Yellow peeps, how’s life
I am checking on my draft and there are many unpublish posts that I need to finish up and schedule to post. I am just lazy… Things happen in life, not that I make it an excuse although people can tell it is obviously an EXCUSE. Hahaha… And so, this time I’d like to share my failures to my little achievements in growing some chili peppers. I have been determine to grow my own chili because this particular plant is the big three plants that I have struggled to grow.
I don’t remember if I have share this story before; anyway, I am here telling how happy and proud I am of my little accomplishments after repeated failures. Born as a Balinese doesn’t make me someone who can handle spices well. If you Google a bit on Balinese traditional cuisines, you’ll find there are loads of traditional dishes that heavily seasoned with spices and fresh herbs, let pick Babi Guling (Balinese roasted pork) and Ayam Betutu (steamed or roasted chicken – can use other poultry too like duck – that seasoned with herbs and spices and cook for a period of time, usually over 12 hours). I like them but I can’t take all the spices well. Probably I grow up eating more Chinese fusion dishes considering my environment and the people I grew up with. One of my friends even questioned my origin, HAHAHA… Well, she kind of accepted it now but she still tell people that I have deeper Chinese roots than Balinese one. As I grow up, I’ve learnt how to cook more Chinese and Japanese dishes more simply because it suits my taste. If I crave for Balinese food (which is very rarely), I’d go to my favourite warung (food stall) to eat. I think the only Balinese dish I can make is sambal matah to accompany chicken or fish dishes (did you know that tofu and tempe can be used too?).
Back to my chili peppers. For years, I’ve tried to grow chilies, tomatoes, and some greens. However, the text book theory is not as easy as it is on the field. I killed many tomatoes (cherry, heirloom, etc) no matter how meticulous I care for this plant. My tomatoes ended up with yellow leaves, root rot, powdery mildew – I had to cut them off. Then my chili peppers were no different, since I lived in my parents’ house it was hard to control the garden. My mother didn’t listen (she still doesn’t). She does whatever she wants; refuses to follow my instruction that leads to many unnecessary arguments. In her eyes, with my background (spend more time in the city, have 0 clue on gardening and farming), there’s no way I know how to garden. My God, she absolutely forgets how my late father taught me basic life skills including basic gardening when I was a child. He drilled the idea that gardening and cooking were part of survivor skills we ought to know.
Exhausted with my mother’s way, I asked my brother to help me made a section in the garden where she can do whatever she wants to do but never touch my side of garden. Finally, slowly but surely more chilli peppers were thriving along with alliums (spring onions, scallions/green onion, leeks). The beginning of 2025 is the period that I am the happiest. All the efforts and hard works I put it have resulted in fruitful harvest. Even when I was away working in the city, they’re doing alright. For the first time I felt relieve, content; I even wanted to cry watching those chili peppers grew so well. After every failure in life, I found something I could be proud of. For many, it could be nothing; for me though, this is a little accomplishment that has lifted up my spirit.
Currently there are at least 8 different varieties of chili peppers. I believe I got them mostly from the market as I always collect some seeds to sow whenever I got extra chili peppers from the market. Aside from conventional planting, I’ve tried hydroponics system for some chilies. The result isn’t that fantastic, there are a lot of works I need to work on to find suitable formula and system, especially if I need to leave for work or spend time with my family, two baby boys (they’re no baby anymore – year 4 and year 2 obviously not babies) that I’ve missed dearly and daddy Paul too. HEHEHE… I’m still learning hydroponics system and conventional gardening isn’t that easy either with potted plants. Plus, in Epping with its subtropical climate, I ought to learn seasonal planting. That’s a whole different knowledge to digest, yet it’s so fun I could spend a day in the garden without knowing how fast the time flies.
I proudly share this few weeks I have harvested pretty chili peppers to use at home. I have made a few jars of chili flakes oil, sambal bawang (shallots and chili flakes) as well as many dishes involving chili peppers whenever my younger niece home. She loves her spices; sambal tofu, sambal tempe (tempe with chili flakes), squid with chili and sambal bawang are her to go request. I’ve tried to make two different version, one is for me (less spicy that she hates. LOL) and her hot and burning version. In every harvest I could get 80gr to 100gr of red chili peppers. My mother prefers to get the white/green chili peppers that actually I am against, but again, I love peace more than unnecessary arguments.
I’ve sown some other seeds too, the plan is they will stay in pots as I don’t have enough space to grow every plant I want. I have lychee,, about a year now that I grow from seed, then more herbs like lemon basil and choco mint, more alliums, and also I am trying to grow citrus (lemon and orange). My mother citrus tree is amazing, hence I want to grow different types of citrus as the pollinators love the fragrance of their flowers. I’d share more in the future…
In case you’d like to see my daily garden update, follow me on X (previously Twitter). And if you’d like to share some gardening tips and tricks, it would be amazing. I’d love to hear your gardening story, failures and successes are part of the journey. The journey and the process we take are worth it.
xx
thehungrykittens.art.blog 