Stevia

Here is another mysterious plant. I got it from the nursery and the gardener called it 甜菊 (sweet chrysanthemum).

He explained that the sweet leaves can be used as a sugar alternative! Because I like to enjoy a daily cup of tea, this is exactly what I have been hunting around for. Gardener explained that boiling in water releases the sweetness of the leaves.

These floral buds will bloom into little white lovelies!

Update 10 Sep 15:

So I have gone on a wild goose chase trying to identify this plant. I can safely conclude that it is Stevia (甜菊). A South American native plant, also commonly called honey leaf plant, sweet chrysanthemum, sweet leaf, sugarleaf, etc.

Found a comprehensive article stating its benefits: http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/stevia-plant.html

But Stevia brings to mind the artificial sweeteners scares of being carcinogenic and used as a contraceptive. So some research is needed before trying it out.

Regarding its carcinogenic properties, appears that there is a general consensus that altered Strvia is the most damaging. The natural, unprocessed versions seem alright. Here is a rather comrehensive article: http://draxe.com/stevia-side-effects/

Regarding its contraceptive properties, the fear stem from its traditional use among the indigenous populations of South America as a contraceptive. Lab tests are not unanimously conclusive. Depending on website agendas, articles also sway.

I think this independent post by Norished Kitechen voicing their stand on Stevia, sort of sums up my current take.

http://nourishedkitchen.com/whats-your-take-on-stevia/

"How do I use stevia now? Occasionally I find myself served an herbal tea that has stevia leaves added to it. Meh.  I finish the cup and don’t ask for more." 

- Nourished Kitchen

In case I might have a change of heart and become more confident, here is how to use the fresh leaves.

Fresh stevia leaves can be used to sweeten tea or in sauces. A few fresh stevia and mint leaves will make a refreshing herbal tea when steeped in a cup of boiling water.

Basil

I started planting basil as I love the spicy chewy leaves in simple pho soup and aglio olio pasta. 

I started with 1 hardworking pot and realised they deplete quickly, age quickly but are super easy to propagate. In the hope of not having to keep buying, I am working hard on learning to propagate these lovelies. 

I started out by saving the stalks that I use. Each time I harvest about 3-4 inch stalks (average one stalk per person) and after I cut out out the leaves, I pop the stalks in water to root at the window sill. 

Once the roots take shape and I have enough stalks, I pot them in soil.

Our original pot of basil flourished along the corridor, with some indirect sunlight. 

Eventually, I was told by fellow gardeners/farmers that flowering is a sign of the plant reaching maturity. Most gardeners maintain that the leaves lose their flavor once the plant bolts. Hence to save the flavour, we should literally nip the flowers in the bud. 

So when the original plant started to die back, I was glad I have been saving and rooting the stalks. 

To root the stalks, I remove the leaves (to cook) and simply place the stalks in drinking glasses or glass bottles to root. I top up water occasionally and change the water entirely weekly. 

This lot has been left at the sill for about a month. Healthy roots can be vaguely seen at the base. I keep the glasses/bottles by the window sill which is bright but without direct sunlight.

Update 31 July 2015:

We have recently moved and the herbs now have their designated rack in a bright but shaded spot. Basil propagation continues. 

I find the younger shoots less leathery and tastier. So now I maintain a few small plants instead of a big mothership. 

I also realised that proper pruning helps to keep the plant bushy and hence more productive of edible leaves. As a rule of thumb, basil generally forks at the node that you make a cutting. Hence, cutting each stalk as close to the base, will yield a bushier plant. 

I am starting the same process with Thai basil for more a authentic feel to our pho soup. Looking forward to potting this lot!

Mint

So So today we finally could sit down to enjoy a hot cup of brewed mint tea. A sprig for each cup. I cut just above nodes where there are leaf shoots.

Brewed Mint Tea

- a sprig of mint

- 3 tablespoon of brown sugar (or to taste)

1. Bring pot of water with sugar to boil

2. Add mint and boil until green

3. Enjoy...

Update 6 July 2015:

I love the resilience of mint! This one has shriveled up a couple of times but bounced back with intensive watering. Now, it is happily over growing and cascading over the gardening shelf. Mine sits on a brightly lit spot, no direct sunlight.

This one sits near the basil. I've heard that mint love basil and gravitates towards it. 

Update 31 July 2015:

Inspired by the Middle Eastern way to enjoy a cup of mint tea - we brew our mint in a designated enamel pot. Hopefully in years to come, we will make better and better mint tea in this pot.

Update 7 August 2015:

So last week I did the unthinkable. The mint turned ever so slightly yellow. So I left it in sun for a couple of hours and added some slow-release fertilisers. 

The fertilisers caused dying back almost immediately. Don't even need fertilisers - how fuss free can mint be! Anyway, had to quickly remove and wash out fertiliser from potting mix. Then I cut back the burnt leaves. Took out almost 60% of the plant! Such luck that I was rooting some cuttings. So there was a fall back plan. 

But did not need to go to plan B, because 5 days later, new shoots starts to sprout...

The new shoots were sprouting from the dormant nodes on the stems.

7 days later, it's flourishing - greener and more lush than before. Phew, what a close shave! But mint has been known to be resilient, almost invasive. So it makes so much sense to keep it in a pot where its growth is manageable and it's mobile.

Lemongrass

I am rooting some organic lemongrass in water glasses. They started without any roots, in a couple of days they sprouted leaves (at the top) and developed thick roots. I leave them at the window sill - northwest facing, well lit, with no direct sunlight

It has been more than 10 days and the stalks are still going strong. The new leaves are longer and are a healthy green. The roots have extended and are starting to grow more rigorously. A couple of stalks have even developed a tiny shoot at the base. 

I should start to pot them in soil soon. 

Update 28 May 15:

So I potted the lemongrass in the images above about 2 weeks after. There were more roots and even little saplings. Some of the outer leaves were even dried up.

I left them by a lit window that did not have any direct sunlight (bad choice), but I did read somewhere that lemongrass does not need direct sunlight.

The entire stalk withered and died out in 2 weeks.

So I repeated the process of rooting. I selected thicker stalks to root this time round. I also potted the stalks in 3 weeks and am leaving the pot by a window sill that gets a couple of hours of direct sun each day.  Fingers crossed!

Update 5 August 2015:

For nearly 2 months after I potted the lemon grass, they looked like they were on the verge of dying off too. In fact one stalk did conk off. The remaining 2 looked fragile and were barely able to stand. Progress was super slow.

Then after ignoring the entire pot and almost neglecting it, the lemongrass stems started to firm up and new leaves appeared too. So now I leave the pot to its own devices in the background and hopefully it will sprout new shoots soon.

Chives

Back in March, I got a bunch of potted chives, which are from the onion family. What was amazing were the blooms, which are essentially mini Alliums. These flowers are onion flavored and are great to add to salads and omelettes. They grow so prolifically I add them to my floral arrangements too.

Chives are great, stir fried with beansprouts or added in omelettes.

Update 19 Sep 2015:

Our original pot of chives died on us. A few possibilities:

1) Over fertilized - I was feeding generous amounts of chicken poo and watering with dissolved NKP. 

2) Over pruning - I was overzealously removing and cutting off yellowed leaves and 'harvesting' the blossoms.

3) Too shady - as the plants weakened and burned with too much fertilizing, they wilted easily in the scorching heat. Moving it to the shade sort of created a slower but eventual demise.

So I got a replacement, because the blossoms are just too lovely.

This one is left to its own devices to fend for itself in a sunny spot, against all the natural elements. No fertilizers for now. If I need to, I will probably only add in soil and compost mix. It seem happy for the past 2 weeks.