Hi guys, good (and quite surprised!) to find a gardening thread here in LYN
It is kind of sad that gardening is not that popular with the younger generation
Anyways, I am picking up some gardening skills as well, I understand how soothing and satisfying it can be looking at the plants grow and fruit. Perhaps we can learn from one another

I think chilly and aloe vera will require quite alot of direct sunlight to grow properly

Cili is kind of tricky, I have 2 purple ones from India. Sometimes they grow very well, sometimes they die off and then recover and flower again
As long as your balcony is exposed to the sun for more then 4-5 hours per day I think many plants that love sun will be able to adapt accordingly. Yeah, aloe vera should grow, but have to make sure it gets as much sunlight as possible, and not too much water lo, a very useful plant to have

Would love to plant ladies fingers someday hehe, please do keep us updated~ All the best

Yeah I think that will be a good idea but have to make sure it doesn't affect your aircon haha
Ladies fingers should be fairly easy, have to make sure to keep the soil moist up until they flower, by then the watering should be reduced to avoid rotting. Have to look out for insect pests as well, although I think it shouldn't be a problem if you are only planting one or two~

Sharing my Coleus (known as Hati-hati in BM) plants



This plant is hugely popular because of their colorful foliage which will give your garden that extra WOW factor! Some more they are quite easy to take care of and don't cost much~

I'm trying to start a Coleus collection but I've made a big mistake- I forgot to make sure I get all the varieties with the same leaf sizes! XD

Thanks man!
Currently its just a very simple garden, hope to size it up when there's more space
I also plan to start growing some vegetables as well haha

Wah, learnt something new today- Indian Borage Will look for them hehe~
Mint, rosemary and Oregano are supposedly very easy to grow, basically just need to provide full sun/bright light + moist (but not soggy) soil.
That said, I only managed to grow Rosemary and Oregano, dunno why my mints didn't like me and dieded
Rosemaries are easy to propagate by cutting, can save a bit haha, I think most people will have it. The scent is very strong, and I really love it although I have no idea how to use it in cooked dishes

I have a purple chilli plant but its growth "behaviour" is a bit awkward. Sometimes it grows very well, and then suddenly many of the leaves will turn yellow and drop- almost to the brink of the plant dying, then revive again etc. Its abnormal right? Not sure whether its nutrient deficiency or overwatering
Any ideas sifus?

Welcome welcome
Are you still planting? I plan to grow lime too~

I noticed that one of the most important things in starting out at gardening is ensuring that the soil is well drained
I made a terrible mistake in using soil found on the ground for my first few plants and needless to say many plants died because the soil became too soggy haha
Nowadays I just buy all-purpose planting-ready soil which is pretty convenient to use. The chances of plants dying are also lower since the soil are properly mixed with different components that strike a balance in nutrients, water retention, weight etc. I know some experts who like to mix their own individual components for that added specificity since different plants may require slightly different growing conditions. I hope I will be good as them some day haha

I'm back!
Managed to get more colorful plants for my container garden


Anyone with interesting Begonia varieties to recommend?

I have yet to see white varieties in any nursery I've visited, must be pretty rare
Purple and pink ones, on the other hand, are like everywhere

Any Begonia (Particularly Rex Begonia) lovers here?
Was wondering where do you usually get your plants? I find it difficult to find a nursery that has plenty of Rex Begonia varieties

I see I see, where did you get the yellow one last time? What happened?

Many thanks for the information, I will keep an eye out for them too
I noticed that sometimes the plants sold in Tesco or other shopping malls tend to be cheaper than those in Nurseries (even those large ones in Sg. Buloh)

Sorry to hear that man, one thing I've learnt about Torennia is that they grow best when you don't take care of them

Looks good man, I'm intrigued haha! Will look for them

Any photos of these "white-insects"?
Based on your description I think you are likely referring to mealybugs, a worldwide enemy of gardeners!

Most of the time we avoid using chemical insecticides if possible. One of the common methods that we can use is to mix some detergent with water and put the mixture into a spray bottle. You can try spraying the mixture onto the bugs themselves, or try to stream-spray them off the leaves

Mealybugs are always a headache to deal with, and have to be dealt with sooner than later because they reproduce quite quickly.

I usually shop here on Penang island: C&O Nursery

Nice owner and pretty wide range of plants, pots and accessories
I love how most, if not all of the plants are labelled with their common/scientific names- easier for us beginners to read up more about the plants we purchase

This post has been edited by [PF] T.J.: Jun 26 2017, 10:41 AM

Well I guess we have all killed our share of plants No worries as tts all part and parcel of learning.

I usually just ask my friends to help me water my plants when I go away. If its only for 2-3 days the plants will be alright, those that appear wilted will easily spring back to life with a drink when I'm back.

I think its important to know the conditions your plants require to grow healthily, as not all of them require frequent watering. I noticed that some of my plants grew even better when they are left to dry. (Note that the frequency/quantity of water you provide varies with environment, climate, your potting mix and also your watering practice).

I think most of us as beginners make the mistake of overwatering our plants instead. Initially I failed to grow my thyme and rosemary too because of overwatering (common belief that 1 day should water once), leading to the rotting of the roots. Horticulturist often advise to "check the roots" to see if your plants are healthy, perhaps you could consider doing that, assuming that your simple watering system may be "too effective" and causing the roots to rot?

Nice video here for your information on root health: Root health

This post has been edited by [PF] T.J.: Jul 3 2017, 11:52 AM

I understand totally how you feel, sometimes I feel bad for constantly asking my friends/ neighbors to water for me as well Some more they may not know which plant needs more/less watering which may result in damage. 1-2 weeks is quite a long time, even cacti would have problems surviving

Yeah herbs are pretty fun and easy to grow when you know the conditions they require. Fortunately most of them sort of have the same preferable conditions like lots of light; little/moderate amounts of water; good soil drainage, so they can be planted and cared for together. However, since some of them prefer full sun, it may be challenging to keep them alive if you are going away and if there's no rain

Money plants should be fairly easy to propagate I think? Just cut sections of the stem out (even sections with one leaf would actually be enough for rooting), poke a hole in potted soil and then put the cutting into the hole. For longer cuttings you can just roll them up into a circle and put them directly on the surface (but in contact with) the potted soil. Ensure that the soil is moist and then all you need to do is wait. Try not to water as it may induce rotting or introduce pathogens especially if the water is dirty


I agree, if its a big tree, better let the authorities do it. If its a small tree then I don't see why not

This post has been edited by [PF] T.J.: Jul 4 2017, 09:30 PM

Perhaps can consider cucumbers or winter gourd? I guess it depends on what you like and what type of fence you are talking about (whether it can support the weight of fruits/vegetables which can get real big).
Some people prefer to plant butterfly peas (bunga telang) instead as these plants are low maintenance and produce striking and abundant flowers which can be used in both drinks/meals.
Some other ornamental plants like morning glory and passion flowers can be considered too
Anyway, regardless of what you choose, growing creepers may be a problem when they get "out of control"- quite cumbersome to remove them from fences

Do let us know what you choose in the end~


Depends on how big an area you are talking about?
I suppose if you want to clear an area for you to start planting something it would be feasible. However, if you are going to plant fruits and vegetables it may be a better idea to leave the plots for a while, so that you don't end up eating chemicals
After that you will probably have to rely less on chemicals, which is not really good for the environment.