I finally got garden egg seeds for planting; sold my utazi leaf for the first time

I have been longing to get garden seeds to grow such that I can be eating the leaves whenever I want. I have found out that it is not a leaf that is popular here in my city of residence. Garden egg leaf is a very common leaf in the Eastern part of my country where I came from and I do enjoy it a lot when I chew it raw or add it to okra soup or even to African salad. But unfortunately, it is not here and I thought of growing it myself but the seeds have been out of my reach.

Whenever I travelled to the Eastern part of my country, I do look for it but having been able to see it. Like the saying goes : 'what one might be looking for uptown can still be found downtown'. Yes, a new neighbour moved in close to my house who is from the Eastern part of my country. We got to know each other when she visited me and saw my garden in front of my house. She admired it a lot and went round to take a look. Then she admitted that it really is great growing ones food. She said that I have a lot of leaves around me. Well, I told her that I was lacking one that I so much love to have. She immediately told me that she has the seeds of that garden egg after i mentioned it to her. She said that her mother gave it to her when she visited her. She came back with it along with green, a vegetable that we use here to prepare a special kind of yam portage. The seeds are below in a picture form

	the garden egg seeds
Green seeds

Preparing the ground for the seeds

First, I thought if the garden egg seeds can be able to germinate here in my city of residence since I haven't seen anyone growing it. But I was assured that I will. Another challenge came: the space to plant them. Yes, I had planted a lot of things on that small space in front of my house ranging from cassava to pumpkin seeds, to okra to corn, pepper, utazi. Everywhere is filled up as you can see in the pictures below

	cassava
Corn
	okra
Soursop
	pepper tree

I also have bitter leaf trees scattered all around close to the fence. I thought it uprooting some of them and making use of the space. It was a good idea. That was what I did with the help of my husband, we were able to uproot the ones on the area I wanted to use.

	the bitter leaf trees on the space I wanted to use
After uprooting them

After that, I tilled the ground, poured rabbit urine mixed with water on the tilled area, then poured ashes on it too. Then I tried mixing it together. After which, I planted the seeds though separately. I had to plant them on different sides

	area for the garden egg seeds
Area for the green. I planted pepper there to mark the demarcation

In order to avoid stepping on that area since it is close to walk areas, I used blocks or bricks to clearly mark the area see what I mean in the pictures below

I am hopeful that these crops will grow well here, it will be a great achievement for me. I can always run in, get the leaves and use. Why that garden egg leaf will be more useful to me is that, when preparing the soup, you don't add it to the soup the way other leaves are added. It is only added to that particular portion that you have scooped to eat at that moment. That way, it is always fresh in the soup. So, if I prepare okra soup, I won't add the leaves to the pot until I get out the portion to eat, then I can get to the garden and pluck the quantity I need. I will surely share it when it grows. Be on the lookout!

Selling my utazi leaf for the first time

While trying to look for a space for those seeds, I noticed that my utazi plant had grown enough to be cut. Some it were crawling on the ground. I can't use all at the moment because I didn't have need for it them. I thought of who to give it to, I couldn't think of anyone that will be needing them. I then cut some down and took them to my neighbour to see if she will need them but she said she planted hers already. She won't be needing them then. She helped me fold them the way it is folded in the market for sale and told me that it can be sold for N200 ( 1 steem). The money was small but I was so excited that I was going to sale it.

I had to take it to the junction and gave it to a shop owner to place in her shop and sale for me. She accepted and sold it for me and gave me the cash.

You can see how free they look in the pictures above. Growing our own food helps us to it fresh foods, direct from farm to pot. I am so happy that I have a space to grow my own food.

See you all in my next update!