Paano Magpalaki ng Kutchay (Garlic Chives)

Native na kutchay na nakatanim sa flowerbox namin

Bihira ako makakita ng kutchay sa palengke. Mas madalas ko pa nakikita ang dahon ng sibuyas o onion chives. Minsan nung naghanap ako, na-weirdohan sa akin yung nagbebenta ng gulay sa palengke hehehe. Hindi ako familiar sa kutchay. Nalaman ko lang ito dahil sa biyenan ko na taga Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Nilalagay niya ito sa lomo at sa miki.

Ang kutchay o garlic chives Allium tuberosum ay flat ang dahon kumpara sa dahon ng sibuyas. Kung hindi ka marunong tumingin, puwede mo siyang pagkamalang ligaw na damo. Mas malakas ang amoy nito at mas malasa. Sa mga nakapunta na ng Korea, gustong gusto nila ito sa omellete. Masarap din siyang pampalasa at pampabango sa gyoza.

Paano magtanim

Dalawa ang paraan kung paano simulan ang kutchay. 1) mula sa buto; 2) mula sa pinag-tanggalan o division mula sa malagong halaman. Ang lupa na pagtataniman ay dapat buhaghag. Hindi ito dapat maputik na nag-iipon ng tubig, o masyadong buhaghag na madali itong matuyuan.

Mula sa pinag-tanggalan

Mas mabilis kapag magsisimula ka sa pinagkuhaan na kutchay kasi hindi mo na siya hihintaying umusbong. Kapag hihingi ka sa kakilala mo, kinakailangang mahahaba at marami ang mga ugat. Maghukay ng malalim at malawak, mga tatlong beses ang lapad ng iyong kutchay. Sa gitna ng hukay ay dapat may maliit na bundok. Spread mo lang yung mga ugat sa ibabaw non at takpan ng lupa. Dapat mabaon ang kutchay ng 2 inches sa lupa. Diligan ito maigi at hayaang lumago. Kung nasa paso, itabi lang sa lilim ng mga 3 araw para hindi ito malanta.

Buto ng kutchay

Mula sa buto

Nakakuha ako ng mga buto mula sa mga alaga ko. Kadalasan ang isang dahilan ng paglago ng kutchay ay dahil sa mga naglalaglagang mga buto nito. 

Basain ang lupa ng pagtataniman mo. Maghukay ng maliit na butas na mga 1/4 inch na lalim lupa at ipunla ang mga buto. Puwede kang maglagay ng 2-3 na mga buto kada butas. Diligan ang ang mga ito at huwag hayaang matuyo ang lupa. 

Usbong ng kutchay mula sa buto

Depende sa ganda ng mga buto at init ng lupa, makakakita ka ng usbong mga 5 araw pagka-punla. Kadalasan ay maghihintay ka ng mga 1-2 linggo bago ka makakita ng usbong.

Hindi masyadong gusto ng kutchay ang basang o tuyong lupa. Kinakailangan ay mamasa-masa ang lupa. Diligan ang kutchay kada 1-2 araw, depende kung gaano katuyo ang lupa. Kung naninilaw ang mga dahon, itsok ang barbecue stick sa lupa ng mga 2 inches. Kung lumabas ito na basa, nasosobrahan ito sa dilig. Kung lumabas ito ng tuyo, kinakailangan nang diligan ang kutchay. 

Pataba

Bulaklak ng kutchay at mga buto

Hindi ako masyadong gumagamit ng pataba bukod sa vermicast. Naglalagay lang ako nito mga 1-2 beses kada buwan. Mas matapang kasi ang pataba, mas malakas ang lasa ng kutchay. Maglalagay lang ng mga 1 inch na kapal ng vermicast sa ibabaw ng lupa. Huwag hayaang dumikit ang pataba sa tanggkay ng kutchay at baka masunog ito.

Ani

Puwede kang kumuha ng kutchay pagkaraan ng 1-2 mos simula sa pag-usbong. Mas lumalago ang kutchay kapag madalas mong kinukuhaan ng dahon. Magkaiba ang bilis ng lago ng kutchay kapag native ito o galing ibang bansa. Mas maliit at maninipis ang dahon ng native kumpara sa mga galing China o Amerika na buto. 

Pollen mula sa kutchay

Puwede mo ring kunin ang mga tangkay ng bulaklag bago pa ito mamukadkad. Kadalasang sinasama ang mga murang bulaklak ng kutchay sa mga sopas at sweet and sour. Kung gusto mo naman siya na magkaroon ng buto, hayaan mo lang siyang mamukadkad. 

