From the Editor’s Desk

Hello friends….

We are from the land of Avadh where the famous words are “पहले आप” or “You First”.

For once, I would like to change this.  Rather, we would have to change it to “पहले मैं”; that means “I first”.

As we are aware of the famous proverb “Charity begins at home”. This is the time we need to implement this at the right earnest.  Let us ask ourselves “How long can we live healthy if we keep polluting our mother earth, our environment, our waters, our air, our plants?”

More importantly, what kind of future we are going to leave behind for our young generation?

This reminds me of a painting competition held by a school where I was invited as a guest. Both, the parents and children were to participate in painting competition. The elders were allowed to pick up the colours first. And they all picked up all colours, leaving behind few blacks and greys; for the children to pick up. If we use up all colours of nature, our children will be left with only shades of black for future.

Remember that this environment not only belongs to us, but to  future also.

And the call of the time is that we put in our best to save our planet, lest we are left with only ashes. There are so many ways that we can chip in our bit.  Bring up more gardens. Recycle waste. Recycle water. Conserve energy. Use solar power. The list is endless.

So, let us not give chance to our next generation to raise finger at us.

Wake up, when still time is there.

Group Captain Sushil Bhatia (retd)
Chief Editor

When In Doubt, Go for Sprouts

Rama Tyagi

Sprouts hold the most nutrients because it is the seeds that hold the most nutrients.

It is rich in minerals, Vitamins, Enzymes, Antioxidants, Amino Acids and several other nutrients like Magnesium, Phosphorus, Manganese, and Vitamins C, A, K etc.

Types of Sprouts

Microgreens Are Nutritious (Benefits)

• Immunity
• Detoxification
• Lymphaticsystem
• Allergies
• Asthma
• Stomach ulcers
• Inflammation and overall cellular health at DNAlevels

Ways to use

• Sprouts can be used raw, lightly steamed, stuffing in sandwiches and paranthas. In Dosas, Idlis, Soups, Salads, Pulaos, Khichdi, Stir fry,Tikkis.

Place the tray or container in a partially sunny spot. Mix cocopeat little sand and manure (optional). Mix well. Add to container. Sow the seeds which are soaked overnight in cocopeat mixture and mist with water twice a day. Within 5 to 6 days the seeds will sprout. Once the seedlings are about 2 in tall, cut them using a pair of scissors. This is a one-time process and has to be repeated with fresh mix and seeds.

How to grow greens at Home

 You need

• A tray or any container
• Cocopeat
• Manure (optional)
• Seeds
• Water

Method

Place the tray or container in a partially sunny spot. Mix cocopeat little sand and manure (optional). Mix well. Add to container. Sow the seeds which are soaked overnight in cocopeat mixture and mist with water twice a day. Within 5 to 6 days the seeds will sprout. Once the seedlings are about 2 in tall, cut them using a pair of scissors. This is a one-time process and has to be repeated with fresh mix and seeds.

 Enjoy your microgreens and be healthy.

Grow Your Own Herbs

Shailja Mishra

A little sprinkle of fresh herbs on a meal turns the flavour that is just spectacular. Just almost every dish tastes better with fresh herbs and there is no other way to get them fresh, than to grow them yourself at home .

Whether you have got a roomy garden or a small kitchen or balcony or even a tiny window sill, growing  your own fresh herbs is extremely easy and economical too. Herbs are supposed to give marginal pain and require minimal care.

Here are few tips which will help you to grow your own herbs andcreate magic.

1. Select the herbs you want to plant.

2. Select according to  their planting time.

3. Select Annuals, biennial’s and perennial’s.

4. Keep in mind the space, they will occupy and whether to grow in Garden or pot. If in pot select a suitable ,well draining planter.

5. Select rich, fertile alkaline and well drained soil.

Plant the annuals at the edges of the garden. Plants that are longer in size to be planted at the back and the shorter one in front.Different plants have different needs but most of the herbs love alkaline ,well drained fertile soil.

Herbs are some of the most easiest plants to grow, you have to just provide them with effective drainage. proper sunlight enough humidity, moisture and fertile soil.Some of the common herbs that can be easily grown are.

