Organic Gardening | Gardens With Purpose

Reimagining Urban Farms at Local Bus Stops (Colloboration with GIC)

administrator — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 10:57:03 +0000

Reimagining Urban Farms at Local Bus Stops

Do you know that in land-scarce Singapore, we rely heavily on other countries for imports?

In fact, a startling 90% of our Food Supplies are currently imported. It is no wonder that Food Security is highlighted as a major issue especially during this Covid Pandemic.

High food miles as a result of transportation and storage not only compromises the nutritional value of fresh food, it creates heavy carbon footprint which is environmental damaging as well.

What is Urban Farming?

Hence, we begin to see the birth of Urban Farming worldwide, which is simply the agriculture of food in urban areas that is usually done in smaller spaces incorporating technology to produce more with less land, labour and pollution.

Urban farming comes in many shapes and forms. In Singapore, you can find urban farms on rooftops, parks and even under a viaduct!

As physical boundaries for farming are being redefined, I begin to wonder how we at Gardens With Purpose can bring urban farms even closer to the Singapore community so that more people will grow to be aware of the importance of growing their own clean food.

GIC’s 40^th Anniversary Urban Farms Project

I was thus very excited when we had the opportunity to partner GIC on a unique Urban Farm Project to inspire the community to reimagine possibilities for a sustainable future in December 2021.

Partnering with sovereign wealth fund GIC, Gardens With Purpose conceptualized and created Urban Farms in a billboard and brought them to seven local bus stops in Singapore.

The urban farming equipment used in these installations are fully reusable for sustainability and after the month-long project, all the vegetables food produce will be donated to local charity Willing Hearts.

You can read more about the project here.

Urban Farming & Community

At Gardens With Purpose, we have been actively advocating Organic Edibles Farming as we should be growing food that is not only healthy and nutritious but also be free from harmful chemicals and pesticides.

I believe Urban Farming will not only enhance Food Security in Singapore, but it will also make it easier for Singaporeans to obtain fresh, affordable organic vegetables.

With our new Rooftop Farm in Choa Chu Kang, I hope it will encourage Singaporeans to not only learn about growing their own organic vegetables and to know where their food comes from, how it’s grown, and connect with the people who grow it!

The Organic Farm will also provide the space to grow and bond with a community of Urban Organic Farmer Friends.

It is with this conviction that I have planned for something exciting for you and your family on our Choa Chu Kang Rooftop Farm.

Do stay in touch with us by subscribing to our e-newsletter HERE, so you can be the first to hear about it. You will also receive a FREE copy of our S.O.W E-Book that reveals the Common Gardening Mistakes that Singaporeans make.

I hope we get the chance to meet on the Farm soon!

Regards,

Joanne Ng

瑞芳Rui Fang

Revealing Our Rooftop Organic Farm in Heartland Singapore!

administrator — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 08:36:59 +0000

Dreams Do Come True with Perseverance

I often recall the days of 2018 to 2020, where my team and I were harvesting and enjoying Delicious Organic Vegetables fresh daily from our humble Organic Farm at Bah Soon Pah Road.

This was perhaps one of the greatest highlights of my life.

To be able to start a Farm of my own, and to share the Joy and Knowledge of Organic Gardening to all Singaporeans so that everyone can pursue Cleaner, Healthier Food Choices for them and their Family.

Unfortunately, we eventually had to give up the Farm as the Government will be taking back the land for redevelopment.

Nevertheless, I have never given up on pursuing my dream of building an Organic Farm.

My wish for everyone in Singapore to enjoy and have access to Fresh, Affordable, and Nutritious Organic Vegetables remains, even though it has been a journey full of challenges in land-scarce Singapore.

As the Chinese saying goes, “皇天不负有心人”, with persistence and perseverance, things will come for those who wait.

I am truly excited to share with you that we have finally secured a Rooftop Space in Heartland Choa Chu Kang, Singapore and will be embarking on building a Vertical Organic Commercial Farm growing Fresh Organic Vegetables using Gardens With Purpose’s very own Organic Methods!

While we are still getting things ready and fully operational, I hope to share this excitement with you today through these Work-in-Progress photos below.

An Aerial View of Our Rooftop Farm Build-Up

It was also truly meaningful for me to reconnect with my students again last weekend when they volunteered their time and effort planting our first seeds/seedlings for harvest.

Nothing beats putting what you learned in class to actual practice!

This have greatly inspired me to start a long term network of Organic Farmers as well so that we can share knowledge and grow to be more experienced Local Urban Farmers.

Grateful for Our Alumni Student Volunteers, Amazing Team Work!

You can stay updated on our farm developments by subscribing to our mailing list if you have yet to do so. By subscribing HERE, you will also receive a FREE copy of our S.O.W E-Book that reveals the Common Gardening Mistakes that Singaporeans make.

I hope to bring you more good news and updates on our New Rooftop Organic Farm very soon. Stay Tuned!

Regards,

Joanne Ng

瑞芳Rui Fang

Understand the Science and Use of Eco Enzyme in Organic Gardening

administrator — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 06:37:26 +0000

The pursuit of Organic Gardening is not a bed of roses and when we consciously choose to eliminate the use of chemicals in our garden.

