KUALA LUMPUR: A house belonging to a fishmonger in Setapak here has become quite an attraction after he successfully planted winter gourds from China that can weigh as much as 20kg.

Local winter gourds weigh about 1kg each.

Chia Sun Pua said he bought the seeds in Henan during a trip there. He said his neighbours and friends were surprised to see the size of the winter gourds.

"Many told me that my winter gourds taste better than local ones," he said.

Chia said many people had asked him to give them the seeds so they could plant it in their gardens.

"I share all the vegetables with my friends and neighbours. I do not use any chemical fertiliser," he said, adding that he used anchovies as fertiliser.

He said people have come from as far as Malacca for his vegetables.

Besides winter gourds, Chia also grows vegetables and fruits such as cabbage, mustard, brinjal, choy sam, kai lan, lady?s fingers and papayas in his garden.

"I like gardening and I feel happy when I see the vegetables grow beautifully," he said.

Chia said he would spend about an hour in his garden every day after finishing his work at the Selayang market.

"I am very happy when people tell me that my organic vegetables taste better," said Chia, who turned his house compound into a vegetable garden about 10 years ago