sustainable garden: eco backyard farm

i found these brown, hairy, crawling creatures feeding on my kangkong a few days ago.  since google wasn't much of a help at the time (okay, i was too lazy to google), i asked the help of experts on facebook.  when you're a novice gardener like me, you have to utilize all the information you can get.

super thanks to eco backyard farm for the 411, which was particularly made sweeter due their down-to-earth response.  so, these tiny crawlies are actually n-o-t butterflies in the making.   it was quite fun looking at them in our backyard, though.  i can't wait for them to metamorphosize into a night moth.

facebook link/contact details: https://www.facebook.com/EcoBackyardFarm/

youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecobackyardfarm

sustainable garden: gardening is an experiment

here's a confession: i'm only experimenting with my little sustainable garden.  it's actually a game of trial and error for me.  right now, i'm experiencing a "catastrophic event" with my sweet potato leaves.  i didn't see the culprit, but i found tons of holes on the leaves after almost a week of rain.

poor camote tops.  before embarking on this self-made project,  i promised my self to avoid the use of toxic chemicals such as pesticides, insecticides, and other -cides.  i have yet to find the best solution to balance the eco-system in our backyard.

i'm trying to keep my spirit up, though, because gardening is not like brain surgery.  i can definitely learn something from this experience.  thanks to the help of internet and secondhand books, i am finally able to expand my knowledge about issues like this one.

i hope you'll start your own micro-farm now because the sooner you start, the sooner you'll reap the rewards of your labor.  if my black thumbs can do it, you can do it too.  what could be more fulfilling than freshly picked ingredients from your own vegetable garden?

sustainable garden: lemongrass!

lemongrass is another easy plant to grow in your garden.  i highly recommend this plant due to its many benefits.  since we got this in our backyard, the number of mosquitoes greatly decreased.  its beautiful and graceful leaves don't hurt either, especially the relaxing sound they create on windy summer afternoons.

please click the link below for instructables video tutorial on how to grow lemongrass.  this is not an affiliated link, but i love short and simple instructions from the site.  enjoy!

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Grow-Lemongrass/

sustainable garden: ang kangkong. bow.

i had been wanting and meaning to introduce this vegetable into our garden for quite a long time now.  sure, it is a small goal for many, but finally having one to look at every morning brings me so much joy.  who would have thought that growing kangkong would result to overflowing happiness?

i just love our soil and compost mixture.  the secret to a healthy compost is to not mess it for at least a month.  your little crawlers and other nutrient-giving organisms will thank you.

even mozart can't get enough of our kangkong.  kitties also require vegetable in their diet for healthy growth.

if you want to know more about care and propagation of water spinach, please follow the link below.  trust me, it is super easy!

http://balconygardenweb.com/how-to-grow-kangkong-growing-water-spinach/