We are often faced with many challenges such as pest control and soil fertility issues.

It was after many years of research and studies to find alternative natural methods and organic alternatives, did I chanced upon the wonders of enzymes, probiotics, and the use of good bacteria in Organic Gardening.

I hope through this easy-to-read article, I can introduce you to the amazing benefits and science behind this, particularly the use of eco enzyme in Organic Gardening.

What is Eco Enzyme?

Eco Enzyme, or Garbage Enzyme is a multipurpose solution produced from the fermentation of fresh kitchen waste, sugar, and water.

It was first introduced by Dr. Rosukon Poompanvong from Thailand, who has been actively involved in enzyme research for more than 30 years and she encourages people to make eco enzyme at home to ease global warming.

The idea was to cultivate enzymes into organic cleaners, from waste that we normally thrash as garbage.

You would have commonly heard of its various applications as a household cleaner.

It is also a disinfectant and can purify air from airborne bacteria due to its ability to kill bacteria and fungus.

Cheap and easy to make, you can reduce your usage of chemical-based detergents using eco enzymes.

So How does Eco Enzyme work in Agriculture or Gardening use?

We can use Eco Enzyme for Organic Gardening to achieve the following:

– Build Fertile Soil, the nutrition that are contained inside the fruit and vegetable residue from processing an eco enzyme can be utilised as natural fertilisers.
– As a Natural Pesticide to repel pests & insects
– As a Natural Herbicide or weed killer
– Enhance Photosynthesis so that plants get more nutrients and roots absorbs more air
– Stimulate Plant Hormone to improve quality of edible crops like fruits and vegetables
– Keeps the Air in the farm atmosphere Cool & Clean
– Clean Dirty and Impure Water for Irrigation

By reducing or eliminating the use of chemicals, we can play our part in protecting the environment with less pollution. More importantly, we can ensure our food is truly organic and safe.

Understanding Enzymes for Plants

Enzymes are extremely small, yet powerful proteins made of complex chains of amino acids. They have the power to break down things into smaller components and can even modify or create things!

In fact, it is essential to all life forms, without which, there would be no life.

To simplify things for easy understanding, soil microbes use these specialized proteins to break down nutrients into small enough molecules for plants to absorb through their cell wall.

Soil Microbes

Plants draw all necessary nutrients for growth from soil thus enzymes are critical components to support plant growth.

This is because most of the organic material in soils and soil-less medium are too big and insoluble for plants to absorb.

For gardeners, you would want to know that plants can partner with enzymes to efficiently cycle the nutrients in their proper ratio automatically to meet plant nutrient demands too.

The ability to breakdown complex organic materials is what makes adding enzymes to your garden maintenance very beneficial to plants.

Some enzymes break down rotten roots and bad bacteria to improve soil structures through eliminating dead materials.

In the process, new air and water channels are created to keep the soil medium clean and cool from heat.

In summary, through fermentation, the ingredients used for making eco enzyme will create an enzymatic system beneficial for your plants.

This enzymatic system will naturally synthesize with plant proteins to promote better plant growth and inhibit harmful microorganisms.

Through better research and understanding of the nature and the natural methods to managing common gardening issues like soil fertility, pests, and diseases, it is not difficult to find easy as well as economical means to growing organically for environment sustainability and cleaner, better food for you and your love ones.

I hope with this article, you have learnt something new and discovered the many benefits of using eco enzymes in your organic gardening journey.

In case, you are too busy with making your own eco enzymes, you can always purchase our specially formulated GWP Soil Probiotics from our Online Shop here.

The GWP Organic Soil Conditioner / Soil Probiotics is made from fresh orange skins extract through a fermentation process and has the natural pest repelling characteristic of orange skins which is ideal for all types of edibles and flowering plants.

Take your first step to Organic Gardening today!

Keen to learn more about organic gardening & sustainable gardening, check out some of the workshops we offer below:

1-Day Workshop on Growing Organic Herbs & Spices

1-Day Growing Organic Vegetables Using Soil & Soil-Less Methods

3 Highly Recommended (Non-Culinary) Herbs to Grow at Home to improve your Health & Wellness

administrator — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 04:43:51 +0000

Are you one of those who grows herbs to enjoy that added freshness in your home-cooked cuisine? Basil, rosemary, thyme, and coriander are just some of the favourite herbs to grow amongst gardeners in Singapore.

There are however many other herbs that you can grow in your home, not just for culinary purposes, which will also help you with some common ailments and improve your overall health and wellness. I would always prefer and advocate for a natural remedy over popping pills and medicines.

Read on for my recommendations on the 3 healthy herbs that will grow well in your high-rise home in sunny Singapore’s climate.

Indian Borage

Also known as Mexican mint, this is easily one of the topmost Easy to Grow, Easy to Use and Easy to Find herbs that I have grown over the years. Keep a pot of Indian Borage handy in your home as a remedy when you suffer from these health issues:

a) Cold, Sore Throat, Stuffy Nose, or Sinuses

Compounds in the herb act as a natural expectorant to remove mucus and phlegm and clear out sinuses. It can also help boost your immune system by preventing bacteria or other pathogens from lodging and developing in your respiratory tracts. You can choose to chew on the leaves or just brew a hot tea with it.

