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Visiting Philippines? Try this dessert

  My #1 Philippine dessert is not traditionally filipino. The day I arrived was grey and wet, yet humid. The traffic was a cluttered mess going from the airport. But the start of an authentic Asian experience. It was in September. I am however not reminiscing about my stay, but the smell of caramalized sugar when I entered the kitchen that following morning. The Philippines have its traditional dessert like Halo-Halo and Buku salad that is both delectable, must try frozen desserts. But it is neither of the two that made an impression on me during my visit to the Philippines. I originally began writing this post to share a great delicacy of my first visit to the Philippines.  Being passed off as a filipino dessert, I soon realised that this is not a filipino dessert but, the filipino version rather. It is still the filipino version I prefer, since I had travelled to Mexico, France and South Africa. My finding is that the filipino version referred to as Leche Flan is tastier,...
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Growing Pepper Plants

 

Written by Conray Guallar Blignault


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Pepper Plant Growing

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We took up planting months ago as a hobby, and very aware that we are new at this. It is however part of our future plan of living a more sustainable life.

We began planting the seeds of "poncans"(mandarin) early as it will take these seeds 3 to 4 years before grown or baring any fruit.

Apart from that, I must be honest, I have been a little of a fool for fast gratifying endeavors so I decided to plant our pepper seeds.

1)    

Malaysian Chili

The Malaysian Chili seeds came from the fruit of an existing Malaysian chili plant that I purchased weeks before, so I thought to just stuff the seeds in a little container with left over soil from our poncan planting. Compare to the poncan that will go on to grow into large trees, these Malaysian chilies took too long to my expectation to reveal themselves from the soil, but it happened eventually.

2)     

Chili

In another container, I placed the seeds from our regular chili, as in the Philippines red chili is nearly always used in some form to accompany your food. This chili plants seemed to have been growing faster, yet slower than expected, but these tiny plants were the healthiest green, tiny, but strong

Ways chili's are used to accompany Filipino cooking

3)   

  Bell pepper

Bell pepper at the time – including all other vegetables -was so expensive in the Philippines due to the Typhoon that I decided to start another container with soil and I planted the bell pepper seeds. Note all the above was planted days apart, but the bell pepper that I planted last, showed growth faster than the chili, the Malaysian chili that was planted first showed germination last...

So that is how that came to be, we have been putting tremendous dedication into the growth of our new babies, 36 baby poncan trees. It is extraordinary the amount of pride one feels by the success of growing something from nothing, which is not just the case with plants but so in life, business, even relationships.

 



But now months later, I seem to be struggling with their growth...and the fact that they seem to have some kind of fungus or parasite.

I searched online, I think many of our go to place...and it seemed quite certain that POWDERY MILDUE is the cause of this. I followed the instructions and tips even replanted into different soil, but I seem to be losing them plant for plant, day by day. This is the case of all three plantings.

The leaves get this white powdery substance under the leaves, soon turns yellow, until they just fall off the stem. I thought perhaps, over watering. Not enough sun, but even you give them sun, here in the Philippines, I believe it to be too much.  I have even adjusted my times of watering.

I have posted some images and close ups, please share or comment with your thoughts or advice, maybe you have the same challenge or you can help some of us rescuing our plants, and help them grow strong.

 



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