Category Archives: GCS Feature Articles

Articles published on the Green Culture Singapore website I started.

Green Culture Singapore Feature Articles for March 09

Posted on April 26, 2009 | 1 Comment

My sincere apologies for delaying the putting up of gardening feature articles on the Green Culture Singapore website. Despite my busy schedule and lack of inspiration for writing, I squeezed my brain for ideas over the weekend and managed to come up with two feature articles. The two articles have been uploaded onto the server and are now available for downloading from the Green Culture Singapore website for reading at one’s leisure.

The first article entitled “A sunflower that likes it wet!” focussed on Helianthus angustifolius which is a perennial that produces flowers continuously throughout its growing season. It can tolerate slightly wetter soil conditions which make it a good candidate for planting in waterlogged areas where the common sunflower cannot be successfully grown. Click on this link to download the article  “A sunflower that likes it wet!”

The second article was written on how to make a vertical garden. I have received a couple of requests to share how I constructed my own version of a vertical garden that was featured in Straits Times Life! a few weeks back. That was the impetus that got me started to pen down the steps that one can follow so that they can also make a similar vertical garden at home.

Note that a vertical garden is perhaps the best way to maximise the limited amount of space for gardening in a high-rise apartment. A vertical garden can also serve to decorate a plain and boring wall at home! Click on this link to download the article  “Vertical Gardening made Easy”.

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Posted in GCS Feature Articles, Houseplants, Tropical ornamentals

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Green Culture Singapore Feature Articles (Feb 09)

Posted on March 5, 2009 | 2 Comments

I admit that I have been way too late to have put up February’s Green Culture Singapore gardening feature articles.  Work has been hectic lately but I have managed to upload two gardening feature articles for leisure reading by my members at the Green Culture Singapore discussion forum. It’s better to be late than never!

The two feature articles focussed on hoyas this time around. The first article was contributed by Crocus Sativus which was an interview with  Anders Wennstrom, a co-author of the book entitled “The Genus Hoya”. I have obtained a copy via the help of a good friend and I found it extremely informative!

An Interview with Anders Wennstrom

Hoya enthusiasts would have heard about the publication of a new book entitled “The Genus Hoya” that was written on this fascinating group of plants. Read this feature article that was contributed by Crocus Sativus which is an insightful interview with Anders Wennstrom, who is a co-author of the book. This interview was reproduced with permission from the Singapore Gardening Society.

URL – http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/feb09/feb09_wennstromintervw.pdf

 

The second article was a joint effort between my fellow colleague at HortPark, Jin Hong and myself. This feature article can likened to be a follow-up of the gardening talk that was held on this year’s Valentine’s Day in HortPark. It serves to introduce to the public the heart-shaped leaves of the sweet heart hoya (Hoya kerrii) which can become popular gifts for one’s partner on Valentine’s Day. In it, there is a series of steps which can be easily followed by the layman to teach one how to paint these heart-shaped leaves, as well as, cultivation information that is applicable to the sweet heart hoya and other Hoya species.

Grow Your First Hoya Plant with Love

Although roses are traditionally associated with Valentines’ Day, there are also other plants that can be used to convey your feelings to your loved ones. For those of you who have received a heart-shaped leaf that is potted up and adorned with sweet nothings and motives of hearts and other love symbols, the leaf you have gotten as a gift actually came from the sweetheart hoya plant. Read this feature article to know more about the sweet heart hoya and learn how to grow it. This article also contains basic cultivation information that is relevant to most other Hoya species.

URL – http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/feb09/feb09_hoyakerrii.pdf

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GCS Feature Articles for Jan 09

Posted on January 30, 2009 | Leave a comment

This month, I have written two gardening feature articles for members of Green Culture Singapore to read and enjoy. The month of January 2009 is the Lunar New Year period and both articles revolved around this joyous, festive theme.

The first article focussed on the popular houseplant, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, that is also commonly called the “ZZ Plant”.  Unlike most other festive plants that produce showy and colourful flowers, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, is grown more for its elegant growth form and shiny foliage. Read the article below to know how it became a Lunar New Year festive plant and how to propagate it.

The second article is a book review on the work by Peter Valder entitled “The Garden Plants of China”. This book was recommended to me by a fellow Green Culture Singapore member some years back because I was looking around for a good book to learn more about the many Lunar New Year plants.

Click on the URLs below to download the pdf file to read the articles.