Read more about how practical and useful Indian Borage is to grow in Singapore here.

b) Insect Bites, Eczema, or Psoriasis

Indian Borage is most effectively used in treating skin conditions. Whether it is insect bites, eczema or psoriasis, this amazing herb possesses anti-inflammatory compounds that can quickly reduce redness and swelling, while also eliminating itchiness and irritation.

Just pluck few leaves, crush it and rub on the infected areas.

Aloe Vera

One can easily identify this spiky, green, succulent plant as Aloe Vera. It is not only a decorative plant but also practical in many ways.

Aloe Vera is especially good for planting by beginner gardeners as it is hardy and very tolerant with forgetful waterers. Keep it happy by planting it in a pot with well-drained, sandy potting soil in bright, sunny conditions. The use of a good-quality potting mix of sand, compost and rice husk is recommended, as they allow good drainage.

Personally, I have enjoyed great success in using sand as the main medium for organic gardening for many years now and would strongly recommend this to all gardeners. Curious to know why? Spend a few minutes to watch this video as Lyon explain the benefits.

Aloe Vera is a good home remedy for:

a) Mild Sunburn, Acne, Psoriasis

The leaves of Aloe Vera are succulent and the clear gel inside its thick, pointy leaves acts as a traditional sunburn soother, relieving redness and promotes healing for mild burns when applied topically. Applying aloe gel to the skin could also help reduce acne and redness caused by mild to moderate psoriasis.

To use it, you can snip off an aloe leaf (as close to the stem as possible) and rub the juicy end on the sunburn or sore spot.

b) Weight Loss

Apart from skincare, Aloe Vera can improve the effectiveness of your diet and maximise your weight loss potential. It contains essential vitamins and minerals that helps with weight loss. The amino acids, enzymes and sterols in Aloe Vera also improves the body’s absorption and utilisation, improving overall health as well.

Aloe Plant Turning Brown? We recommend you take a look at this comprehensive post on the possible reasons and some fixes that you can apply easily.

Here is a good article on How to Use Aloe Vera Plant that you might be interested to read further.

There are countless studies that prove how effective Aloe Vera is for weight loss, but it takes time to work and must be consumed regularly over a period.

You can consume Aloe Vera in a juice form easily by dicing the gel into small pieces and blend it with some fruit or vegetable juice that is preferably sweet. According to your preference, mix it up with honey or lemon and drink up for better health.

Use a same sharp knife to “filet” the leaf, cutting off the green/yellow layers on top and simply scoop out the gel with a spoon. Remember the part you want is the clear gel inside the leaf leaving behind the lower layer of gel, closest to the rind which is a narrow band of yellow tissue that gives off a toxic, bitter sap due to the presence of aloin.

Stevia

For many who does not know what Stevia is, go look at the soft drinks section of the supermarkets and you probably find this.

Stevia is in fact a green leafy herbal plant and often used as a safe and healthy sugar substitute that can sweeten up foods minus the negative health effects linked to refined sugar. It is also linked to many impressive health benefits, such as reduced calorie intake, blood sugar levels, and cavities.

Also known as “sweet leaf” or “sweet herb”, you can easily buy them online or from nurseries in Singapore. Alternatively, you can try to grow them from seeds as well. Sow the seeds three inches apart, and about a half-inch deep. Water the area gently to help the soil settle, keeping the soil moist as the seeds germinate. If you plan to transplant the seedlings, you will need to thin them when they reach about two inches tall. Keep only two to three plants per large pot to give them more room to grow.

It is well-known that Stevia can help with diabetes, but do you know that it can also help:

a) Regulate Blood Pressure

Certain glycosides in Stevia extract have been found to dilate blood vessels which also increase urine output and eliminate sodium from the body which can help support healthy blood pressure levels. In turn, less stress is put on the cardiovascular system and there can be a drop in blood pressure, which protects heart health and prevents certain conditions such as heart attacks and strokes.

b) Lower Cholesterol Levels

Many studies have found that Stevia leaf extract could improve cholesterol levels to help keep your heart healthy and strong. The consumption of Stevia can lead to a significant reduction in bad LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels and an increase in the HDL cholesterol levels, which is healthy cholesterol and essential for good lipid profile.

Use fresh Stevia leaves as a sweetener in your drinks, such as tea, lemonade, or even in sauces for cooking or make a simple refreshing herbal tea by just steeping a few fresh Stevia and mint leaves in a cup of boiling water.

To DIY your own dried Stevia to make a powdered sweetener:

Bundle and hang fresh Stevia plant stems upside down in a warm, dry location until the leaves are thoroughly dry, then strip the leaves from the stems.
Fill a blender, food processor or coffee grinder with dry leaves to half full and process at high speed for a few seconds. Store the powdered sweetener in an airtight container.

Use it in any recipes that call for a sweetener but remember to adjust the amount used due to its dense sweetness.

I hope with this introduction, you have discovered some new herbs that you can grow easily in your Singapore home and use them to improve your health and wellness as well. Join us on our public Facebook Group Organic Gardening & Health Singapore (G.W.P) if you have yet to do so and start sharing your gardening journey and experiences with me and our community of avid gardeners.

