Wednesday 11 April 2018

Home Grown Malabar Spinach From My Garden

We are now blessed with fresh and tender home grown Malabar Spinach from my garden. Both the sun and rain has contributed to the growth of the seedlings into healthy plants. Not everyone is a fan of this Malabar Spinach but I am used to eating this leafy vegetable since a young kid. Those days, we have the Malabar Spinach vines growing on the fences and it was a standby supply of green vegetable for the table whenever needed.
One day while watering my plants, I noticed a small plant growing next to a flower pot and it looked like a Malabar Spinach plant. Eh! How did the plant get to grow by itself? The last time I planted Malabar Spinach was about a year ago and you can click here to read the post. Did a single seed remained dormant in the ground until it decided to sprout after almost 2 years later? Or maybe a flying stork decided to drop a little seed into my garden!
 Anyway, I decided to let it grow and trained the vine up the support so that I might collect some seeds for future sowing. Watching the vine climb up the support reminded me of the "Jack and the beanstalk" story. Tiny white flowers appeared and then turned to green and later to black seeds.
Every morning I collected the black seeds from the vine.
Seeds collected from the vine. Some are purplish black. Those collected earlier were the dried wrinkled ones. 
 I then sowed some of the seeds using a black plastic bag and a pot. 
The seeds have sprouted into healthy plants.
 Can you see a self-propagated Cleome seedling growing in the midst of the Malabar Spinach?
You can also see some self-propagated Wishbone flower seedlings growing here.
These 2 containers combined is enough for a plate of green for us.
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The following flowers from my garden are for joining Floral Bliss.
Tiny Crown of Thorns flowers
Yellow Dancing Ladies orchid flowers.
Wild tiny white flowers with yellow centre.

Linking with Floral Bliss.

The night is far gone, the day of his return will soon be here.
So quit the evil deeds of darkness and put on the armor of right living,
as we who live in the daylight should!
Be decent and true in everything you do so that all can approve your behavior.
Don't spend your time in wild parties and getting drunk or
in adultery and lust or fighting or jealousy.
(Romans 13:12-13, The Living Bible-TLB)

44 comments:

  1. You have the most wonderful green thumb.

    Have a fabulous day, Nancy. ♥

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  2. I have seen these purplish black seeds before but I didn't know that they are malabar spinach.

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    1. This Malabar Spinach used to be a poor man's veg but now it is being served in restaurants and given the name "emperor's veg" or "wong dai choy".

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  3. A Malaysian friend once posted me some malabar spinach seeds to plant, but none sprouted - perhaps not warm enough:( You are so blessed to be able to grow this veggie so easily - a free food from your own garden is always the best. Guaranteed fresh and most delicious! Keep on enjoying your garden Nancy:)

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    Replies
    1. Probably not enough sun. It grows easily without much care with plenty of sunlight and water.

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  4. It is so good to grow and have fresh veggies for the table from your own garden, you have the greatest green fingers, i love to look at those beautiful flowers, they make me happy like how music makes me happy

    Have a wonderful day, nancy

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Libby! To be able to harvest what we have grown and enjoy the beautiful flowers are the rewards of gardener's toil in the garden.

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  5. Your spinach looks so fresh, healthy and so, so GREEN - enjoy!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Riitta! The sun and rain help too!

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  6. ...there must be very little that you don't grow!

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    1. Thank you, Tom for the kind compliment! There are plenty more that I couldn't grow!

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  7. I learned something here. I did not know there are different kinds of spinach! And this is the best I have ever seen. In the grocery store, it only says "spinach". Do they each taste a bit different? Do you cook it? How do you eat it?

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    1. Hi Ginny, this is not the same as the spinach and they taste different. This has waxy leaves. It can be blanched, stir fried or cook in soup.

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  8. I love spinach, we use a lot here at home, especially in soups.
    Beautiful orchid, mine have not bloomed yet.
    Greetings
    Maria de
    Divagar Sobre Tudo um Pouco

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Maria! I hope to collect more orchid plants.

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  9. Wonderful! From your own garden to dinner table...just fantastic!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Angie! Our fresh supply from the garden!

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  10. Curiosa planta y bonitas fotos. Besos.

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  11. I love spinach but I have never heard of Malabar spinach, interesting. Take care Diane

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    1. Thank you, Diane! The Malabar spinach is different from the normal spinach! You take care too and keep warm!

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  12. Spinach is one of those things i love but don't eat enough of.

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    Replies
    1. I love spinach too. Have a great day, Mimi!

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  13. I don't know this kind of spinach. Don't think I tasted this before.

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    Replies
    1. This is not the same as the spinach we used to eat.

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  14. Me too, love it. Surprisingly home grown doesn't have that muddy and slimy taste.. even the red stem one taste better homegrown 😝

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    Replies
    1. I suppose we pluck the tender leaves. Maybe as they mature, they may get slimy!

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  15. I havent tasted spinach in my whole life! This would be cool for me to know, !!!

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  16. I am a great fan of spinach and use it a lot. You are a very talented gardener. The flowers are beautiful.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Mamas! Spinach is healthy and has many health benefits.

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  17. Muy interesante. Las flores son muy lindas. Besitos.

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  18. So nice to have home grown greens.

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  19. Malabar is about the ONLY vegetable that grows well for me. Unfortunately it's one of the few vegs I don't like... haha. I have tons of seeds which I don't bother to sow back (or will end up having to eat this veg way too often)

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    Replies
    1. I agree with you. Won't be nice if eat too often. I suppose we can pass on to friends and neighbours.

      Delete

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