Garden in M'sia (Day 164: 24-02-2018)
The presence of these little buggers (Trigoniulus corallinus; rusty millipede) signify high moisture. Thank you, rain!
Previously
Apparently my prayers from the previous week were answered. The rainy and cloudy weather the day before and on Day 164 provided a much needed reprieve from the melting heat that had tormented the plants (and residents) of the Johor Bahru area. The shade provided by the Celosia argentea sorta 'revived' the mulberry, as new growth was apparent.
Above: Mulberry (Morus sp.) recovering from transplant shock. Plants can be resilient too!
The plants in general looked slightly better than they did when I last saw them in the afternoon heat on Day 158 (18-02-2018). The Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) were rewarding us with blooms of three different colours (pink, orange and yellow), indeed a sight to behold. The peanut in the main plot was flowering too, much to my delight. The butterfly peas (Clitoria ternatea) had less flowers, but it was because they were picked last time, for consumption. The wishbone flowers (Torenia fournieri) and marigold (Tagetes erecta) were surviving, although the former looked a little paler and unhealthier. The pumpkin in the kitchen plot was still producing male flowers.
Above: Gorgeous peanut (Arachis hypogaea) flower.
Below: Delectable Zinnia elegans flowers.
Above: A male pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) flower.
The refreshing rain brought the soil back to life too, ground spiders (Corinnidae?) were abundant, millipedes even more so. A shallow depth below the surface saw the likes of earthworms and isopods making their presence known. The fauna was, in general, positively affected by the rain too. Birds such as sparrows (Passer montanus) flocked to the soil to pick up any mung bean seeds (Vigna radiata) they could find, quickly retreating upon the onset of a potential threat (like myself).
Above: A familiar visitor, the nymph of Odontomantis planiceps, the Asian ant mantis.
I brought with me some Moringa seeds (Moringa oleifera), and planted them in scattered areas. I also sowed mung beans, soybeans (Glycine max), peanuts (Arachis hypogaea), black pepper (Piper nigrum) and plumed cockscomb (Celosia argentea). I made sure to bury them to prevent the cute but annoying sparrows from devouring all the seeds. Here's hoping my actions will bequeath upon the garden a greener (not because of weeds) future.
Above: Overview of part of the garden.
Above: A promising future (hopefully) awaits!