Whether you’re growing in a backyard, balcony, or even a few polybags by the gate — you’re part of a growing wave of Malaysians saying “no thanks” to overpriced produce and bland veggies.
At Project HARVEST, we’re all about celebrating everyday growers. Here are 5 real Malaysians who turned small spaces into mini edible jungles — and found freedom, food, and fulfillment along the way.
🌿 1. Aishah, 33 – Shah Alam (Balcony Farmer Queen)
“I started with 1 pandan pot. Now my condo balcony feeds 2 people!”
Aishah works in finance and never imagined she’d be a plant lady. During lockdown, she planted one pandan and got hooked. Today, her balcony has pandan, mint, basil, serai, cili padi, and even limau kasturi.
Her hacks:
- Uses shoe racks as vertical planters
- Makes her own compost using fruit scraps
- Swears by banana peel tea
Favourite crop: Daun Kesum (for laksa days, of course)
🌱 2. Jason, 40 – Georgetown (Front Yard Farmer)
“I don’t mow grass anymore. I grow ulam.”
Jason turned his tiny front yard into a productive green space. He grows ulam raja, kacang botol, turmeric, lemongrass, and even bananas — surrounded by a community that now stops to say hi and ask for tips.
His approach:
- Mixed raised beds with polybags
- Uses crushed egg shells and chicken manure
- Trades ulam with his neighbour for curry leaves
Favourite crop: Kacang botol — fast, crunchy, and climbs beautifully
🍃 3. Mei Ling, 29 – Kuala Lumpur (Studio Flat Grower)
“No garden? No problem. I grow on racks by my window.”
Mei Ling lives in a studio apartment and has no balcony. But that didn’t stop her. She uses a 3-tier rack by the kitchen window to grow pudina, selasih, kangkung (hydroponically!), and even kunyit in upcycled Milo tins.
Why she loves it:
- Relieves stress from digital work
- Saves RM10–15 a week on herbs
- Her mom is now a fan too
Favourite crop: Pudina — perfect for tea and sambal
🌴 4. Pak Din, 65 – Petaling Jaya (Retired, Not Tired)
“I may be retired, but my pokok keep me busy.”
After retirement, Pak Din needed something to keep active. Now his backyard is a full mini-kebun with papaya, pandan, serai, nangka, and chillies. He’s even helping his grandkids plant ulam raja!
Why it matters:
- Gives him purpose and fresh food
- Teaches his cucu about pokok
- Shares extra harvest with neighbours
Favourite crop: Serai — says it grows with “very little drama”
🌼 5. Nadia, 25 – Seremban (TikTok Gardening Star)
“I posted a timelapse of my kangkung and it blew up.”
Nadia started posting her gardening journey on TikTok for fun — and now she’s built a following of over 15k fans who love her plant updates. She started with budget containers and now shares tips, hacks, and mini tutorials.
How she grows:
- Uses polybags and vertical racks
- Does banana water tutorials
- Has inspired dozens of followers to start planting
Favourite crop: Kangkong — because “fast = content = serotonin”
🧑🌾 What These Growers Have in Common
- They started small — one pot, one tray, one pokok
- They reused what they had (ice cream tubs, buckets, polybags)
- They stayed consistent
- They harvested more than just food — they found peace, purpose, and pride
💡 Want to Be Featured?
Are you a home grower, balcony pokok warrior, or fruit tree fanatic?
Tag us @projectharvest.my with your gardening photos and story — and you might be featured in our next HARVEST spotlight!
✅ Wrap-Up
These stories prove what we believe at Project HARVEST:
You don’t need a big garden to grow something powerful.
You just need to start.
So whether you’re planting serai in a pot or rambutans in the yard — know this: you’re part of something bigger. 🌱
Inspired? Don’t wait. Grab a seed, a spoon, or a polybag and start your own HARVEST today — and tag @projectharvest.my so we can cheer you on! 💚