Lemon Grass

Lemon Grass grows quickly. This is a picture from 25 May.

(06/21) A month later it had nearly doubled in size. The stockes and blades are much larger, but what I'm waiting for are the rhizomes to start growing. This will create even more Lemon Grass. I suspect in a year or two there will be more than I can use.

I cut some Lemon Grass about two weeks ago from the back of my house, but did not like the taste so much. It tasted green, like weeds were mixed in. So, I added fertilizer and pulled any weed I could see. Perhaps the soil is causing this issue. It regrows quickly.

This is Lemon Grass I have in a planter. It tastes really fresh, but I already used all the blades and need to let it regrow.

(07/11) It had been a couple weeks since I added the fertilizer and it has been raining a lot, so I decided to just cut down one bunch and see how it turned out.

I got a ton. The blades are about 7 foot long (2 meters) and I tasted the end of each stock to ensure it was Lemon Grass and nothing mixed in. It actually tasted pretty good.

Then I washed the Lemon Grass well. It was so long I had to use the bathtub. I took four stocks and made tea. It was good. There is still a little green taste, but much better than before. I believe the Lemon Grass I have in the back of my house and in the planter are different varieties. I bought them at different places and the grass in the back of my house is much taller and broader. I will keep working to improve the taste.

Acerola (Jam)

Yep! Made Acerola jam again and this time preserved some. The cherries were plump and flawless. This is the first time preserving, so got caught up in the process and forgot to take pictures.  

Started with 840 grams (1.85 lbs) of cherries and after removing the seeds, got 506 grams (1.1 lbs) of pulp.

Was able to create three 4 oz (118 ml)  jars a Acerola jam.

Kumquat (Kinkan)

There are a lot of Kumquats (Kinkan) on one side of this tree, but not many on the other side. That's fine, because it will flower 1-2 more times and hope I get more fruit on the other side.

 

Guava (White)

I lost buds on this white Guava tree twice in a year, but it started to bud again. The red Guava tree in the back of my house is full of fruit and the Strawberry Guava trees (bushes) are going crazy, so I will have tons of Guava this year. And, because this tree budded late I will have Guava for a longer period.

Peach (Momo)

The Peaches are doing well. There are a few that will be ready to eat soon. Last year I only got three Peaches. This year about 20-25 made it. Next year I suspect even more. Not bad for a tree grown in a planter. 

Today's Harvest (Okra and Onions)

I like my Okra tender, so pick them when they are still small. The greens of these Onions died, so pulled them. 

 

Passion Fruit

The yellow Passion Fruit in the back of my house is starting to drop, but two are turning purple and one is staying yellow. I suspect these are hybrids. I planted them from seed, so I guess I'm seeing the true verity come out. They are larger than average, but I have not eaten any yet so not sure how they will taste.  Stay turned...

 

PawPaw

I purchased a Pawpaw sapling last October and planted it immediately. It was doing fine for a while and suddenly lost all its leaves. I thought this was a typical response to the coming fall season. I checked it on occasion and could feel a slight fuzz on the bark and the buds were moist, but it suddenly changed. I was sure it died, but this morning I noticed it had two leaves. It made it.

Celery

One of my Celery stocks is bolting, which is good. I can collect seeds for planting.

 

Fruit Display

Simple, but beautiful.

Acerola Cherry (Barbados Cherry)

I covered my entire Acerola tree with a net and now getting some pretty nice cherries. I still have problems with ants, snails and the like, but not as damaging as the birds.

Passion Fruit

Passion Fruit are starting to mature and drop daily.

They are quite full, sweet and juicy.

Bird's Nest

(06/08) I found a bird's nest on my Passion Fruit trellis, but there were no eggs or chicks. I was wondering why birds were hanging around my trellis recently and now I know.

(06/10) Today I found two eggs in the nest and have not seen the birds in days. I wonder if they need to brood them or what. I'll keep an eye on them.

