Joys of Urban Gardening
As we live in the city, there are lots of benefits such as opportunity of employment, better infrastructure and education opportunities, easy access to public transportation, entertainment and more. But we know that living here means facing the problem that we are about to encounter in our daily life. Urban areas tend to be more expensive to live in with the higher cost of goods and services than living in the province or rural areas. So all we have to do is to find a way to cope and survive. One of the effective ways is to practice urban gardening that may ensure us regarding the food security that we need. I myself tried to do it and the experience I had is something that I can be proud of because I received a gift which is better than those benefits I mentioned earlier.
Unlike my mother who loves gardening, I don't like plants, trees, and flowers in the first place. I don't hate them, I'm just uninterested. So we're having a semester break that time when our teacher told us that we must grow our own produce, I felt so lazy and bored. I was thinking of other fun activities to dedicate my vacation. I was just left with no choice but to do it.
I was lucky living in a neighborhood who loves to do gardening and planting. An old woman gave me a pot with the seeds of a native siling labuyo planted in there so I don't have to search and buy for seeds. And it's already planted so I just have to take care of it. She also gave me a lemon grass that is small. I may don't like doing it but I wished that time to be a good protector of my produce. I took the pot as I am accepting the challenge to overcome my laziness as I am also accepting the responsibility to let it grow and produce.
From then on, I started to live with the plant. It's like I gave him a permission to enter my life. I treated him differently that I even gave him a name which is 'Spice' since it's spicy. I woke up earlier than the usual everyday so that I can give him the proper care that they need to grow healthily. By watering him and the lemon grass to make sure that he gets energized through direct sunlight. I check him always so he won't be played by pets and kids. I also asked my family to check the plant to make sure it is safe when I'm going somewhere so I don't have to worry about it. Sometimes I'm talking to it as my diary just like what I saw from my mother. It's a big help that my family is helping me in this kind of thing.
Months have passed and I am happy of what I've become. The plant changes me slowly for the better. I am learning how to control and discipline myself. The experience I had while taking care of my plants is the best benefit it gave me. Spending time for myself is something I have ever did long time ago. Well, I'm always with my school works because he doesn't want to leave me. Through this activity I had reflect to myself which is a very important thing to do to breathe, to inhale the fresh air and exhale the negativity I have. It's teaching me how to handle responsibilities that is expected from you to accomplish.
This plant is called siling labuyo given to me by our neighbor.
She also gave me a lemon grass. Thanks to her, I don't need to find and buy seed.
My mother also helped me to take care of the plants. She was the one who transferred it to a flower pot. My father is in-charge in arranging our garden.
I'm happy about doing this because I had a great time bonding with my parents.
I'm happy about doing this because I had a great time bonding with my parents.
After a month... Still patiently waiting.
It's really a wrong decision to put these two plants together in one container. The lemon grass becomes dry. Luckily, their both alive.
This photo makes me proud of myself like, I never thought it would turn out like this.
I transferred the lemon grass to a new pot due to its dryness. I started all over. This time, I will be more careful.
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