Santa is in Kuala Lumpur shopping at KLCC

1.

Santa's sleigh is parked right in front Suria KLCC but there is only one elf here.
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and the rest of the reindeers are here too.
The reindeers are facing the KLCC Park entrance.

But where is Santa and his elves?

Healthy Happy Herbs: A Beginner's Guide to Herbs and Herb Gardening

1. Rosemary

Today I have a Lucky Draw Contest which is a FREE eBook giveaway to one of my lucky worldwide readers. Please go to the bottom of the post to find out more about this Christmas present.
Update: The winner has been selected, please go to my next post to find out more.

The pictures will guide you through some of the herbs I can grow in Malaysia, such as Rosemary, Lavender, Mint, Sweet Basil, Sage, Stevia, Common Rue, Tarragon, Dill, Parsley, Oregano and Thyme.

Tips On How To Care For Your Organic Home Herb Garden 

There are many benefits to cultivating an organic home herb garden. Going organic means you avoid using chemicals that can harm you, your plant, and the environment. Using organic products also help keep your plants healthier and improve the quality of your soil over time. Avoiding chemicals is specially important if you intend to use your herbs for cooking. 

Fertilizers for my DIY Garden in Malaysia

1.Vermiculite, Organic Potting Mix, Burnt Soil.

I am a quick results-oriented and cost-conscious gardener. But you can also call me lazy and stingy! I use two basic types of soil for gardening, a must-have in my garden and they are the burnt soil and organic potting mix.

Why the burnt soil?
Burnt soil is cheap in Malaysia. It cost about RM 2.00 or less (used to be RM 1.50 only). It is made from mainly clay soil burnt over a slow fire for a few days. As a result, this sterilized soil is porous and friable which leads to good drainage and aeration.

Why organic potting mix?
This is a pre-mix soil suitable for garden use, blended according to the correct proportions by experts, so I don't have to crack my head learning the 'secret recipe'. It is sold as black soil or "tanah hitam" in Malaysia.

Soil Mix
So when I prepare the soil medium for planting, I will mix the burnt soil and potting mix according to different formulas e.g. 2:1, 1:2, 1:1 or even 0:1 depending on the requirements of the particular plant I am potting. I also add in some fertilizers, compost and sometimes vermiculite. If I am germinating some seeds, I'll use only potting mix.

What types of fertilizers should I use for my home garden in the city?
Like Julie Andrew's song in The Sound of Music, "When we learn we begin with ABC, when we sing we begin with Do-Re-Me". Hence when we fertilize, we begin with N-P-K!

I am always experimenting with various types and brands of fertilizers for my home garden in Malaysia. Some examples of fertilizers I have tried are listed further down in the post.

For gardeners who wish to learn more about DIY gardening, do join me at My Nice Garden Chat, a facebook group dedicated for gardeners and gardening. The link is here.