A holiday well spent: Planting fruit trees

December 11, 2022

Plant to have something to be harvested in the future.

Last December 08, 2022 is a national special non-working holiday. Students don't have classes and most employees don't have work that day.

My husband is working in one of the biggest company in town the Dole Philippines Inc. His superior declared that they don't have work during that special non-working day. Though my husband and his workmates wanted to work so they don't miss a one day salary because it's a no work no pay holiday but they don't have no choice because they were not told to report that day.

A night before the holiday, I already asked my husband what we are going to do in the next day? Where we go? So our day won't be wasted and the holiday will be productive.

What a coincidence? Full moon falls on December 08 and my husband planned to plant fruit trees in our vacant lot in the next Barangay. I don't know if it is true that if we will plant during full moon it will give us a fruitful harvest that's why he planned to plant it during full moon. I also heard this thought from my late father. I don't know what's the connection, lol. Do you have this practice too?

My husband bought some fruit trees to be planted earlier so when full moon comes, it will be ready for planting. He bought durian, rambutan and lansones for planting.

When I asked him what's the plan for holiday? He then said, we will go to our vacant lot.

The next morning, we wake up early and prepare to go to our vacant lot. I just cooked rice and my husband told me that we will just buy viand in the cafeteria.

We took a bath early and prepare the things needed to bring. We bring planting materials, the plants to be planted, food, water, utensils and extra shirts. My son also brought his lego toys with him, lol. When I asked him why he brought his toys, he then answered: "I brought this so I will have something to play in there." I just look at my husband and we just smile. He might think that he will be bored in there and having his toys will make him survived the boredness, lol.

We dropped by in the bakeshop to buy some bread and to the cafeteria to buy some "pastil" and viand.

When we reach there, we had our breakfast first. We have it in the ground covered with a waterproof tarpaulin that serves as our mat. I put everything in it and we enjoyed our breakfast together. I wanted to take some good pictures but my husband told me that I think about pictures first than to offer a prayer first. Oh! he don't understand me that I will be using it in future blogs, lol. So, please bare with that picture, lol.

After breakfast we started to do our task. Above is the materials we used for gardening. My task is to unweed the cassava plant and to clean the banana trees. His task is to put the net in the other side of the fence, to plant additional banana and those fruit trees as well as to remove dried banana leaves. My son's task is just to behave and play, lol but believe me he can't just stay in one corner and play without having trying to do something.

I am already removing the weeds and I asked my son a favor to take some pictures for me but oh he never did, so I just took a selfie, lol.

Look at the bananas before cleaning. They look so crowded as the dried leaves and weeds are enjoying to be with them.

My husband started with removing those dried banana leaves. He just use knife and long stick to do it.

He also removed the heart of this banana. After a month I think, this will be ready for harvest.

My son noticed it and as usual he wanted to try it. My husband let him and he was so happy that he was able to remove two or three dried banana leaves. He told me his accomplishment happily and he didn't noticed that I already saw him and have a picture of him.

My husband then proceed in putting the net in one side of the lot. This will help to protect our plants from animals and even chicken.

I am busy with my own task when I noticed that he is already planting those fruit trees. I stopped and then grabbed my phone to take pictures so I have something to share with you, lol.


He planted three banana trees.

He also planted this durian tree. Actually we already have this fruit before in our lot but unfortunately it died because some animals ate its leaves.

He also planted another rambutan as the first plant also died.

He also planted lansones. We decided to plant these trees so as time goes by they will grow. We are paying this lot for five years so they will grow more before we can fully paid the lot.

Time is precious even to plants so let's use it wisely.

My husband finished his task while me? not yet done, lol. I keep on standing and took some pictures and sit in the ground to have some rest, lol.

My husband then helped me. I just finished unweeding three lines of cassava and he finished the other two lines.

I then proceed in cleaning banana trees and requested my husband to take some pictures of me. This time he just followed me and didn't say any word, lol.

This is how I clean banana trees. I removed those old banana peel at least two or three every banana tree. I did it and my husband also help me finished it.

We did it! Banana trees looks fresh after removing those dried leaves and cleaning the tree itself.

The cassava plants looks so happy as they were free from weeds.

We finished everything before lunch time. So, we had our lunch there too before we went home.

It was a well spent holiday and a very productive day. A family bonding spent in the garden. A precious time, a chance to plant, a chance to bond and a chance to do the choice of gardening than staying at home and do nothing.

Planting is always a blessing to those who planted it because in due time we can reap a harvest.

All photos are mine.

Thank you so much for reading.