Tropical Heritage Garden Diary:

The packet of heritage seeds arrived yesterday. All in good order, except that one packet was missing. We are waiting to hear from the company.

Today, trying to prepare the soil -but rain stopped play several times. Have managed to trample a path through the area dug up by our helper Terri, and dig a drainage ditch on the up-slope side of the path -creating a slight hill in the middle. We now have two strips for planting. Have thrown down some grass cuttings in the hope it will mulch down enough in time for planting.

Later it was possible to plant some Chinese seeds (sweet pepper, tomato, carrot, radish, etc.) from the local supermarket in some of the existing beds. This was done by mixing all the seeds with some fine soil and throwing it directly onto the beds. A few herbs (parsley, coriander, etc.) were sown separately in an attempt to build a herb garden where pandan and ginger is already growing.

Dug up some turmeric from the "North" garden and replanted in various places around the garden (partly for decoration and partly to break up the soil.

Also dug up stray cassava from the "South" garden, clearing an area down to the trees -in order to open up a larger area to sunlight and make it available for planting. Later we had a snack from the cassava cooked in the milk of our own coconuts.

The seed company has promised to send the missing Stir Fry Mix. It will probably take about two to three weeks to arrive. Most of the delay involves the transfer from Manila to Baclayon, including customs clearance.

Planted around 12 cow-peas, Asparagus beans and Thai long beans. About 8 each along the edges of the proposed areas -with around 4 being planted in other parts of the garden (along chicken house fence and in Southern garden where winged beans have been growing). Also dug up some red ginger from the northern garden.

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