1. Holy Basil( Tulsi)

2. Dill  (Soya)

3. Coriander (Dhania)

4. Mint (Pudina)

5. Lemon grass

6. Carom ( Ajwain)

7. Curry leaves

8. Chilly pepper

9. Thyme

10. Parsley

11. Rosemary

12. Oregano

These can be grown as ;

# Outdoor Herb Garden

# Container Herb Garden

# Table Top Herb Garden

# Hanging Herb Baskets or

Even in Manson Jars on your kitchen slabs.

So start growing your own herbs and enjoy the flavours of homegrown fresh herbs enhancing theflavours and tastes of your food.

Happy Gardening

HERBS IN MASON JARS

                          Rama Tyagi

There is no denying the fact that growing the greens in your kitchen and picking them up at your own will has its own charm. We have seen people growing microgreens in trays and all.

For a change, let’s change this.  Let us grow the herbs in a Mason Jar. This herb garden in a mason jar is a stylish alternative, and it takes up very little room in your kitchen. Now your favorite herbs can be just an arm’s length away, well, literally.

Steps to grow in a Mason Jar

Add Pebbles to Jars. For this herb garden, you’ll need mason jars that are one quart (about one Liter) in size. Also, make sure the jars have a wide mouth, which will help the soil breath, not to mention that it makes it easier to add materials inside. The problem with using mason jars for plants is that there is no drainage, so there is a danger of the roots rotting in water. To create a drainage system, add about two inches of pebbles to the bottom of each mason jar. Glass marbles will also work. This way, any excess water will drain into the pebbles, away from the soil.

Add Charcoal.Another important material for your drainage system is horticultural charcoal, which you can find at garden centres. It absorbs excess moisture and helps protect against over-watering. Place about an inch of the charcoal in the jar on top of the pebbles.

Add Potting Soil.Place potting soil in the jar on top of the charcoal, but don’t fill it up to the rim. Leave about four inches from the top for the actual herb plant. I used moisture control potting mix, which absorbs more water than ordinary potting soil.

Add the Herb Plant.While you can grow your herbs from seeds, I recommend starting with a plant, as, the one that is pre-grown will give you better, and immediate results. Remove the herb plant from its plastic container, and spread out the roots to give them some wiggle room to grow.

You are ready to see your herbs growing, in a Mason Jar.

WINTER BULBS GROWING – Part 3

Compiled by Vandna Bhatnagar

In last month’s session, we had discussed which bulbs can be planted in the month of October. Just to revise

• First set of bulbs growing in temperature range of 20-35⁰Celsius – Gladioli

• Second set growing in the temperature range of 20-250Celsius-Nargis, freesia, Asiatic lily, Oriental lily, etc.

I am sure all your bulbs sown in the month of September and October must have sprouted.

Now we will discuss the third set of bulbs to complete the sowing of the bulbs in this winter.

Third set of bulbs are sown when temperature is in the range of 12 -18 degree Celsius, generally in November in North India. Some bulbs which can be sown in November aretulip, ranunculus, anemone.

Although you are familiar with the steps but there is no harm revising:

• Soak bulbs in 1 litre water and 1 tsp fungicide for 15 minutes.
• Potting mix to grow bulbs – For one kg soil mix,

• 500 gm garden soil
  • 500 gm compost / vermi compost
  • 100 gm cocopeat / river sand
  • 50 gm bone meal
  • 50 gm neem khali
  • 5 gm fungicide/ pesticides
  • 2 gm micronutrients

• Mix well.
• Plant so that growing point or the neck of the bulb remains out of the soil.
• First watering after planting:

• 1litrewater+2gm fungicide
• Spray thoroughly

After sproutingof 3to 4 leaves, add more soil.

After sprouting care

After 15 days, (1litre water+2gm fungicide+2gm NPK 20:20:20), spray thoroughly.

Once stick comes out, stop NPK, continue fungicide spray, with 1gm micronutrients.

Enjoy the blooms after a hard work.

WORK TO BE DONE IN GARDEN IN NOVEMBER

                                   Rama Tyagi

The lawns will now begin to show the effects of the cold nights and will start “browning”.  Reduce watering as the grass will be practically dormant.

As the cold sets in, vigorous growth of some of the climbers will appear and should be pruned back asnecessary.