Zamioculcas zamiifolia: More than just a Lunar New Year festive plant

Zamioculcas zamiifolia, commonly called the “ZZ Plant” is a popular Lunar New Year festive plant that is also grown as an ornamental, mainly for its attractive glossy foliage. It is evergreen in the tropics and constitutes one of the worthy buys in the category of festive decorative plants because it does not die away and had to be discarded like those that originated from temperate or subtropical climates that are imported prior the festive season. Read this article to learn more about this cast iron indoor plant!

URL – http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/jan09/jan09_zamioculcas_zamiifolia.pdf

 

Book Review on “The Garden Plants of China”

Want to know more about your Lunar New Year plants? Read the book entitled “The Garden Plants of China” by Peter Valder! It is a colourful and highly informative book that is a must-read for those who want to know more about these festive plants as well as many others that are also grown in Chinese gardens. The information about many of these plants are scanty and scattered and this work is a bold attempt to bring as much as what Valder can gather into one volume. It also enables the interesting knowledge about these plants to be made accessible to non-Chinese readers too.

URL – http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/jan09/jan09_garden_plants_of_china.pdf

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GCS Feature Articles for Dec 08

Posted on January 4, 2009 | Leave a comment

I have finally finished the final instalment of feature articles for Year 2008 for the Green Culture Singapore (GCS) website. As usual, there are two feature articles for members and any one who comes across them via Internet search.

The first feature article was a book review written by Lim Xuan Hong, one of my members from the GCS discussion forum. He is a high-rise orchid grower and I thought he would be able to give some of his thoughts and comments after reading the book entitled ‘Dendrobium and its relatives’, written by Bill Lavarack and Wayne Harris.

Book Review on ‘Dendrobium and its Relatives’

‘Dendrobium and its relatives’ is a must read for all orchid lovers, especially those who cultivate and collect Dendrobium species. It is written in an informative yet easy to understand tone, making it a delightful read for both amateurs and professionals alike. Printed on glossy paper, readers will be captivated by the alluring photos of these unique Dendrobium flowers. Read this review feature article written by Lim Xuan Hong which contains his thoughts and views after reading this publication.

URL – http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/dec08/dec08_dendrobiumbook.pdf

The next feature article was inspired by my recent encounter with the blue ginger plant at HortPark. Although not a common garden plant in Singapore currently, it is one that one should consider growing for its unique blue flowers which is rare in the flowers borne by most other tropical plants. I also took the opportunity to share with readers why this plant often gets confused with gingers which are unrelated to it.

I am not a Ginger!

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora is known by its common name as the ‘blue ginger plant’. It is a popular landscaping ornamental plant for the tropical outdoor garden and famed for its attractive blue flowers. It is commonly mistaken to be a ginger and in fact, the plant is more related to plants belonging to the Commelinaceae family. Read this feature article written by Wilson Wong and learn more about this beautiful plant and how to distinguish it from the ginger plant.

URL – http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/dec08/dec08_blueginger.pdf

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Posted in Flowering plants, GCS Feature Articles

Catching up with GCS Feature Articles for Nov 08

Posted on December 26, 2008 | Leave a comment

It was as if I was trying to run after a leaving train… Over the Christmas holiday, I have managed to churn out two feature articles that were put up on the Green Culture Singapore website for my members to read.

Since the year is coming to an end and that the website still lacked articles for the month of November, I thought I should convert and elaborate two originally shorter write-ups that were published on this garden blog  into articles for the website, since not every member would have visited this garden blog.

The information published on some of the posts here may still be informative and enjoyable to read for those who has not visited this site.

1. Getting to know the beautiful Hibiscus acetosella

Hibiscus acetosella is a Hibiscus species that is unique in its own way. Noted for its distinctive, deep red-purple foliage that consists of deeply lobed, palmate-shaped leaves, H. acetosella is a striking addition to any garden. Besides being used as an ornamental plant, it also possesses food and medicinal uses. Read this article written by Wilson to find out more!

URL – http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/nov08/nov08_hibiscusacetosella.pdf

2. Make Your Own Plant Sign

Want to have plant signs that are made of stainless steel that were used to display the names of plants in places like the Singapore Botanic Gardens and HortPark but cannot afford to make some for your garden? Read this feature article written by Wilson where he shows you the steps that you can follow to make similar plant signs using very affordable materials!

URL – http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/nov08/nov08_planttag.pdf

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Posted in Flowering plants, Garden Hardware, GCS Feature Articles, Herbs, Tropical ornamentals

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Another Two More Backdated GCS Feature Articles for October 2008…

Posted on December 7, 2008 | Leave a comment

Despite my busy schedule, I managed to put up two feature articles on the Green Culture Singapore (GCS) website for members of the discussion forum to read.

