diy Top @Kew Drive

[ahhboi 15]

Oh, that's good to hear~~

[Ks Toh 74]

I got my koi pond contractor back to redo my front pond, as it was not the "crystal clear" pond that I was promised.

They took all all the fishes and put them in a temporary tank. Then they removed all the gravel and filters. They found that under the gravel, there was only one filter pipe. They added 3 more, total 4. Then they put back all the gravel and filters, and added sand and more gravel.

Edited March 16, 2014 by kstoh

[Asking4Help 1]

Nice.

[Ks Toh 74]

Water getting clearer.

[Asking4Help 1]

Much clearer than the 1st pic !

[Ks Toh 74]

For many people, after all the renovations have been completed, it is time to bring in the plants. I did some planting in and around my house, but the last plant, a frangipani about 4 m in height and weighing close to 200 kg (without pot) had to be brought up to the roof terrace. There was no way to bring this up via the staircase, so how?

The workers (3 indian foreign workers) told me they will pull it up via the side of the house!

[Ks Toh 74]

First, they secured a rope around the tree.

Then the workers went up to the roof terrace to pull the tree up, while I stayed at the ground level manoeuvring the tree out of obstacles like the ledge, windows etc.

Halfway I had to run to my level 3 window to help push the tree as it got stuck first at the window ledge and then at the awning.

Edited March 25, 2014 by kstoh

[Ks Toh 74]

I had to rush to get band-aid for the workers as they got cut by the rope. My goodness. I discovered that they were using bare hands to pull the rope.

Then I had to rush to get water for them as one of the workers, the youngest one who has just started working in Singapore for less than 3 months, almost fainted. Not sure whether it is from the cuts or sheer exhaustion.

It was really hard work for them.

But eventually, they managed to get it to the side at the top, and then bring it over the ledge.

Then they planted the tree into the pot. As it was still freshly planted, they had to secure it with ropes.

[alfredt 27]

will the tree outgrow the pot ?

(pardon the silly question, as i am thinking about pandan leaves in a pot. I gotta re-pot it every few quarters as the roots starts to overtake the pot)

[Ks Toh 74]

Honestly, I have no idea. But I think it will take many years before the tree outgrows the pot. I think the frangipani tree will not grow so fast, and its size may well be limited by the pot. (Maybe check back this page after 5 years? )

I did consider a bigger pot, but I thought it would not look nice. The one I chose seems just right for this plant size.

Pandan leaves are different. They grow very fast. In fact, in my yard, I had to cut away much of the overgrown pandan leaves.

Edited March 25, 2014 by kstoh

[Ks Toh 74]

My plant seems to be growing well. Took a nice picture today.

[alfredt 27]

the plant is indeed settling well into the new home

[eelnaes 6]

I had to rush to get band-aid for the workers as they got cut by the rope. My goodness. I discovered that they were using bare hands to pull the rope.

Then I had to rush to get water for them as one of the workers, the youngest one who has just started working in Singapore for less than 3 months, almost fainted. Not sure whether it is from the cuts or sheer exhaustion.

It was really hard work for them.

But eventually, they managed to get it to the side at the top, and then bring it over the ledge.

Then they planted the tree into the pot. As it was still freshly planted, they had to secure it with ropes.

that's quite a dangerous move, even using bare hand without any form of hand protection

[Ks Toh 74]

They did not pull the plant up in one move. Two men were pulling and the third was securing the end of the rope to my railings. So, each time they were pulling up the plant bit by bit, and the third man was securing the rope. And fortunately for them, there was a window ledge above the first and third level windows. So, these were intermediate platforms which they could rest the plant on.

Still, it was dangerous. I was particularly shocked that they were using bare hands. I offered them plastic kitchen gloves (the only ones I had) but they declined, saying it would be worse. Appreciated their hard work.

[Ks Toh 74]

Pioneer Landscape in Jalan Lekar is where I bought my frangipani, chinese new year citrus lime trees and many other plants. This place is far away but worth a visit if you are buying bigger or more plants. Directions to this nursery were given in my earlier post here: http://www.renotalk.com/forum/topic/62505-top-kew-drive/?p=835734

Otherwise the little plants at Ikea are good enough. The tall orchid below was bought from Ikea. The shorter one from one of the nurseries along Bedok South Road. Both about $6. The pots are from Ikea.

Edited April 2, 2014 by kstoh