Annual beds and borders should be regularly watched and casualties replaced as they occur. Planting of all annual flowers and vegetables must be completed this month.

Strawberries planting should be done now.

Some varieties of Papaya and Amla are also planted in this month.There are few varieties of Papaya, like ‘PusaDelicious’ and’Pusa Majesty’ which are bisexual or female.  Some Hawaiian varieties like ‘Solo ‘and ‘Sunrise Solo’ are also bisexual.

Fruits Trees available in November

There are certain fruit trees like Custard Apple, Grapefruit, Guava, Mosambi, orangeetc which can be planned to be acquired.

Continue with foliar spray and pinching in winter annuals. Dahlia cuttings can be planted by the middle of November.To ensure a longer period of bloom it is better to plant at an interval of 15 days.

FESTIVAL DECORATION GANESHA WITH PEEPAL LEAVES

Sugandh Bhatnagar

Peepal tree is considered auspicious in Hinduism. Peepal represents the trinity of Bhrama, Vishnu, and Shiva – the roots being Bhrama, the trunk, Vishnu, and the leaves, Shiva.

It’s a popular belief that watering, worshipping and circling around the Peepal Tree will bring wealth, fame and an abundance of happiness and good luck for any individual.

According to the science of Ayurveda, every part of Pipal tree is useful for treating numerous health issues and ailments. This tree can cure as many as 50 disorders, including diarrhoea, epilepsy and gastric troubles.

This Diwali I am going to decorate my house with Ganesha, made out of  Peepal leaves. Ganesha is the lord of intellect and wisdom, and is revered as the remover of obstacles. So, no celebration is deemed complete without invoking Lord Ganesha where Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped. Diwali is no exception.So, I came upon the idea of making Ganesha with peepal leaves.

Materials Required

• A chart paper, of colour of your choice
• Fevicol or use wet wheat flour
• Roli or sindoor for colour
• Peepal leaves of different sizes
• A sheet of white papper
• A few Q-tips/ earbuds
• A black pen
• A pair of scissors

Procedure

• First of all, select the leaves for different parts of the body of lord Ganesha- for example, a big leaf for the face, another one for tummy, two similar size leaves for ears, 2 for hands & 2 for legs.

• Next, arrange the leaves so as to give it the figure of Ganesha. For this paste two medium sized leaves in the place for ears such that the tip of the leaves are pointing diagonally outward from the cardboard, with some space in between for the big leaf representing the face.

• Paste the big leaf for the face between the ears with the tip of the leaf facing downward.

• Next, paste another big leaf below the face, this time tip facing upward.Paste 2 medium sized leaves for the hands, diagonally up& outward.Lastly, paste 2 leaves in place for the legs, diagonally down and inward such that the tip of the leaves should touch.

• Now, cut 3 very thin strips of white paper (approximately 0.2cm x 4cm). Paste them on the upside of the face leaf, one below the other.

• Cut two eye shape pieces from the white paper and draw the eyes on then, paste them in the right place.

• Take the roli and mix it with some water to make a thick paste and apply a nice dot on the middle of the three strips using an earbud or a Q-tip.

• Lastly take the q- tip and apply the roli along the mid vein of the leaf from where you the trunk of Ganesha to start till the end of the leaf.

And voila! Your peepal-leaf Ganesha is ready…!!

FESTIVAL DECORATION: RANGOLI

Sonia Agrawal

Diwali decorations are incomplete without Rangoli being made outside your homes, at the entrance, on the stairs or in front of pooja rooms. Rangoli is an ancient art form which originated from the Indian subcontinent.  In its simplest of the forms, various patterns are created on the floor or the ground using various materials in the powdered form. These patterns can range from simple, floral designs to intricate geometrical patterns.  The designs can also depict the scenes from ancient Indian culture, or any of the art forms, including paintings, like Madhubani, Gondh art, or Alpana from Bengal.  In fact, the designs are limited only by the imagination of the artist.

Various mediums have been in use to create these patterns, which include saw dust, lentils, and flower petals of different hues and colours.

Rangolies are trendy and can be used at any festive occasion, like marriages, functions, cultural festivals and the like. The main motive behind Rangoli is to welcome the guests.  When used in the context of festivals like Deepawali, it is used to welcome Goddess Lakshmi to come to our houses and bless us.