Many thanks to Richmond Tan, one of the moderators from the forum, who has contributed an article that depicted how he constructed a plant rack using readily available materials, some of which were salvaged from renovation waste! His plant rack is rather innovative and allows commercially available metal plant racks to hang comfortably against the parapet wall.

The second feature article that focussed on the growing of the sand ginger was written by myself. From my own growing experience, this ginger is perhaps the only smaller-growing edible ginger that is rewarding to grow in the high-rise apartment. I found this plant is able can grow quite well and does not dry up as easily as other space-saving edible gingers such as the common cooking ginger and Chinese key (Boesenbergia rotunda).

 Make Your Own Plant Rack!

Are you an apartment gardener at a loss as to how to elevate your plants so that they receive sufficient light for growth along your corridor? Read this feature article written by Richmond Tan to get some ideas to build your own plant rack using cheap and readily available materials!

URL – http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/oct08/oct08_plantrack.pdf

Grow the Sand Ginger!

Botanically known as Kaempferia galanga, the sand ginger is a true ginger that belongs to the same plant family as the cooking ginger. Unlike the common cooking ginger (Zingiber officinale), the rhizomes of sand ginger is not something that most people would be familiar with. Both rhizomes and whole plants can sometimes be seen on sale in selected wet markets in Singapore, such as those in Little India and Geylang Serai. Read this feature article written by Wilson to learn more about this interesting ginger and how you can grow it at home!

URL – http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/oct08/oct08_sandginger.pdf

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Posted in Garden Hardware, GCS Feature Articles, Herbs, Recycling in the Garden, Tropical ornamentals, Vegetables

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Catching up… GCS Articles for September 2008!

Posted on November 14, 2008 | Leave a comment

After putting up the gardening feature articles for the month of August, I managed to put up another two more this week to make up for what supposed to have been published two months ago in September!

I have always wanted to encourage the growing of temperate herb substitutes that can be planted in tropical Singapore. The first feature article is a new one which I wrote about growing of the Mexican Tarragon, a marigold relative that can be used in place of the French Tarragon. Due to our hot and humid climate in the lowlands, the French Tarragon is quite an impossible plant to grow in Singapore. The Mexican Tarragon is the answer for Singaporeans who want to harvest material that is similar to the French Tarragon for culinary uses.

When I wrote this article, I consulted Richard (userID – Herb Lover), one of the members from the Green Culture Singapore (GCS) discussion forum for some tips on how to grow the Mexican Tarragon. He was the one who introduced me to this plant. Richard picks and infuse leaves in hot water to make a tea which he drinks. 

I have always thought this plant cannot be obtained in Singapore! Besides sharing with me on how to grow the plant, Richard also generously told me the two places in Singapore that one can purchase some plants to grow at home. The information on the two local sources where one can buy the Mexican Tarragon, as well as, some tips on how to grow it are all provided in the feature article below:

 

Growing the French Tarragon Alternative

The French Tarragon, also known as the “true” tarragon, is a culinary herb that has a spicy anise flavour. Because it is a cool-growing plant, Singaporeans who wish to grow a pot of the French Tarragon for culinary purposes will often be disappointed. Under our lowland tropical climate, the French Tarragon plant languishes under heat and humidity, making the attempt not rewarding at all. For those who hope to be able to pick fresh material for cooking, the Mexican Tarragon is one heat-tolerant alternative that can be grown in Singapore quite easily. Read this article written by Wilson to know more.

URL - http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/sep08/sep08_mexicantarragon.pdf

 

The second article entitled “Celebrating the 4th Birthday for Green Culture Singapore” is one that had been posted on my garden blog in mid-September. I reasoned that that blog post should be turned into a GCS feature article so that members of the GCS discussion forum who are not familiar with my garden blog and/or have not attended our forum gatherings before, can also read and be aware of similar events.

 

Celebrating the 4th Birthday for Green Culture Singapore

 

Green Culture Singapore, a website and discussion forum which was started in 2004, celebrated her 4th birthday on 13 September 2008. The celebration was marked by a gathering similar to those organised in previous years which served to be a time for everyone who was present, to mingle around and catch up with fellow members. Read this article to find out what happened during the gathering.

URL – http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/sep08/sep08_4thgcsgathering.pdf

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Long-awaited Green Culture Singapore Feature Articles for August 2008!

Posted on November 6, 2008 | Leave a comment

I have been feeling guilty for not being able to put up the staple feature articles on the Green Culture Singapore (GCS) website since August this year. Even though three months have passed, I told myself that I have to make it a point to put up two articles.

The first article is entitled “Introducing Jewel Orchids” which was contributed by Ian Chung, one of the moderators for the orchid subforum in GCS and he is well-known for being an accompanished grower of these beauties.