Kung walang mga paro-paro o bubuyog sa lugar niyo, maaring mahirapan kang magkaroon ng mga buto mula sa iyong kutchay. Siguro mga halos kalahating taon hind ako makakuha-kuha ng buto mula sa mga alaga ko. May ginawa akong experiment. Manual pollination. Kumuha ako ng pollen mula sa mga bulaklak at kinalat ko siya sa mga bulaklak. Ingat lang. Kung allergic ka sa pollen, wag mong gawin ito.

Masarap ang kutchay kapag sarili mong ani. Maaaring maghihintay ka ng matagal, pero kapag lumago na ito, soobra pa ito sa kinakailangan mo. Kung may tanong po kayo kung paano alagaan ang kutchay, huwag po kayong mahiya na magsabi sa comment section sa baba!

Pests That Harm Jalapeño Plants

There several pests that can harm your jalapeños, and I have encountered the most common ones in one go. I am determined to grow my peppers organically as much as possible, and I am so appreciative of the fact that I am a work-at-home mom able to take care of these plants on a whim whenever I need and want to. Because of this, I am able to catch these pests before they do some major damage on my crops. Here are the common pests that can attach your jalapeños and affect your plant drastically unless they are fully controlled and contained.

Aphids

I do not mind ants in my garden, unless they bite me or when they bring their milking buddies - the aphids. These little buggers attack the most tender spots of your plant, which are new buds, inside flowers, and beneath the leaves. They suck the sap of the plant, causing new flowers to dry up (happened to me now several times) and deformed leaves. They are loved by ants because of the juice they give off, so if you notice ants congregating inside a flower bud, be worried because the aphids are just inside, sucking all the juices that they can. I have two deformed jalapeño peppers growing, and I know that these guys are to blame.

Spider Mites

I always make it a habit to look beneath the leaves, and I know instantly when something is wrong. Take for example the spider mite. They live in colonies, often in webs that cause the leaves to stick together. The webs are denser, thicker, finer, and coarser compared to a real spider web. As they feed off the plant, the leaves will show signs of coarse spotting, with the leaves eventually getting tough and dry, causing it to fall off. These mites are very small, yet sneaky. Sometimes, a gardener will only see the damage to the plant once the numbers have increased to the point of infestation.

Whiteflies

I used to love these little white flies as a kid because I thought of them as cute little butterflies, and I often frown at my mother for shooing them away from her garden. I did not realize until I got into a gardening blog stint that these white flies weaken plants by sucking plant juices. Aside from that, these flies secrete honeydew, a sugary, sticky substance in which black fungus thrive in. Whiteflies also spread viral diseases between plants, so if you have plant that is sick, there's a chance that your jalapeño will get infected as well.

Why Do They Stick to My Jalapeño?

All these pests thrive in a warm, humid environment, so an enclosed space with poor air circulation will be an ideal environment for these pests to proliferate. Soil particles on the leaves also attribute to spider mite increase, including a growing medium high in nitrogen content.

How Do I Control These Pests?

All these three pests can be controlled several ways without the use of insecticides. I never used insecticides on my plants because bees and birds are dying at an alarming rate due to insecticide exposure. There are other natural ways to help control these pests without resorting to harmful means.

Rubbing Off

Once you see a collection of these pests on the underside of the leaves,  use the tips of your thumb or forefinger to gently scrape them off. Make sure that your jalapeño is not wilted so that the leaves are firm. You can also use a soft cloth, leaf, or sponge to do this.

Cold Water

These pests love hot weather,  and dousing your jalapeño with cold water can do the trick of driving them out.

Water The Soil Directly

Overhead watering can result to soil particlesnto be splashed upwards. Use drip irrigation, or place the tip of the hose or watering can as close to the soil surface as possible to avoid unnecessary splashing.

Introduce Predatory Insects

Lady bugs, green lacewing, and predatory mites can be bought in your local garden store. These beneficial insects just love to feed on these pests,  and a good population can certainly help control the infestation. Attract more of these beneficial insects by planting yarrow, cosmos, allium, french marigolds, thyme, dill, and oregano near your jalapeño.

Fish Emulsion

Spraying your jalapeño with fish emulsion once a week will help make the leaves undesirable for these pests to live in.