Disclaimer: Consult your doctor before use if you have, or have had, any health condition or if you are taking any medications or remedies including OTC medications, or are planning any medical procedure. This is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment by a qualified doctor or other healthcare professional. You should ALWAYS check with your doctor if you have any concerns about your condition or treatment.

Discover the Top 3 Easiest to Grow Vegetables for your HDB Flat or Condominium in Singapore

administrator — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 09:28:02 +0000

Most often, I hear from my students that staying in small apartments makes it hard for them to start gardening. Complaints on the lack of space and sunlight which makes growing vegetables hard are common.

Most vegetables like Lettuce and Chye Sim do require a large space to grow (at least 6 inches apart) and provides only a one-time harvest. However, there are also a good variety of vegetables that can be planted close together and provide multiple harvests which are ideal for planting in small spaces especially if you stay in a HDB flat or small condominium in Singapore.

Thus, once you know the types of vegetables that are hardy to grow and suitable for your environment, you can be sure of a good harvest of fresh vegetables that you can enjoy together with your family.

Read on and be the first to hear about the TOP 3 Vegetables that is proven to be the easiest and most suited for growing in space-constraint HDBs and condominiums.

1. Kang Kong

Who doesn’t like a plate of spicy Sambal Kang Kong to go with a bowl of steaming rice for a meal?

If you are new to vegetable gardening, you will be glad to know that Kang Kong, or water spinach is a relatively low-maintenance plant that you can try your hand at.

You can easily grow this plant from seeds. Soak the seeds in water a day before planting. Kang Kong loves water, as the name suggest, and soaking the seeds will start the germination process well.

Remember to water the plants thoroughly after you transplant them into the soil or pots, ensure that you keep the soil moist and soaked. With plenty of sunlight and water, the leaves of Kang Kong can be harvested in as little as 30 days from germination.

2. Brazilian Spinach

Most seasoned gardeners would have heard of the Brazilian Spinach, which is one of the many vegetables that easily grows within a small space and especially friendly to beginners. Also commonly known as “Poor Man’s Spinach”, they have a fresh, tender crunch where the stems are usually not eaten, just the leaves.

Brazilian spinach is a low growing perennial (vegetable that will give you multiple harvests and can last for a long time) leaf vegetable that is grown from cuttings which means they do not require frequent replanting where you can just pick their leaves, trim them down and they will continue to grow. It thrives in hot, humid weather like Singapore and grows equally well in sunny and shady conditions.

Whip up a fresh salad with your spinach harvest or just add them to boiled soup for a simple meal. Alternatively, you can stir-fry them with mincemeat or ikan bilis for that extra crunch.

3. Thai Watercress

Thai or Wild Watercress is a species of Alternanthera and a perennial vegetable that love the sun and grows well in wet soil. It has a nice reddish hue to the green foliage and makes for a unique ornament to your garden at the same time.

Propagate using cuttings from stems, place them in water and position it to receive sunlight to encourage rooting. Once rooted, transplant the cuttings into a planter or pot with a suitable growing medium.

Caring for Thai Watercress is easy and simple, provide it with plenty of water by watering it daily. The leaves will grow bigger and faster when you expose it to more sunlight.

Harvest when the leaves are green, trim off the main stem with all the leaves that you need and leave only an inch or two behind, with a few leaves. The leaves will regrow again very quickly over the next 3 to 4weeks.

Best enjoyed as a soup and I also recommend to simply stir-fry them with garlic.

I hope this article provided you some ideas as to the types of vegetables that you can grow in your HDB flats and condominiums, whether you are a budding gardener or seasoned enthusiast. “The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies.”, and I hope you will enjoy the process of cultivating a bountiful home garden for you and your family.

If you are looking at how to overcome space limitations to grow more produce, check out our article on OVW (Organic Veggie Walls), vertical gardening solution that is perfect for HDB corridors and balconies.

Find out why easier to grow plants are better for you in our extra bonus video here as well.

Weeds Or Herbs? Why you should choose “Easier To Grow” plants

administrator — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 09:46:45 +0000

Check out the video above! Why is it better to buy, consume or grow “Easier to Grow” vegetables, fruits and herbs as compared to “Challenging Plants”. All experienced gardeners know this : there are some problematic plants we need to avoid, they tend to have diseases.

Compared to strawberries, locally grown fruits like , mulberries, durians, rambutans, longans & mangosteen has nutritional benefits better suited for people living on our sunny island.

Vegetables that are easier to grow are generally cheaper and do not require much pesticides. Understandbly, farmers would be more inclined to protect expensive crops by adding more chemicals.

So before buying the expensive Broccoli, consider the cheaper alternatives like kale, kailan or eating other veggies instead, for example : kang kong or malabar spinach. They are cheaper, have better nutritional value and are generally safer to consume.

The Most Practical & Useful Herb to Grow In Singapore

administrator — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 09:17:32 +0000

There is this general love for plants and gardening in Singapore.

One can easily find greenery or potted plants at every turn on our tiny island.

Homes, Public spaces and even Offices. It’s like there’s this need in us to put some greenery in every environment.

