Bougainvillea Vine

I got this Bougainvillea vine cutting from a neighbor on 11 April 2021. By December 2021 it started to product leaves. I started to train it early last year and it finally started to bloom. Looks beautiful. I have a few more vines and training them to grow like a tree. It will take a few years since I need to trim it upwards and let the base grow thicker. 

May 2021

December 2021

Today's Harvest

Some beautiful cherry Tomatoes.

Green Beans

Nearly everything for a nice salad. I have lettuce and celery as well, plus I have Strawberries, so the Guava and Strawberries will make a nice dessert.

Guava (Red)

Getting some beautiful Guava everyday.

Myoga (Japanese Ginger)

Myoga (Japanese Ginger) is starting to sprout.

Pineapple

This Pineapple flower is getting bigger by the day.

Clover and Nasturtium

Clover and Nasturtium growing wild in the back of my house. I should call my sight "My Jungle Garden."

Passion Fruit

Passion Fruit are in full bloom. I am pollinating about 25 flowers everyday. I am growing two types of Passion Fruit, Purple and Yellow. The flowers and leaves are the same, so unable to distinguish at first sight.  

However, yellow Passion Fruit are much larger. This fruit was pollinated about two weeks ago and already quite large. 

Two and a half weeks old.

This is the very first Purple Passion fruit I pollinated this year and it just dropped. It is extra small, but quite heavy.

The green fruit above is still young, but average size for a purple Passion Fruit. 

This tiny Passion Fruit was quite full, but unfortunately the picture was blurry.

Dracaena Garden

My Dracaena garden is starting to fill out and if you look closely you can start to see Nasturtium flowers starting to pop up. They are so pretty. 

Mikan Orange Tree

Starting to see fruit develop on this tree. Last year it produced a few, but it seems there are many more fruit this year.

Green Peppers (Piman)

I purchased two Green Pepper plants 4-6 weeks ago. They are both doing well and starting to flower.

Though this plant is in a smaller container, it is growing faster than the other plant. I suspect it gets more sun. From past experience, I've noted that Green Pepper plants don't seem to need a lot of soil, but it is still interesting how much larger this plant is compared to the other plant. Once it gets a little large I will move the plant to a semi-shaded place. I found the plant will be more productive and last longer if not stressed. Unlike Tomatoes that love the sun, but have a short life span, Green Pepper plants can live 1-2 years and continue to produce the entire time, if taken care of and not stressed. 

Clove Basil (Herbs)

This is the Clove Basil plant that sprouted last year. The leaves have a wonderful clover aroma, but honestly I do not know how to use it so will remove it when I clean up my side garden this year. 

I collected some seeds from this plant, so if I ever what to grow it again I can. Unlike regular Basil, these seeds are absolutely tiny. They were very difficult to collect. 

Shiso (Perilla, Beefsteak Plant)

This Shiso (Perilla) plant is doing well and producing some delicious leaves. Of course, these are wonderful in many Asian dishes, but the young leaves are tender and sweet and I can sit on my balcony and eat them right off the plant. 

Guava (Red)

Starting to get some really nice Guava. As I mentioned, I place each Guava in a paper bag to prevent birds and other pests from damaging the fruit, which creates some absolutely beautiful fruit.

Cherry Tomatoes are starting to ripen. They are quite large and sweet. I'm pleased considering these are self seeded plants. 

This beefsteak Tomato plant is from a sucker I planted. It is creating some really nice fruit.

These Tomato plants are all transplanted suckers. They have gone a bit crazy and I'm having difficultly passing through this section of my balcony. I know, terrible problem to have :)

Asparagus

Asparagus started to sprout. This is the second season, which means I can start picking half the sprouts. Next year I will be able to pick them all. 

Beans

Green Beans starting to grow again and getting tons of String Beans. 

Pineapple

I planted this Pineapple from a cutting in June 2019. Finally I can see a flower. Wow, nearly four years.

Mikan Orange Tree

In just a few days this Mikan Orange tree went from white flower buds to full bloom. Plus, there is a Tomato plant growing. I did not plant it, and suspect it is from bird droppings.

Strawberry

Getting a handful of Strawberries everyday. I do not have a greenhouse, so I place newly developed strawberries in a plastic bag. I cut the corners off the edges and cut slits around the bag to allow the fruit to breath and moisture to drain. They are delicious. 

Guava (Red)

Guava are starting to ripen.

Guava has very soft skin that birds and other pests can damage easily. In order to get flawless fruit it is necessary to wrap them. 

Beautiful and sweet.

Strawberry GuavaS

Starting to see Strawberry Guava.

Passion Fruit (Yellow)

The yellow Passion Fruit has finally started to bloom. There are tons of flowers everyday and the fruit are growing quickly. These fruit are only 10 days old, but huge. 

Acerola Tree

I found one Acerola flower. In my region, Acerola start to bloom in late March. They are typically in full bloom by mid-April and start to produce fruit from May through September.  

Shikuwasa Tree

One of my Shikuwasa trees in the back of my house is starting to blossom. I planted this tree from seed and had it in a pot for two years and transplanted it in the ground two years ago. It got attached by a bark beetle last year and cause some serious damage, but I think I got got them in time, because the tree made a full recovery and growing well, plus I do not see any further damage. I hope there is no larva in the ground.  

Mango

 

This Mango tree has been in full bloom for over a week and I can start to see the tiny peddles fall.

This year I sprayed the flower blooms with honey water and it seemed to have drawn a lot of black flies and some beetles. I'm starting to see some small fruit growing. I do not know if they will survive, but I sure hope I get a few. Last year a few fruit grew to the size of a marble and then fell off. I hope I have better luck this year.

Tomato

The beefsteak Tomatoes are starting to ripen.

Cherry Tomatoes are growing quickly and looking perfect. I'm getting a few everyday, which is nice for salads.