My hubby & I arrived back in my hubby's hometown, Kulim, Kedah, almost a month late than our original plan. The garden that I left in my mother in-law's care seem to be making slow progress. Sadly, my watermelon & pennywort (pegaga leaf) didn't survived the snail attack (they seemed to like these two the best). The pennywort leaf had actually been planted on the vegetable bed and under the cool shade they seemed to be doing okay. However, I guess the slugs have been going at them while we were away and now we are left with the stalks and the roots only. I have replanted them (the roots) and this time I chose to place them in my mother in-law's antique flower pot and hope they will have a good chance to survive. I guess I'll have to look out for those slugs and keep them away with some salt, perhaps some egg shells to keep them away. Anyhow, for those who are interested to plant the pennywort leaves (cantella asiatica) or its common name in Malay 'Daun Pegaga' in a container here's how:
1) Find your ideal pennywort in the night market or wet market. Buy only the feshest bunch, and when you get home, place them in a jar of water to keep them fresh while you prepare for the next step.
2)What you need is a no-hole flower pot, or if you don't have them, a normal flower pot with a saucer underneath them. The pennywort loves water and they would grow best in a wet medium. So it is better to have a pot without a hole so that the water will always be sustained in the soil.
3) Fill the pot with soil of your choice ~ black soil/ mixed mixture/ clay-ish soil/Lempung (indonesian)...fill until 3/4 full.
4) Plant the pennywort bunch in the soil and fill the pot with water, and let the water rise above the soil level. Place the pot on your window sill, balcony or any shady area...as long as there are enough sun light for its green leaves....
5) Just remember to keep the water level above the soil to keep your plant happy!
What is it good for?
Here are some quotations on its medicinal values & health values:
"Medicinally, pennywort has a considerable reputation as a tonic. It is considered a blood purifier and good for eyes, nervous conditions, memory and arthritis. It is reported with some medical support that a paste is helpful in healing wounds and reducing scaring. It is also often applied as a facial for a more youthful appearance." ~www.clovegarden.com
"Richard Lucas claimed in a book published in 1966[8](second edition in 1979) that a subspecies "Hydrocotyle asiatica minor" allegedly from Sri Lanka also called fo ti tieng, contained a longevity factor called 'youth Vitamin X' said to be 'a tonic for the brain and endocrine glands' and maintained that extracts of the plant help circulation and skin problems." ~ wikipedia
Final word, well, the herb has always been part of our local salad condiment, and even the ayurvedic treatment swears by them to keep the brain perky, the skin beautiful and youthful...So, why don't you start growing them today? ;)
No comments:
Post a Comment