However instead of growing edible plants like Herbs & Vegetables, many opt for Ornamental plants with some even go for “plastic greenery”. This is probably due to:

The lack of knowledge on how to grow Herbs & Vegetables (Ornamental plants seems to be easier)
Space constraint (the assumption that a lot of space is required to grow sufficient edibles)
Ornamental plants tend to be more colourful and thus more beautiful

To me, if I’m going to dedicate precious space at home to grow anything, it has to be useful. Beautifying up the place is not good enough, it must have a bigger purpose.

So here are my requirements for “the most useful plant to grow at home”:

Useful (either to feed my family or can be used as medicine to heal my family)
Does not take up much space (obviously)
Easy to grow (won’t die so easily, less maintenance)
Easy to use (does not require much preparation to use)
Safe (you’d be surprised that many plants commonly found in households actually actually contains toxins)

Indian Borage A.K.A Mexican Mint

Among all the herbs and vegetables that I’ve grown, the clear winner has to be Indian Borage. Indian Borage or Mexican Mint is a herb in the Mint family (commonly mistaken for peppermint). It is EASY to Grow, EASY to Use, Safe, and takes up no more space than a regular potted Herb. They can easily be found growing around Singapore and many Nurseries sell a pot for around $8.

The most amazing Feature about the Indian Borage is it’s many medical benefits.

Usefulness

Indian Borage wins all other plants in this category. While it is not a vegetable to fill your stomach, it’s medical properties can cure a large variety of common ailments that many Singaporeans experience from time to time.

Here are 3 ways Indian Borage works as an amazing treatment:

Treatment for skin

From the simple insect bites to itchy skin to Eczema and psoriasis. Indian Borage offers an effective remedy/treatment for these common skin issues.

It seems that Eczema is now a widespread problem in Singapore. Quick polls in my workshops reveal that close to 50% of participants have a family member or friend suffering from eczema.

The wonderful news is that after introducing Indian Borage to participants, I received phone calls from them sharing excitedly about how effective this herb was after only a few day’s use. It really is amazing!

Besides treating eczema, you can also treat those pesky mosquito/insect bites at home. It is natural, safer, healthier and maybe even cheaper than using pharmaceutical products.

Sore throat, Common Flu, Phlegm, Stuffy Nose, Sinuses

While it is common knowledge that chewing on the Indian Borage leaves helps to ease sore throats, there are also powerful compounds in the Indian Borage that eliminates mucus and phlegm from your respiratory system.

My family uses it even on our young children when they have the flu. By applying on the chest or drinking the liquid crushed from the leaves, it helped the little ones to breathe better with less wheezing. This resulted with a better night’s sleep for everyone. (Parents, take note!)

Stomach Upsets, Irritable Bowels, Stomach Cramps

While it is not the best natural remedy for stomach issues (I prefer using homemade enzymes), it is still very effective in regulating digestion, treating flatulence, stomach cramps and inflammation. Drinking Indian Borage Tea itself also helps to relieve stress.

Other Benefits

Below is a list of other medical benefits of Indian Borage:

Detox the Body, Clear Toxin, Boosts your immune system, Anti-Inflammatory : reduces redness & swelling, Improve the Health of your Skin, Ease Pain, Relieve Stress, High Omega-6 content, reduce joint pain, Cancer Prevention

Space

Like most herbs, Indian Borage doesn’t require much space. You can grow it in any container ranging from Bubble Tea cups, recycled waterbottles, regular pots and even directly into the ground which will give you a huge shrub. So it really depends on your preference.

Easy To Grow

GOOD NEWS! It’s ok if you have “murdered” multiple plants in the past, because Indian Borage is a very forgiving plant. Some people will tell you that, “It just keeps on growing!”.

It is also often labeled as one of the easiest plant to grow in Singapore. “Difficult” to kill!

Easy To Use

You don’t have to be an Ayurvedic or TCM Practitioner to use Indian Borage. Here’s 3 easy ways to use the herb:

1. Drink it as tea! Soak the leaves in hot water for 10 – 15 minutes before drinking the brew. This is the most commonly used method. Ideal for stomach issues, flu symptoms as well as general health improvement.

2. Chew on the leaves! It is a little more effective than drinking it as tea. Use this method if you want a more concentrated dose. Ideal for people experiencing Sore Throats.

3. Crush the leaves and apply/drink the liquid. Put a few leaves in a bowl and crush it with a spoon. Apply the resulting liquid on affected skin (eczema, insect bites, etc). You can also drink the liquid to receive a more concentrated dose as compared to drinking it as tea.

Safe

Unknown to many, there are a number of ornamental plants found in homes which contains traces of toxins or substances that may cause harm to pets. An example would be the Money Plant which can be found in homes. There are also plants like Bougain Villas or Lemon Plants which has sharp thorns that poses a risk to children and pets.

Indian Borage is classified as an edible herb and is therefore safe for consumption. It has soft stem and leaves without any dangerous thorns. In fact, it has a furry feel to it which is very nice to touch.

I hope you found this article useful and that it has inspired you to begin planting herbs like Indian Borage at home.

From nourishing food to medicinal herbs, I truly believe that nature has already provided us with everything we need for a healthy life. The question is whether do you want to let nature be your medicine.

