Surmounting the Challenges of Home Gardening in Malaysia

Tanjung Bungah, literally meaning ‘Flower Cape’, is a seaside suburb located between Gurney and Batu Feringghi, and not far from the city center of George Town. Originally a sleepy fishing village, in later years the area has expanded to include high-rise apartment buildings, world-class shopping malls, a variety of eateries, and various tourist attractions.

Geologically, depending upon the area, the soil ranges from a silty type to more of a clayey type. I’m told by locals that when home construction expanded post-World War II the ground was first fortified by rock mixed with discarded elements normally associated with landfill (broken pottery, glass, shards of brick, various metals, etc.) to create a more solid foundation. This meant that quality topsoil was virtually non-existent and if desired had to be claimed from surrounding mountainous regions.

The house in which I live was built within the same time period and with a similar foundation. When I started gardening I soon discovered that the ground was extremely hard, had little drainage, and was littered with rock and various discarded items. Therefore I contracted to have approximately 10-12 inches of soil removed and replaced by topsoil being available from construction sites. Still, soil quality was not at the level I expected. I then immediately understood why locals widely use an abundant amount of fertilizer to enhance the growth of their plants and more than likely I will need to do the same.