(picture courtesy of Ian Chung) 

Introducing Jewel Orchids

Jewel orchids have attractive leaves that can be likened to the stars that glitter in the night sky and during daytime, they also sparkle like gems when their leaves reflect the sunlight that shines upon them. Learn how to grow these beauties by reading this feature article contributed by Ian Chung.

URL – http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/aug08/aug08_jewelorchids.pdf

The second article was written by myself which is entitled “Hand-pollinate Your Curcubits!”. Young fruits get aborted or become deformed if female flowers are not pollinated well. The article contains a step-by-step guide on how to pollinate the curcubit flower as well as some tips on how to do it properly, such as to perform hand-pollination only on fair days.

I have included a tip that has been used in squash breeding. Although this tip has not been tried on other curcubits, it may be worth trying and it requires one pick and store almost mature male flower buds inside the refrigerator which can be used to pollinate female curcubit flowers on a day where no male flowers are opened.

Hand-pollinate Your Curcubits!

Did your curcubit vines been producing deformed fruits or aborting young fruits? These observations could be due to the lack of pollination of the vine’s female flowers. Give your plants a hand by performing hand-pollination! Read this feature article to learn how to do it!

URL – http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/aug08/aug08_curcubitpollination.pdf

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Green Culture Singapore Feature Articles (Jun 08)

Posted on July 15, 2008 | Leave a comment

As usual, there are two gardening feature articles that have been uploaded onto the Green Culture Singapore website for the month of June 2008.

The first article was contributed by a young and talented member from the forum, Lim Xuan Hong, which focussed on the cultivation of the cockle-shell orchid.

Growing the Cockle-shell Orchid

The epiphytic cockle-shell orchid’s unique floral morphology is the main reason why collectors have found this plant to be attractive. Depending on your imagination, parts of the flower can look like the shell of a cockle or the tentacles of an octopus. Read this feature article written by Xuan Hong where shares with the reader the tips on how one can grow this orchid successfully.

The other is written by myself which detailed on the factors that determine the frequency of watering your container-grown plants. This second article was written in response to the many questions that I have been asked about how frequently one should water his plants.

Understanding the Drinking Needs
of Your Container-grown Plant

In a highrise environment, the most practical way to grow plants is inside containers of soil. Gardeners who are not aware of the drinking needs of their container-grown plants kill them either by not providing sufficient water or by giving too much of it. In order to avoid killing more plants due to the lack of knowledge of one’s plant’s water requirement, all gardening beginners are encouraged to read this article written by Wilson which is aimed to provide a better understanding of the various factors that affect the frequency of watering of plants grown in containers.

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Green Culture Singapore rated top again and New Feature Articles!

Posted on June 10, 2008 | Leave a comment

First and foremost, HitWise just informed me that Green Culture Singapore has been awarded the Hitwise Number 1 Award winner for the quarter ending ending January – March 2008. During this period, Green Culture Singapore ranked No. 1 based on market share of visits among all Singapore websites in the Hitwise Lifefestyle – House and Garden industry.

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all members and visitors for their support for Green Culture Singapore. Click on the link on award shield for more details:

As usual, we have two new gardening feature articles that have been uploaded to the Green Culture Singapore website for all gardening enthusiasts to read. The articles for the month of May were both written by myself – one focussed on the torch ginger (Etlingera elatior) and another is a book review written on my recent purchase of a kids gardening book by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Happy Reading and Gardening!!!

Light up your Garden with a Torch Ginger

The torch ginger is an indispensable plant for an ornamental tropical-themed garden or a herb and spice garden.The plant itself makes a great garden landscape plant, its flowers have immense ornamental value and its young flowering shoots are an important spice. Various parts of the torch ginger plant also have folk medicinal uses. It even has a place in an eco-garden especially as its flowers can attract sunbirds. With so many uses, it is difficult to give an excuse of not growing a torch ginger plant. Read this article to learn more about this high versatile ginger!

URL – http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/may08/may08_torchginger.pdf

Book Review on “Grow It. Eat It.”

“Grow It, Eat It” is a new hardcover book by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) that combines two intimate subjects, the gardening of edible plants and cookery. The target audience of the book is children, ages from five to eight years old. It is a lavishly illustrated book with colourful pictures and its contents are simple and concise. There is no technical jargon in sight. All the projects, presented in a step-by-step manner, can be done at home or school where most of the materials are readily available. Read the thoughts Wilson has after reading this book.

URL – http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/may08/may08_growiteatit.pdf

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Posted in GCS Feature Articles, Interesting News, My Thoughts..., Vegetables

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