Green Culture Singapore Feature Articles Archive 2006
Festive
Plants for the Lunar New Year
Read
this extensive and colorful article contributed by Boon Kiat on
the plants and flowers we buy to display in our homes for Chinese
New Year. Plants covered include annuals, temperate flowers, bulbs,
fruit plants and cut flowers. (Jan 06)
Growing
Arrowhead this Lunar New Year
Arrowheads
are making their appearance in the markets again. They have become
synonymous with the Lunar New Year. Read this article to learn
how to choose good corms to grow at home to herald the New Year!
(Jan 06)
Unveiling
the Black Face General
The
Black Face General was in the limelight in recent years for its
anticancer properties. Read this article contributed by Wilson
to learn more about the plant, its uses as well as how to grow
it at home. (Jan 06)
Rose
Growing in Skyrise Apartments
Valentine's Day is around the corner. Wanna try growing a
pot of roses for your partner? Let Boon Kiat tell you how you
can do that... (Feb 06)
How
to Repot a Festive Season Bought Phalaenopsis
Chinese
New Year is over. What to do with that Phalaenopsis bought for
the festive season? Let Ian tell you how you can give it another
chance to grow by repotting it in a new home to start anew!
(Feb 06)
Green
Culture Singapore Gathering 7 Jan 2006 @ Bukit Timah
Another successful gathering that was organised for Green
Culture Singapore members. Read on how it was like if you missed
it!
(Feb 06)
Are
you growing more than just greens?
In your enthusiasm to cultivate greenery to beautify your
homes, are you also breeding the dangerous Aedes mosquito
that can transmit dengue virus? Enjoy gardening and be dengue
free. Read more to find out how you can prevent mosquito breeding
in your plants. (Mar 06)
Hand
Pollination Guide for Tomatoes
Growing tomatoes in highrise apartments can be a challenge
where there is a lack of natural pollinators. Here's a step-by-step
guide where the apartment tomato gardener can follow to pollinate
their crop's flowers to assist fruit set. (Mar 06)
GCS
members meet at the Mongkok Flower Market of Hong Kong
Read on to find out how Green Culture Singapore helped to
connect local plant lovers with those from overseas. Also included
is an introduction to the famous Mongkok Flower Market. (Mar 06)
My
Adulterous Love Affair with Musa
The banana plant is not priced only for its delicious fruits.
Ryan shares with the reader the beauty of the ornamental counterparts
of the edible banana and why you should plant them in your garden...
(Apr 06)
Book
Review: Growing Your Own Vegetables
Almost three decades old, the information found in this handbook
still remains very much relevant. Let Wilson tell you why this
book is a must-read for a beginner at vegetable gardening under
local conditions. (Apr 06)
GCS
Gathering & Nursery Tour 4 & 5 March 2006
Almost three decades old, the information found in this handbook
still remains very much relevant. Let Wilson tell you why this
book is a must-read for a beginner at vegetable gardening under
local conditions. (Apr 06)
Pot
Culture of Cacti
In this article, Matthew shares with all cacti enthusiasts the
recipe of a cacti mix that he has concocted himself. Read this
article to find out more on how to repot and transplant your cacti
and take care of your newly transplanted prickly friends. (May
06)
Peperoooo-Mia!
If you are looking for a low maintenance plant to grow at home
or in office, the Peperomia is the plant for you. You will be
spoilt for choice when it comes to Peperomia. Depending on the
occasion and feel, you can select a plant according to their distinct
growth habits. (May 06)
How
to Make Your Own Self-Watering Pot
Are you too busy with your life that you have no time to water
your plants? Read this article to learn how to make a self-watering
pot that will help to keep your plants hydrated, from materials
that are available cheaply. (May 06)
A
Pictorial Tour of the Chatuchak Plant Market & Bangkok Nurseries
All plant lovers who have been to Bangkok will have heard of the
famous Chatuchak Market. It is virtually a tropical plant lover's
paradise, a wide range of plants can be found on sale, which include
orchids, aquatic plants, cacti and succulents, popular ornamentals
like the Adenium and Plumeria, and numerous exotics. Be treated
to the pictures taken by Valentine during his recent trip! (Jun
06)
Bananas, Travellor's Palm and Heliconias
This article is written by Prof Wee Yeow Chin, Patron of the Singapore
Gardening Society, on the order of plants in Zingiberales.
