happy New Year 2009'. December 2008 had been quite a hectic, tiring but an enjoying month for myself and family, welcoming some of the family members who came here for a visit. Residing in a country away from our family & loved ones tend to make us miss their presence especially during family gatherings. Thus, having family guests & friends visiting us to our humble home here is such a joy.

My first baby Gloxinia given by a forum friend (thanks to Kak Mona) has matured & finally presented me with a pair of beautiful pink blooms. The gloxinia plant as well as other plants have been gracing the kitchen's window sill to enjoy the daily morning sun since October last year.



Previously, the gloxinia together with my other plants was placed in the living room but due to lack of sunlight, they wasn't growing very well. Approximately about 2 weeks after placing the tiny pots by the kitchen's window sill, the plants seemed to enjoy their new environment by producing healthy leaves with favourable size. I noticed the gloxinia's first flower bud sometimes early December last year and precisely on the 29th December 2008, it bloomed..sort of welcoming the Hijrah New Year 1430. Around a week later, the other flower bud followed suit, fully bloom to a size of approximate 3.5cm in diameter in bright pink..thus welcoming the New Year 2009. It's really an achievement for myself to be able to nurture such a plant from a tiny baby till it matures and producing beautiful blooms..sort of an encouragement to increase my collection with different other species.




What a glorious, beautiful way to welcome the new year..

Stem Cuttings...or should it be Leaf Cuttings!!!

It was really a surprise yesterday night to find a small red paper bag on the stairs of my house. I was opening the bag very slowly, not knowing what to expect and there it was..a few stem cuttings of African Violets freshly packed in small 'ziploc' plastic bags, individually labelled. There's only one person that come across my mind on that very moment..yes, Kak Mona. Was she really here at my place when we were out yesterday afternoon??


It was a public holiday yesterday, the Brunei Armed Forces Day. Since my spouse had a day off and the children not having to attend school, we decided to have a day 'out' in the afternoon as well as to do some grocery shopping. As a matter of fact, I was also on a mission to find any African Violet plants for sale at some of the shopping establishments here but sad to say, this particular type of plant is not commonly available here..not like back home, where we can easily find them in almost all supermarkets & nurseries. I really miss visiting the nurseries back home.

Right after unpacking my groceries and fulfilling my religious obligations, I wait no time to quickly germinate the stem cuttings. The small flower plastic pots that I bought previously was filled with the recommended combination of medium with each individual stem cutting carefully placed in the plastic pot and labelled accordingly. I was very excited with the whole process and just can't wait to see the success, only time will tell.


The re-potted plants given previously (above picture) and the new cuttings freshly germinated in smaller pots (below picture), all from the compliments of a dear friend, Kak Mona.


Thanks again Kak Mona for the cuttings and the seeds..at least part of my mission have been accomplished.

All Ready For The New Hobby......

Oh no, don't be fooled by the title..I'm not into a new hobby...it's still amateur gardening but with different category of plants.

Last Saturday morning, our main mission (myself & spouse) was to duplicate my daughter's school locker key which we had been trying to do so at a few shops without any avail for the past weeks. That day, we decided to try our luck at one of the popular business area here somewhere in Menglait, Gadong. While driving slowly from one building block to another, one particular shop with its familiar displays caught my attention. Tuck in between the ever popular 'Health & Spa' outlets that the area are locally well-known for, is a shop selling almost all the gardening needs for a 'green finger'...the Fertiland Company. I have been looking for some special potting medium here for some special plants without avail until I discovered this shop...its really a blessing!



Above are the items that I bought from the shop and I'm all ready for the new type of plants ie..the African Violets & other genesriads. One of these days, I will be on another mission, venturing around the town looking for the specific type of plants...which is not easy since most of these specific plants are not 'yet' that popular here. Insya'allah, my mission will be accomplished!

My current experiment!!

It has been a while since I posted any development to this blog...my last few weeks have been quite tiring and emotional. We are very sad on receiving news of my spouse's father being seriously taken ill to a hospital back home. Due to some personal matters to attend and with children attending school, only my spouse will be able to return to our homeland after hearing the news. My father-in-law passed away peacefully during the wee hours of Monday morning, 7th April 2008 in his hospital bed. To all muslims who read this, please pray for his soul to be rested peacefully among the pious and may ALLAH bless his soul...Al-Fathihah for Allahyarham Hashim Bin Mohamad.

Recently, involving some members of the GCS, we are experimenting on the seed growing project of Sinningias, a beautiful flowering plant which usually favours the cool temperature. With the kind generosity of one of the pioneer member of GCS, the seeds were distributed to other members who are interested to participate in this project. These seeds are really 'minute' and germinating them really needs one's patience. I've sowed my seeds this week and the waiting game begins for the first sprout to emerge..well, I'm really excited about it.




Thanks Kak Mona for the seeds as well as for the pots of other plants that you sent me. As you can see, the Episcia flower bud is already in full bloom and soon I will propagate the two stolons to other pots. I just love the cute African violets and the unique heart-shaped leaf of the Hoya Kerrii.



During those weeks, two of the pitcher plants are producing unique blooms. Up till now, the blooms are still intact with the colour changing from light to darker maroon. I guess, with all these unique plants producing blooms...they are just happy to be here together with the other plants in our potted garden.