If you’d like to learn how to grow Organic Herbs at home (even in HDBs), click on the Image or Red Button below!

1 Day Growing Organic Herbs & Spices Workshop

Teacher’s Day Giveaway 2019

administrator — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 07:51:48 +0000

Happy Teachers Day

Giveaway has ended. We are now consolidating the entries and will be mailing out the seeds by 5th Sept 2019. Updates will be posted on our Facebook Page.

“Teachers plant the seeds of knowledge that grow forever” – Unknown

Teachers takes on one of the most challenging and impactful role in society.

It takes a special person to “(Teacher) take the hands, open the minds and touch the hearts – unknown” of countless children.

As a small gesture of saying Thank You, we are giving away High Quality Kang Kong seeds for FREE to teachers on teacher’s day.

While every teacher is special, we only have a limited supply of 500 packets for this giveaway.

Therefore only teachers from Singapore’s Primary Schools, Secondary Schools, Junior Colleges, ITE, Polytechnics and Local Universities are eligible (while stocks last).

To ensure that recipients are teachers, the seeds will only be mailed out to school addresses and attention to the teacher.

If you are a teacher or if you know of a wonderful teacher who touched lives, simply fill out the form below.

We will send the seeds out by post and announce updates on our Facebook page (Gardens With Purpose).

It is my hope that this small gift will bring out some smiles as well as a stronger love for nature.

Even better if they are able to share this knowledge of growing with the children.

*Gardens With Purpose respects your privacy and will never share your information with third parties
*While Stocks Last! We cannot 100% guarantee that all recipients submitted will get a packet. We will do our best to post updates and close this giveaway when all the packets have been claimed. Gardens With Purpose will also not be responsible for missing seeds lost through postage.
*As mentioned above, we will only post the packet of seeds to addresses of Primary Schools, Secondary Schools, Junior Colleges, ITE, Polytechnics and Local Universities. Non-eligible submissions will be ignored.

Important Note: It has come to our attention that there’s a small problem in the form. It doesn’t show you a sent success. So when you click “Submit”, it might not show you any response. We’re still trying to fix it at the moment. Don’t worry though, it will still submit. We’ve checked and all submissions was received. Just click submit twice to be safe.

Giveaway has ended. We are now consolidating the entries and will be mailing out the seeds by 5th Sept 2019. Updates will be posted on our Facebook Page.

Form

Form has been removed.

Gardens With Purpose In The News

administrator — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 03:45:09 +0000

Radio Interview on CNA FM938 on Urban Farms at bus stops

(2022 Jan 5)

Listen to The Audio Here!

Urban farms where you least expect them – at bus stops

(2022 Jan 3) Read Article Here.

Urban Farms at Local Bus Stops, a new project by sovereign wealth fund GIC and Organic Urban Farming School Gardens With Purpose aims to raise the profile of urban farms in Singapore with seven bus stops islandwide sprouting vegetables such as kailan, butterhead lettuce and chinese cabbage.

巴士站广告箱种菜让公众更了解城市农业

早报 (2021 Dec 18)

Read More Here!

全岛七个巴士站的广告箱下来四个星期将会种植生菜、白菜、芥蓝等蔬菜。预计产出100公斤以上蔬菜将全部捐赠给慈善组织“愿之心” Willing Hearts 爱心厨房。

GIC在七巴士站设城市菜园预计下月中丰收

新闻网 (2021 Dec 17)

Read More Here!

新加坡政府投资公司 GIC 携手有机城市园艺学院 Gardens With Purpose，在七个巴士站设立城市菜园。预计明年1月中可采收超过100公斤蔬菜捐赠慈善机构。

Watch The Video Here! (Mandarin only)

Seven Bus Stops Transformed into Urban Farms; All vegetables to be donated to local charity kitchen

(2021 Dec 17)

Read Article Here.

Urban Farms at Bus Stops: Colloboration with GIC

(December 2021)

Gardens With Purpose created a series of Urban Farms at Bus Stops in December 2021. The initiative is in partnership with sovereign wealth fund GIC and was launched to commemorate GIC’s 40th anniversary.

The urban farming equipment used in these installations is fully reusable and all produce will be donated to the community. Check out their website here for more information.

Watch The Urban Farms Video Here!

Urban Farmer: Effects of Growing With Sand
城市农夫：沙土种植有何功效？

(2018 Oct 10)

Our Founder Joanne and one of our earliest student was featured in Channel 8 News “Gardening Segment” on 10th Oct 2018.

As there is an increasing trend of Singaporeans learning how to do gardening, Channel 8 News begin featuring a gardening segment in their news broadcast.

In this 10min Video segment, Joanne reveals one of the Major Secret of Green Fingers. Click on the button below if you missed the Live Telecast.

Watch The Video Here! (Mandarin only)

指点健康爱上园艺一举多得

早报现在版 Zaobao NOW (2017 Oct 10)

As part of an article on the increasing trend of Singaporeans learning how to do gardening, a reporter interviewed a few of our workshop participants and even came to sit in at one of our “Grow Your Own Organic Herbs & Spices” workshops.