Do Water Stress On A Minimum Basis

We all know that a stressed jalapeño plant will produce the hottest peppers with the most amazing flavor. But if you notice that the infestation is getting worse or not improving, then keep the water stressing sessions to a minimum, or stop it until the pests are totally eradicated.

Improve Air Circulation And Sun Exposure

The best thing about container gardening is that you can move your jalapeño anywhere without causing undue stress. Place your jalapeño in a sunny location with good air circulation to prevent these pests from latching on, especially whiteflies. Move other plants away as well to help improve air circulation. If you are growing your jalapeño indoors, an oscillating fan as well will do quite well, along with a yellow light to help  attract and zap these pests without harming beneficial ones.

Organic Pesticides

Spray made with garlic or neem oil will be perfect to get rid of these pests. You can buy them, or just make your own at home with the use of mineral, garlic, or neem oil. There are also some organic insecticide soaps that can be useful if you find that the infestation is getting out of control.

Pull It Out

There will be instances when you will miss a leaf or two during your inspection, resulting to a significant number of pest population. Happened to me several times, and the only way to save my jalapeño is to take the leaves off and trash them. Do not be afraid of cutting off a branch or two if the spider mites have created an intricate network of webs.  These webs are already sheltering a massive colony of spider mites, so the need to sacrifice buds and peppers must be done to save the plant.  And if you find a plant near your jalapeño that is heavily infested, you have to pull it out. Sadly,  you have to do the same with your jalapeño if your control efforts are not showing any results,  or if the infestation is already heavy.

Note: do not put the infested leaves and plants in your compost pile. These insects are carriers and they can contaminate your compost pile, causing spread of disease. 

Hose Them Down

Did you stake your jalapeño? Is it secure?  Then have fun in the garden and get ready to have fun in your garden and blast these pests away! Sure a couple of flowers might fall off, but that's a small price to pay once you see your jalapeño all nice and pests free. I got lucky and had a gusty thunderstorm that did just that. Whatever mites and aphids I missed,  the heavy rain and strong winds took care of them for me.

These simple solutions will guarantee the health and safety of your jalapeño, and they will also work with other plants in your garden that are infected. If you know of other methods, of if any of these methods have given you possitive results, please do share it with us by using the comment section below.

Good luck, and happy gardening!

How Wolves Changed The Yellowstone National Park

Let's have a break from our usual gardening blogs, and marvel at just how much nature can adapt to the presence of a wonderful and much maligned predator: the wolf.

Wolves have been gone from the Yellowstone National Park for more than 70 years. Because of this, the number of herbivores, specifically deer, have increased so much that vegetation became almost non-existent in the valley. But when the wolves came back to Yellowstone, a dramatic change is seen, starting from the food chain down to the geography of the park.

Wolves, though few in numbers, are effective hunters. With just a small pack, the wolves were able to control the number of deer in the park, giving the valley better opportunities for vegetation to grow. Since vegetation has started growing and trees have developed, beavers, birds, mice, rabbits, foxes and more have started to gather inside the park.

And remarkably, the diversified ecosystem has also changed the geography of the land. Rivers run in fixed courses, with several water spots suitable for animals to take their fill of much needed water.

It's amazing how nature can have wonderful changes with just the presence of one mighty predator. Watch the video and see just how dramatically the majestic wolf has changed the beautiful Yellowstone National Park.

Video Update: My Jalapeño Fruits

I now have several buds that will give me a satisfactory harvest. One bud (if I do this right) will be enough to make my salsa heat the room up with some flavor. I haven't watered the plant yet as it got quite a drenching yesterday. Now, the sun is shining brightly and I am patiently waiting for the fruits to mature. The big first one started from a flower that wilted August 11 (I think), so I am hoping a week more will be enough for a harvest.... but since the tip is still pointed, I guess I will just have to wait for 2 weeks more.

Protection Against Monsoon

Aside from the anxiety over our house in Pasig, I am also fretting over the effects of the monsoon over my jalapeño. I have been planning on placing a tarp of some sort to help control the amount of water that is pouring in to the flower box, so I used some of the leftover plastic cover from my daughter's school supplies. I tied it up on top of the stake for the tomato plant, and sweeped it over the marigolds. I made sure that there is ample space for air to circulate through the plants, as I do not want pests and fungus to waste all my efforts on keeping my jalapeño flourishing. I already have 11 jalapeños to count, and I am greedy enough to want more.

Needless to say, this cover is only good against heavy rains. I need to figure out something to protect my jalapeño against heavy winds.