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT ON PLANTS AND TREES

Jagriti Bhatt

Growing plants in the garden attract us as well as some wanted and unwanted guests too, in the form of pests. These pests damage our crops and plants in our farms and gardens. Here are some of the knowledge to help us manage them effectively.

Common PestsAnd Treatment:

Aphids: They live under leaves and take away the nutrients by suckingsap from leaves.

Treatment:Spray Aritha water and any organic liquid soap water like neem hand wash (10% concentration).

Mealy Bug: They are white Wooly sap-sucking resulting in stunted growth in plants. Plants like Hibiscus and Papaya get infected easily.

Treatment:

• By shaking them off orhandpicking
  1. Spray Neem oil (1-part oil, 10 partswater)
  2. Chili-garlic paste + cow urine + tobacco + water (1-part mixture, 10 partswater)
  3. Lemonjuice

• Ants: They are mostly harmless. However, sometimes they damage the roots.

Treatment: Turmeric and Cinnamon powder around the pot.

• Termites and Caterpillars: Termites and caterpillars feed on leaves and stem of the plant.

Treatment: Calatropis (Akada leaves) juice works well.

IPM- INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT IN PLANTS

By understanding the life-cycle of the pests, one can learn the best methods suited, for successful pest managementstrategies. Following tips can help us in this.

• Check your garden regularly for insects.
• Place Yellow sticky card near or above plant canopy so the insects can stick on them.
• Prevent or limit the damage: once you have identified a problem, find options for managing it.
• Have tolerance for pests and its damages and don’t expect vegetables to look picture perfect. Some damages can be tolerated and can still allow a good quality of produce.
• vegetable harvest. Diseases are best managed by preventing them and cannot be controlled once they are established.
• Select effective and eco-friendly methods.

How to implement IPM in your Vegetable Garden?

“Right Plant, Right Site”

Vegetables or any flowering-fruiting plants grow best in well-drained soils and good sun exposure of minimum of 6 hours (ideally 8-10 hours), of course with exceptions. Add required nutrients which are rich in organic matter.

Start with healthyplants. Select seeds with multiple disease resistance which are easily available in the market.

Eco-friendly pest management methods

• Keep toolsclean

• Do not use diseased plant for composting; instead bury the diseasedplant.

• CropRotation:Ithelpstomanageyoursoilandfertility,reduceerosion,improveyour soil’s health, and increase nutrients available forcrops.

• WeedManagement: Mulchyoursoilmixwhichpreventsgrowingunwantedweedsthat attract manypests.

Insect Management

• NeemOil,Arithawater,TobaccoWater,OldButtermilk,Cowurine,etc.aresomenatural pesticides.

• Handpick the pests, where possible.

• Encourage beneficial insects. Eg,. Beetle,etc.

• Have arrangements which Invite pollinators like bees, butterflies, birds, bats, beetles,etc.

Healthy plants and vegetables can be easily achieved if we understand and manage the nature of pests, and put efforts to implement integrated pest management techniques.

DEFOLIATING A DESERT ROSE/ ADENIUM

Sugandha

WHAT IS DEFOLIATING?

Defoliation is removal of grass parts usually leaves by cutting with a sanitized pruner.

MERITS OF DEFOLIATING

Defoliating a plant has following merits:

• To clearly see the structure of our plant so that we can decide its shape and wire it as per our liking.
• To give strength to our plants by giving them a little bit of stress so that they wake up to fight for their survival.
• To bring more branches and therefore turning it into a good canopy.
• To distribute nutrients like water, sunlight etc. evenly to every bit of the plant.
• To stop water loss as leaves are the main water outlets in case of adeniums.

BEST TIME TO DEFOLIATE

 There is no such need to defoliate in the initial age when the plant has just 3-4 branches. When they have good number of branches then we can start chopping/trimming the leaves and let them heal and grow. When the branches grow,they can be trimmed again. After a year of doing so, you can clearly see the first and secondary branches of the tree. This is the best time to start defoliating the plants.