(06/10) Today I found a third egg, but based on the size of the nest I suspect this will be the last. From what I read it takes about 20 days for most bird eggs to hatch, so will post pictures of the chicks when they hatch. By the way, the parents are brooding them. Everytime I go outside I disturb them and they fly away. Sorry about that birdies.

(06/26) All the eggs hatched and the chicks look fine. They are shivering, but it is very warm here and think they will be just fine.

Cute

(06/27) I can see their ears and their eyes are closed, but I'm starting to see feathers develop.

(06/28) I guess I startled them and suspect they are scared, so they are staying still.

(06/29)

(07/01) Hungry

(07/01)

(07/02)  This is the last picture I got of them in the nest before they flew away a few hours later. They all made it, but it took a few hours for them to learn to fly. 

(07/02) One of the chicks flew to the front on my house and crashed on the steps. It was so scared, but in an hour or so it started to fly short distances until it was in my neighbors property.

(07/02) I found a second chick clinging to the side of my neighbors house screaming like crazy. I do not think the mother could do much but was calling back. Eventually, it made it to the ground and eventually flew away. I found the third chick on my fence learned to keep its balance. It was so cute, but eventually it flew away too.

Now this is incredible. These birds started to lay eggs on 10 June and 22 days later the chicks were flying. 

Okra

Okra is growing quickly and already getting Okra. One of the containers also has Peanuts and they are growing crazy too. They seem to compliment one another. 

 

Soybean (Edamame)

Only a few Soybean plants sprouted this year, but they are super healthy and full of flowers. I should get one or two good snacks out of these plants. 

Italian Parsley

The Italian Parsley on my second floor balcony is starting to bolt. I suspect it is just too hot. The Parsley in my side garden is still doing fine. Anyway, it just means I can collect more seeds for future planting. 

Lizard

 

When I found this in my garden the other day I thought it was a Slender Salamander, but as I watched it I noticed it had a forks tongue like a lizard and then noticed its toes. This is a lizard, but I'm not sure what type. Also, it seems like it lost it's tail once and it is growing back. 

Pests (Habu Snake)

I was out preparing my garden for a typhoon when I noticed a Habu snake in my grapefruit tree. It was not that large (50 cm / 1.5 ft), but regardless it is one of the most poisonous snakes in Okinawa. This is my second encounter with a Habu. I called the police and they came and took care of it. 

Papaya Tree (Blooming)

The Papaya tree I used to keep in my office that I planted in the back of my house is finally starting to flower. I can see 4-5 other buds, so hope it develops fruit soon. I need to cut the tree in the front of my house since it is getting too tall.

 

Blackberry Lily (Leopard Lily)

Blackberry lilies (Leopard lilies) are flowering again, but this year there and more plants and more flowers. So cute. 

 

Santan Flower (Jungle Geranium)

This Santan flower (Jungle Geranium) is nearly in full bloom and so beautiful.

This is what it looked like on 27 September when I bought it. It has grown a lot and produced many more flowers.

 

Shikuwasa Tree

This Shikuwasa tree is really starting to flower. I hope it produces lots of fruit, but it is still small, so am not expecting too much.

 

Herbs (Aztec Sweet Mint)

The Aztec Sweet Mint I planted a couple weeks ago is doing great. I did not think any would make it since the stems were so shorts (1"/1.5cm), but they are thriving and starting to flower.

Hydrangea (Ajisai)

I added a Hydrangea flower to my garden.

It had flowers, but I cut them off to allow the plant to regenerate. 

Yuzu Tree

I have six Yuzu saplings. I hope they all mature and produce fruit early. Yuzu has, perhaps, the best aroma of all the citrus.

 

Today's Harvest (Garden Salad)

I made a salad today from things I picked from my balcony garden. Sunny and Mesclun lettuce, basil, carrot, paprika pepper, cherry tomato, onion, cucumber and okra.