https://img.leopedia.io/DQmNXmsCJqVEKHSNNRBzVxWtDyHK6wvhWwE69LPtHojqSeM/img_1744673900613_1.jpg 

Hello, welcome to my blog. I hope you are #aliveandthriving. I am and I feel grateful for that.

So today had me getting my hands dirty.... Yes, dirty with garden work or were you thinking of something else? Lol. It's the planting season here so I decided to plant some seedlings - maize, okra and "ugu" (pumpkin vegetable - Telfairia Occidentalis). Doing this, no doubt would benefit me in few months to come. I'd be eating fresh farm produce right from my garden. I love them fresh, hehehe. I'll equally be saving some cents, which would have been used in buying them from the market.

Thankfully, there's a small portion of land in my compound where I usually cultivate so last week, I cleared it and prepared the ridges afterwards. I also prepared the seedlings for planting. 
 https://img.leopedia.io/DQmbY9MXao1AubiFUf44u6NYkAHuJLFU6QdtGFMEDx6HNwa/IMG_20250414_084111_531.jpg 

For the "mkpụrụ Ugu" (pumpkin seeds), I cut the pod open and separated the seeds from the pulp, then left them to air dry for two days. 
 https://img.leopedia.io/DQmQG5g4ZFjA6FXKuknFhHUXRw129sjE4AHaA6Qtu3iXhtA/IMG_20250414_083804_045.jpg 


The maize and okra, were soaked in water overnight. This would help speed up the germination process and produce healthy crops. 
 https://img.leopedia.io/DQmRMZAtP8toYrU58JytT1bd3VmtUvJ3PRcjWXjGZDXFHCx/IMG_20250414_083708_55.jpg 


**The planting.**
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https://img.leopedia.io/DQmbQUH21rATntp7q36GgGDP8cosZiaiBKLfXzWJpjC9bjM/img_1744674304054_1.jpg 

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The yam head I kept had sprouted, so I planted it too. I had already planted about three yam heads that sprouted earlier.

 https://img.leopedia.io/DQmb7rMyQiNwx5WBkdkpMV8pRqHpXHfA7SHiUepGSRvZSeq/IMG_20250414_083834_219.jpg 

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At the other side of the garden are the  peppers and vegetables (ugu and curry) from the previous year's planting. I was always watering them during the dry season and that helped them to survive the weather. With the coming of the rains now, they're up and thriving well. 

![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmUt4KGcn5iC44N8cr8e1QfJxSzj6CPeoeGGCpXzHPFkcg/1744676712538.jpg)



The peppers are already producing fruits, soon they would ripen and I'll start enjoying fresh pepper. Lol. 
 https://img.leopedia.io/DQmaK3WoSzJKY8neiUwUQzNx6YED79Em3fWFDXtehx2hfu1/IMG_20250414_084310_334.jpg 


Ah, before I forget. Here's how the "ike  ugu" (pumpkin seed pod) looks like. This is from last year's planting. It was a late yield and not fully mature. It will come in handy for late planting. 😉

![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmQQrgEAvxNfkCy7BAZ7fr7NqfXsLAkAt6i2YciqGNMNeB/1744676205312.jpg)
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And there's mushrooms in my garden. Thankfully, they're edible so I forged them. 😋

![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmPcM8FMqqHeq8eq56JBamfr5RXPoqLvhCeK641bMAgUPW/1744676439248.jpg)
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![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmXDdwUQohhRZonJMhnCevwxxWqr4dH5hNDxVeNtzBfM2t/1744676470451.jpg)
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That's a wrap on my gardening activity today. Watch this space for updates on the crops. Ciao! 


![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmcJNCgPh82K9VDtE6Deedt5vTYBvPJtSwogrCLw8qUQZm/1744676287145.jpg)

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**Author's Photos**

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