Bokashi Composting

All Seasons Bokashi System
with bokashi bran

Bokashi composting takes home composting to a new level. A Japanese term meaning “fermented
organic matter” or “shading off,” bokashi uses live microorganisms to ferment food waste including meat and dairy into organic material that full of nutrients and microbes that are beneficial to organic gardens. Unlike regular kitchen composting, bokashi is an anaerobic method that will safely and effectively process kitchen wastes such as:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Grains
• Coffee grounds
• Tea bags
• Egg shells
• Prepared foods with no oil
• *Meat
• *Fish
• *Bones
• *Plant clippings
• *Bread
• *Eggs

*composted sparingly

Food On Demand

Nothing is more satisfying visually than to see a garden flourishing with crops that will soon bring food at your table. The picture above shows a healthy and prolific bitter gourd (ampalaya in tagalog) overpowering the ornamentals that have been in the yard for a year. This crop is not mine, but planted by my in-law through her helper. If you look closely,  you will see just right off the center a moringa (malunggay) plant. If you walk through this jungle and jumble of plants,  you will be greeted by the most amazing fresh scent of bitter gourd.

Oregano vs Nematode

I am waging war against nematodes, and the best solution that I have unknowingly experienced is the Philippine oregano. With the flower boxes ignored for seveal years, the herb has made the soil unfit for nematode reproduction because it is resistant to the parasite like a rock.

The Philippine oregano grow like weeds in our area. Just stick it into the soil, drench it with water,  and it will grow like mad. And drenching the soil can also be a good thing for nematode control because the parasite cannot stand too much moisture

The Nematode Challenge

I have a huge, huge pot of soil that is severely infected with root knot nematode. I have seen my tomatoes and basil suffer through it, and even though they are both still alive and doing their best for me, I have to do the tough part: kill them off. It's mercy for them as they have been suffering for so long.

Here are the things that I plan to do:

The Sensations Of Gardening

I am a nature lover by heart, but I have never appreciated how sensational plants can be until I became a gardener. I used to think that gardening is all visual and all the other senses do not come into play.

Things began to change when I planted crops along with herbs, plus the added time that I have for taking care of my garden. I can officially say that I am having a love affair with my garden.

Sight

I love look0ing at my plants. The visual display of colors is mesmerizing, and seeing my crops grow is such a marvel. Peeking beneath the flowers to see tomatoes slowly develop is such a thrill, and observing wilted leaves of my jalapeño plump up after watering was spectacular.

To Pinch, Or Not To Pinch

pinched jalapeño tops

My morning ritual always starts with a visit to my garden. No matter how many times I've looked at my plants, every visit is like a new one. And the thing that I admire the most is my jalapeño peppers, especially the oldest of the baby fruits. Compared to the other jalapeños, I could tell that the first one is going to be special. Why? Because the other peppers are not as large as that baby.

However, I of course want the others to reach that size, and one of the ways I can do so is by pinching back jalapeño plant. I haven't done so since planting because the flowers are always falling off. Now that I have 6-8 young jalapeño fruits, I dare to pinch.

There are two sides on this debate on whether or not to pinch back jalapeño peppers: one group says yes, you should pinch back, another group says don't bother. Let's take a look at both groups

How To Grow Jalapeño Peppers In Containers

Jalapeño plant

Welcome back to My Garden Haven! As promised, here's the section for how to grow jalapeño peppers in containers. Jalapeños are relatively easy to take care of once you have the right requirements, but can be challenging to grow in places that have cold temperatures and wet climates. However, those conditions should not discourage you. If you have started with basil, oregano, and other easy-to-grow herbs, it’s time to step things up a notch and grow peppers in your garden.

I got my seeds from Canada, and I went ballistic when I saw them in the balikbayan box that my mom sent in. I did the crazy pepper dance (whatever that is, I leave it for you to imagine) and plans start blooming in my head, all of them starting from salsa, enchiladas, and sauces – and I haven’t even planted the seeds yet. Crazy I know, but these thoughts really spurred me to growing jalapeño peppers on my balcony.

The Jalapeño Buds

After so many flower drop-offs, I was finally rewarded with jalapeño peppers. These will be my first harvest, and I am guessing it will take about a week or two to mature with the rate that they are going.

The first pepper is 3-4 days old, with the 5th one jus emerging from the flower yesterday. With the coming of the peppers, my jalapeño plant will be going dormant in terms of flower production. But, as the saying goes, patience is a virtue.

Here's to hot days ahead.

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