GARDENING FOR THE SOUL. . .

. . . A TALE OF PEPPERS. 

Sometime ago, in contemplating the rising cost of tomatoes and peppers in the Nigerian markets, I decided to grow them in my home garden which was non-existent at the time. The first set of tomatoes and peppers I planted didn't do well and eventually became non-existent. 🤓

But I wasn't deterred. I took lessons from the first outing. Lessons? The plants needed my consistent attention and care. I had to be intentional, present, patient and observant. 

So with my determination and lessons learned, I decided to have a go at it again with my focus on peppers, solely. I love my food spicy and 🌶️ hot. 🤓

The next outing produced two pepper plants out of over twenty pepper seeds that I planted. Again, I learnt more lessons.

Watching the pepper plants grow from those tiny seeds under my care was like partnering with nature to create a miracle. That's exactly how it made me feel. Yes, plants grow almost everywhere and everyday but the experience with these two pepper plants touched something within me. I guess you could say it touched me on a soul level. 

Watching the pepper plants flower and produce fruits (pepper is a fruit, has seeds and the peppers grow from the pollinated flowers) gave and still gives me joy. It made me grow my "bouquet of peppers", to borrow my friend's phrase.🤓

I'm growing the bouquet as an experiment. I may give you an update on the outcome, if you're interested . . .

Before I knew it, other crops made their appearance in my garden and I discovered that I enjoy planting and watching crops grow. Who would have thought?

The waterleaf plant also known as Talinum fruticosum, Talinum triangulare, Ceylon spinach, etc., was the easiest crop to grow out of them all. Quite a resilient crop in spite of it's soft looking stem and leaves. I have never seen a waterleaf plant with leaves longer than my palm prior to these ones I grew in my garden. The length of these leaves spanned the tip of my middle finger to the end of my palm! 🤓

By the way, the peppers from my garden, specifically the sweet bonnet variety, have started making their way into my cooking pots.😊

The waterleaf too.

Still observing and learning from the onion bulbs on how best to grow them. The first set became non-existent. In the image below is one onion bulb from the second set I planted. I captured the image before I replanted the spring onions after separating them. 

I planted cucumber seeds twice but they didn't germinate, not at all. I now understand that the seeds I used may have been the cause. Will definitely try again.

I planted cabbage stumps twice, they grew but got bothered by some black insects and that was it. 🤓 May try again though. 

I planted watermelon seeds, they germinated but got eaten by lizards while they were still tender! Haven't tried again. The golden melon seeds germinated, grew and were doing well until some spiky worms from nowhere ate up a lot of their leaves. 🤓

The ginger rhizome (root) is beginning to sprout . . .

Some of the yam plantlets survived as you can see below, others didn't.

My gardening experience so far? It has become a thing of the soul for me, for the want of better words with which to express my experience. It is teaching me patience and consistency on a different dimension while sharpening my already existent observational skills. 

I hope you enjoyed my tale of peppers as much as I enjoyed telling the tale?

Stay beautiful,

'Zibah.