When I think of the plant family Musaceae, bananas come
immediately to mind. But ornamentals like the Travellor's Palm,
Heliconia, Ethiopian Banana, Bird-of-Paradise and Yunnan
Banana are also members to this family of giant herbs. (Jun 06)
Say
a lil' Prayer
The Marantaceae consists of herbaceous perennials that
are native to tropical regions of America and Africa where the
climate is hot and humid. The family consists of 31 genera, of
which a handful, namely - Calathea, Ctenanthe, Maranta, Stromanthe
and Thaumatococcus - are commonly grown here. Read on to
know more about the numerous cultivars and cultivation techniques.
(Jun 06)
Bignoniaceae
- A Family of Many Interesting Trees
Bignoniaceae is a family featuring many ornamental shrubs,
trees and climbers that are characterised by their colourful tubular
flowers. Read on to find out more! (Jul 06)
The
Fourth International Symposium on the Family Zingiberaceae:
Ryan's Reflections
The fourth international symposium on the family of gingers is
held in Singapore in 2006. Read on to find out what's this symposium
is all about and why Ryan enjoyed it so much! (Jul 06)
Alsobia
- No Longer an Episcia
Two
Episcia species
-
E. dianthiflora and E. punctata were
reclassified under a new genus Alsobia
in 1978. Plants from this genus are characterised by white flowers
that have interesting frilled edges. Read this article by Nancy
Robitaille to learn more about them as well as tips on how to
grow them. (Aug 06)
Vegetable
Gardening using Raised Beds
Clay,
the most prevalent soil type in Singapore's built environment,
is a nightmare to any urban vegetable gardener. Read this article
written by Wilson to learn how to construct raised beds so as
to be able to grow healthy and tasty greens. (Aug 06)
Green
Culture Singapore is TWO years old!
Green Culture Singapore celebrated its second anniversary in the
Viewing Gallery at The Serangoon on 16 September 2006. Read on
to find out what went on for the gathering and what we have achieved
in our second year. (Sep 06)
Apocynaceae
- A plant family with many interesting uses
The pong pong tree, yellow allamanda, Madagascar periwinkle, the
oleander and the frangipani are all members of the Apocynaceae
family. Read this article contributed by Prof. Wee Yeow Chin to
find out what's so similar between these plants that groups them
all within a family. (Sep 06)
The
Need for Dormancy
Many
carnivorours plants originate from areas that experience distinct
warm and cold seasons, unlike the relatively monotonous weather
we get here in Singapore. As a result, those which have adapted,
slow down their growth and enter dormancy, or a "winter" rest.
Let Hong Yee share with you some tips on how you can let your
CPs have a good tropical "winter" rest! (Oct 06)
Green
Culture Singapore 2nd Nursery Tour
Green Culture Singapore organised yet another nursery trip on
the 21 Oct 06. The trip allowed new members who missed the first
trip to acquaint themselves with most of Singapore's important
plant places. Read on to find out where are the interesting places
members visited. (Oct 06)
Growing
Cacti & Succulents in Highrise Apartments of Singapore
For
those of you who could not attend Boon Kiat's talk on "Growing
Cacti & Succulents in Highrise Apartments of Singapore"
at
the Geylang East Community Library on 14 Oct 2006, read this feature
article to recap what you have missed! This article is perhaps
the first of its kind which lists and describes the cultural requirements
of almost all the common cacti & succulents commonly found on
sale in Singaporean nurseries. (Nov 06)
Make
yourself a Tillandsia Christmas Tree this season!
Find the traditional Christmas pine tree too common? Make yourself
a different kind of Christmas tree this season by putting up a
Tillandsia Christmas tree. This novel idea was inspired our Green
Culture Singapore discussion forum member, "TALOS". (Nov
06)
GCS
@ Singapore Garden Festival 2006
The
inaugural Singapore Garden Festival was a memorable experience
for all of us in Green Culture Singapore (GCS) and we are honoured
to have received the invitation from NParks to participate in
this show. This was our first time for GCS to be involved in an
international garden festival. Read this article which begins
with the thoughts from one of our members, Chong Ren, who has
given all his time to be at the festival. If you have
missed the festival, be invited to a tour where you can view more
than 100 pictures taken throughout the 10-day event! (Dec 06)