Mdm Tan, shown in the main photograph, attended our “Hands-on Home-Grown Organic Vegetables” workshop in 2016. She credits our top trainer, Joanne Ng (黄瑞芳), with teaching her the fundamentals of gardening while delivering the knowledge in an interesting way. This gave her enough confidence to turn her home garden into her experimental gardening playground within a year!

Mr Yang (educator, 37 years old), an attendee of our Herb & Spices workshop, said that through learning organic gardening, he hopes to lead a sustainable lifestyle and be able to feel the joy of gardening even while living in a modern urban city.

Two other attendees, the Chua sisters, recounted how they were influenced by their mother from a young age to love all things gardening. The younger sibling shared her love of cooking and how she looks forward to cooking healthy meals for her family with the herbs she will be growing at home.

The elder sister related how gardening helped her overcome the grief of her recent loss of a beloved pet Shih Tzu. A HDB resident, she said that going through the daily routine of watering and trimming her herbs and bonzai plants provides a soothing effect and helps lift up her spirits.

Read article online (Mandarin only)

More sign up for lessons to grow own food in urban setting

Straits Times, Lifestyle section (2017 Sep 22)

We were featured as part of an article on Urban Farming Workshops in Singapore!

Ms Mabel Wee, shown in the main photograph, attended our Organic Vegetables workshop in 2014.

Read article online

All about Fruit Enzymes Drinks and Tonics

Food & Travel Magazine Online (2017 Mar 13)

Joanne introduces some healthy and delicious probiotic drinks in this article published in Food & Travel Magazine online.

Read article online

Grow Your Own Greens

Food & Travel Magazine (2016 Oct/Nov)

Read article online

GWP’s Articles in Mandarin: 我报 MY Paper

我报 My Paper (2012 Nov / Oct)

My Paper published a series of instructional articles in which Joanne taught readers about Miniature Terrariums, Organic Vegetable Farming in HDBs, Orchid-growing (with Wilson from Toh Orchids), and Open Terrariums.

Read this Article HERE

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Success Stories From Participants

administrator — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 06:17:29 +0000

Organic Gardening | Gardens With Purpose

Reimagining Urban Farms at Local Bus Stops (Colloboration with GIC)

Reimagining Urban Farms at Local Bus Stops

Do you know that in land-scarce Singapore, we rely heavily on other countries for imports?

In fact, a startling 90% of our Food Supplies are currently imported. It is no wonder that Food Security is highlighted as a major issue especially during this Covid Pandemic.

High food miles as a result of transportation and storage not only compromises the nutritional value of fresh food, it creates heavy carbon footprint which is environmental damaging as well.

What is Urban Farming?

Hence, we begin to see the birth of Urban Farming worldwide, which is simply the agriculture of food in urban areas that is usually done in smaller spaces incorporating technology to produce more with less land, labour and pollution.

Urban farming comes in many shapes and forms. In Singapore, you can find urban farms on rooftops, parks and even under a viaduct!

As physical boundaries for farming are being redefined, I begin to wonder how we at Gardens With Purpose can bring urban farms even closer to the Singapore community so that more people will grow to be aware of the importance of growing their own clean food.

GIC’s 40th Anniversary Urban Farms Project

I was thus very excited when we had the opportunity to partner GIC on a unique Urban Farm Project to inspire the community to reimagine possibilities for a sustainable future in December 2021.

Partnering with sovereign wealth fund GIC, Gardens With Purpose conceptualized and created Urban Farms in a billboard and brought them to seven local bus stops in Singapore.

The urban farming equipment used in these installations are fully reusable for sustainability and after the month-long project, all the vegetables food produce will be donated to local charity Willing Hearts.

You can read more about the project here.

Urban Farming & Community

At Gardens With Purpose, we have been actively advocating Organic Edibles Farming as we should be growing food that is not only healthy and nutritious but also be free from harmful chemicals and pesticides.

I believe Urban Farming will not only enhance Food Security in Singapore, but it will also make it easier for Singaporeans to obtain fresh, affordable organic vegetables.

With our new Rooftop Farm in Choa Chu Kang, I hope it will encourage Singaporeans to not only learn about growing their own organic vegetables and to know where their food comes from, how it’s grown, and connect with the people who grow it!

The Organic Farm will also provide the space to grow and bond with a community of Urban Organic Farmer Friends.

It is with this conviction that I have planned for something exciting for you and your family on our Choa Chu Kang Rooftop Farm.

Do stay in touch with us by subscribing to our e-newsletter HERE, so you can be the first to hear about it. You will also receive a FREE copy of our S.O.W E-Book that reveals the Common Gardening Mistakes that Singaporeans make.

I hope we get the chance to meet on the Farm soon!

Regards,

Joanne Ng

瑞芳Rui Fang

Revealing Our Rooftop Organic Farm in Heartland Singapore!

Dreams Do Come True with Perseverance

I often recall the days of 2018 to 2020, where my team and I were harvesting and enjoying Delicious Organic Vegetables fresh daily from our humble Organic Farm at Bah Soon Pah Road.

This was perhaps one of the greatest highlights of my life.

