LABASA – A Labasa housewife has awed residents in her area as a grape vine planted two years ago has finally borne bunches of grapes. In addition she has an apple plant that is about one and a half metres in height.
Sabhya Lal had the plants under the shrub under her water tank behind her Bulileka home, outside Labasa Town and the only rule she adhered to in ensuring the plants grew was having them grow in a cool area.
Although the apple tree has not borne fruit, she is positive it will do so in a few years’ time.
Labasa businesswoman, Helen Chang, who upon seeing the grapevine pointed out that it was the same kind of plant that used to grow in the yard of her home in America.
“Yes. That is a grape plant and that is an apple tree. We used to have it at the home I worked in, in America,” Ms Chang said.
Lal who has hidden the grapes under thick leaves to avoid it from being stolen said she has looked after the two trees well.
“So I planted it under the tank and the cool water leaking from the tank helped the branch grow. I first planted it in a pot and then transferred it under the tank.
“The apple tree was from a seed I took out from the fruit and planted it in a pot and used cold water all the time I water the plant,” Lal said.
She said the first bunch of grapes last year was stolen. “So I have to protect these bunch of grapes from people walking past my house as it is the first time for the vine tree to bear lots of fruit.”
