Thursday, September 27, 2012

Fall Update: The bittermelon are still producing fruits!

sept 27, 2012

ottawa city, ontario, canada

officially fall and i thought my bittermelon would die to the ground, but they are producing fruits , more than i expected. here are some pictures taken today.

producing right beside fall aster

randomly showing up beside the pot of medusa sweet pepper

Hiding under the vines!

shy, just hiding close to the fence!

another smaller one under the canopy of scarlet runner beans

way far, near the basella rubra vines.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Batata (Sweet Potato)

sept 11, 2012
ottawa city, ontario, canada

yesterday I went to produce depot and found batata (sweet potato). I like this one very much because it looks ugly in the outside, but the white flesh inside is sweet but not watery.

The North American yam - is the sweet, watery orange flesh one. it is nice, but I do not like it, it is too watery for my taste. i plant this variety to harvest the leaves for food, but if I get any tuber, I will not cook it as boiled sweet potato but add it to soups.

for those who want to know what batata looks like: I found this website:)http://www.foodsubs.com/Sweetpotatoes.html

batata - less moist but very sweet, sweet potato

" boniato = tropical sweet potato = Cuban sweet potato = white sweet potato = white-fleshed sweet potato = batiste = batata = batata dulce = camote   Notes:   Boniatos aren't as sweet and moist as other sweet potatoes, but many people prefer their fluffier consistency and more delicate flavor.  Store them at room temperature and use them soon after your purchase them, since they tend to spoil quickly.  Substitutes: sweet potato (This is sweeter and moister than a boniato.) OR yam (moister) OR russet potato  "

I put one of the tubers today in a glass of water, hoping to produce more slips. Next year, I am hoping to plant lots of sweet potato in my backyard.

The North American Yam - sweet potato looks like this one:
which was describe as: "sweet potato  Notes:   In American supermarkets, sweet potatoes are displayed next to something called "yams," which are moister than sweet potatoes and have darker skins.  But according to the rest of the world (and botanists), we have it all wrong.  To them, our  "yams" are just a variety of sweet potatoes.  They use the word yam to describe a completely different vegetable, something we call a tropical yam.   
Sweet potatoes are quite versatile, but they're most often baked, candied, or made into pies.  It's best not to boil them, as they'll lose much of their flavor.  
 Substitutes:  yams (less mealy and sweeter than sweet potato) OR boniato (less sweet and fluffier) OR mashed cooked pumpkin (especially for pies) ".

I also bought another tuber called yam: which is the true yam (Dioscorea alata). It goes by many names, but ube in my language. Not sweet, but a little bit nice texture for benignit.

Here is what it looks like and what it is called in supermarkets:



"tropical yam = true yam = greater yam = cush-cush = mapuey = yampi = namé =  name = nyami = igname   Notes:   These firm, white-fleshed yams are widely used in tropical countries.   They're somewhat bland and dry, so they're often served with spicy sauces.   Substitutes: sweet potato   ". 

So these were my finds yesterday, and do not be surprise if you find them growing in my backyard next year. 

Friday, September 7, 2012

The Wall

sept 7, 2012
ottawa city ontario canada

looking at my backyard wall...

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

No Garden? Here Are 66 Things You Can Can Grow In Containers.

 I found this like on facebook about 66 things you can grow in containers. I have mine and I will probably alter the list as I go. I will post a picture of what I have!
 
 
No Garden? Here Are 66 Things You Can Can Grow In Containers.

Tree fruits
1. Apples I grow sugar apple instead (Anona squamosa) - shorter than apple and bears fruits within 2 to 3 years. Here is a video!


2. Kumquats - what is that?
3. Avocados - well, avocado is a tree, and even the dwarf Hass may have a problem in my Zone 5B. my harsh winters my slow its growth in winter. But here are my avocado seedlings video. 

4. Blackberries
5. Blueberries
6. Pomegranate
7. Cherries
8. Figs
9. Pears

Citrus fruits
10. Dwarf oranges
11. Grapefruit
12. Tangerines - All my Mineola tangelos germinated, so here are the pictures. 

13. Meyer lemons
14. Limes
 
Tropical fruits
Tropical fruits can also be surprisingly easy to grow indoors, even in non-tropical climates. Such as…
15. Bananas - a dwarf banana is expensive, but tropical bananas won't fit in a pot, unless we are talking about a half barrel. Bringing them indoors is another trial. see this picture!

16. Pineapple - well, you have to give it ideal condition. Otherwise, this plant is candidate for root rot.

17. Papaya
18. Guavas

The real surprises
19. Hops
20. Aloe Vera
21. Strawberries
22. Tea (well, herbal tea)
23. Quinoa!

The non-surprises
24. Tomatoes
25. Summer squash
26. Other squashes, like acorn and pumpkin
27. Hot Peppers
28. Sweet peppers
29. Cucumbers

Melons
30. Small cantaloupe
31. Jenny Lind melon
32. Golden Midget Watermelon

Herbs
33. Basil
34. Oregano
35. Parsley
36. Rosemary
37. Chives
38. Catnip
39. Thyme
40. Sage
41. Parsley

Leafy Greens
42. Kale
43. Mesclun greens
44. Spinach
45. Swiss chard
46. Lettuces
47. Mustard greens
48. Collard greens
49. Arugula

Root Vegetables
50. Carrots
51. Beets
52. Potatoes

Other healthy stuff
53. Sprouts
54. More sprouts: mung bean and lentil sprouts
55. Wheatgrass
56. Kohlrabi
57. Turnips
58. Rutabagas
59. Celeriac
60. Parsnips
61. Jerusalem Artichoke
62. Sugar snap peas
63. Rhubarb
64. Mushrooms
65. Pole Beans - a massive pole bean growing in my backyard, both in ground and in pots. see video below. 


66. Asparagus