To be able to start a Farm of my own, and to share the Joy and Knowledge of Organic Gardening to all Singaporeans so that everyone can pursue Cleaner, Healthier Food Choices for them and their Family.

Unfortunately, we eventually had to give up the Farm as the Government will be taking back the land for redevelopment.

Nevertheless, I have never given up on pursuing my dream of building an Organic Farm.

My wish for everyone in Singapore to enjoy and have access to Fresh, Affordable, and Nutritious Organic Vegetables remains, even though it has been a journey full of challenges in land-scarce Singapore.

As the Chinese saying goes, “皇天不负有心人”, with persistence and perseverance, things will come for those who wait.

I am truly excited to share with you that we have finally secured a Rooftop Space in Heartland Choa Chu Kang, Singapore and will be embarking on building a Vertical Organic Commercial Farm growing Fresh Organic Vegetables using Gardens With Purpose’s very own Organic Methods!

While we are still getting things ready and fully operational, I hope to share this excitement with you today through these Work-in-Progress photos below.

An Aerial View of Our Rooftop Farm Build-Up

It was also truly meaningful for me to reconnect with my students again last weekend when they volunteered their time and effort planting our first seeds/seedlings for harvest.

Nothing beats putting what you learned in class to actual practice!

This have greatly inspired me to start a long term network of Organic Farmers as well so that we can share knowledge and grow to be more experienced Local Urban Farmers.

Grateful for Our Alumni Student Volunteers, Amazing Team Work!

You can stay updated on our farm developments by subscribing to our mailing list if you have yet to do so. By subscribing HERE, you will also receive a FREE copy of our S.O.W E-Book that reveals the Common Gardening Mistakes that Singaporeans make.

I hope to bring you more good news and updates on our New Rooftop Organic Farm very soon. Stay Tuned!

Regards,

Joanne Ng

瑞芳Rui Fang

Understand the Science and Use of Eco Enzyme in Organic Gardening

The pursuit of Organic Gardening is not a bed of roses and when we consciously choose to eliminate the use of chemicals in our garden.

We are often faced with many challenges such as pest control and soil fertility issues.

It was after many years of research and studies to find alternative natural methods and organic alternatives, did I chanced upon the wonders of enzymes, probiotics, and the use of good bacteria in Organic Gardening.

I hope through this easy-to-read article, I can introduce you to the amazing benefits and science behind this, particularly the use of eco enzyme in Organic Gardening.

What is Eco Enzyme?

Eco Enzyme, or Garbage Enzyme is a multipurpose solution produced from the fermentation of fresh kitchen waste, sugar, and water.

It was first introduced by Dr. Rosukon Poompanvong from Thailand, who has been actively involved in enzyme research for more than 30 years and she encourages people to make eco enzyme at home to ease global warming.

The idea was to cultivate enzymes into organic cleaners, from waste that we normally thrash as garbage.

You would have commonly heard of its various applications as a household cleaner.

It is also a disinfectant and can purify air from airborne bacteria due to its ability to kill bacteria and fungus.

Cheap and easy to make, you can reduce your usage of chemical-based detergents using eco enzymes.

So How does Eco Enzyme work in Agriculture or Gardening use?

We can use Eco Enzyme for Organic Gardening to achieve the following:

By reducing or eliminating the use of chemicals, we can play our part in protecting the environment with less pollution. More importantly, we can ensure our food is truly organic and safe.

Understanding Enzymes for Plants

Enzymes are extremely small, yet powerful proteins made of complex chains of amino acids. They have the power to break down things into smaller components and can even modify or create things!

In fact, it is essential to all life forms, without which, there would be no life.

To simplify things for easy understanding, soil microbes use these specialized proteins to break down nutrients into small enough molecules for plants to absorb through their cell wall.

Plants draw all necessary nutrients for growth from soil thus enzymes are critical components to support plant growth.

This is because most of the organic material in soils and soil-less medium are too big and insoluble for plants to absorb.

For gardeners, you would want to know that plants can partner with enzymes to efficiently cycle the nutrients in their proper ratio automatically to meet plant nutrient demands too.

The ability to breakdown complex organic materials is what makes adding enzymes to your garden maintenance very beneficial to plants.

Some enzymes break down rotten roots and bad bacteria to improve soil structures through eliminating dead materials.

In the process, new air and water channels are created to keep the soil medium clean and cool from heat.

In summary, through fermentation, the ingredients used for making eco enzyme will create an enzymatic system beneficial for your plants.

This enzymatic system will naturally synthesize with plant proteins to promote better plant growth and inhibit harmful microorganisms.

I hope with this article, you have learnt something new and discovered the many benefits of using eco enzymes in your organic gardening journey.

In case, you are too busy with making your own eco enzymes, you can always purchase our specially formulated GWP Soil Probiotics from our Online Shop here.

The GWP Organic Soil Conditioner / Soil Probiotics is made from fresh orange skins extract through a fermentation process and has the natural pest repelling characteristic of orange skins which is ideal for all types of edibles and flowering plants.

Take your first step to Organic Gardening today!

Keen to learn more about organic gardening & sustainable gardening, check out some of the workshops we offer below:

1-Day Workshop on Growing Organic Herbs & Spices

GIC’s 40^th Anniversary Urban Farms Project