FREQUENCY OF DEFOLIATION

Defoliating gives stress to the plant, so one needs to be cautious while defoliating so that the plant doesn’t die. The plant needs to be strong enough to handle the pressure. Defoliating two to three times a year is good enough for plants like adeniums. Too much of defoliating might result in death of the plant.

PROCESS OF DEFOLIATION AND AFTERWARD CARE

Start with removing the weak branches and then the branches that are extremely long, uneven or moving into the wrong direction as against the desired shape.

After defoliating, apply fungicide to avoid any infection or rotting and let the plant dry out. Start watering after 7-10 days only once a week, when you start seeing some growth in the plant. Water it 2-3 times a week only when new leaves start growing. Water the plant every single day, when the beautiful flowers bloom out.

PRECAUTIONS

• Always use sanitized pruner to avoid any kind of infection on the cut part.
• Apply chemical fungicide like SAAF etc. or a natural fungicide like turmeric or cinnamon powder.
• Wear gloves to avoid the sap sticking to your hands.
• Avoid over defoliating.
• Do not defoliate when there is only one branch. Let the plant grow naturally first.
• Be careful with watering as it plays an important part.

Start Composting – Part 3

Vandna Bhatnagar

Now we are familiar with the types of composting and different types of containers we can choose. I am sure, by now, you have made up your mind and ready to start composting after the selection of the container as per your requirement and available space.

Any typeof composting requires three basic ingredients:

Browns: This includes materials such as dead leaves, newspaper, card boards, branches, used tea bags ,tea leaves and twigs.

Greens: This includes materials such as grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps, fallen leaves and coffee grounds.

Moisture:The right amount of water in the form if humidity is also required.

Prescence of Water, greens, and browns is important for compost development.The compost pile should have almost equal amount of browns and greens. You should also alternate the layers of organic materials of different-sized particles. The brown materials is required for carbon, the green material provides nitrogen and the water provides moisture to help break down the organic matter. eepawa.

Benefits of Composting

Enriches soil, helping retain moisture and suppress plant diseases and pests.

Reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.

Encourages the production of beneficial bacteria and fungi that break down organic matter to create humus, a rich nutrient-filled material.

Reduces methane emissions from landfills and lowers your carbon footprint.

In next Issue we will discuss, procedure to start composting out side and inside the home.

Webinars Conducted in October 2020

1. Manisha Bardhan           Winter flowers care and tips            04 Oct,2020
2. Dr Mukesh A Patel         Landscaping for small gardens 11 Oct 2020

Beautiful Blue Tea

 Neha

Probably one of the most beautiful and colourful detox drink ?, rich in antioxidants with plenty of health benefits ? associated with Aparajita or Shankhpushpi flowers.

Blue Tea or Tisane is a herbal tea prepared with beautiful blue/purple coloured Aparajita flowers. To brew yourself a refreshing cup of Tisane.

1. take 2 cups of water?

2. add 4 flowers (dried or fresh)

3. add sweet basil Microgreens ? (1g)

4. add cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom

5. can add ginger as well

6. Boil for around 5 min for Colors and flavors to come

7. add honey for sweetness

Honey or Lemon ? can change the colour of the Tea from blue/purple to pink/violet !!

THE MAGICAL TEA

. Can be enjoyed hot or cold as Iced Tea

. Best to take it one hour prior or after meal

. The edible flowers of Aparajita has traditionally been used in Ayurvedic medicines ?

. Enhances memory ?

. Antidepressant ?

Helps in detoxification ?

. Promotes sound sleep ?

. Helps in weight loss

. Anti ageing properties

. Anti inflammatory

. Rich in Vitamin C

Enjoy the vibrant soulful cup of Tisane with the fragrance of spices and the sweetness of basil to restore your body and mind !!

DAHLIAS

Rama Tyagi

Dahlias are one of those plants which have a rich variety of colours, shapes and species .They appear in all colours except blue. They are divided into different groups according to the shape of the flower.

• Single -flowered dahlias
• Anemone -flowered dahlias
• Collarette dahlias
• Waterlily dahlias
• Decorative dahlias
• Ball dahlias
• Pompon dahlias
• Cactus dahlias
• Semi -cactus dahlias
• Miscellaneous dahlias like
• Peony dahlias
• Giraffe dahlias
• Orchid dahlias
• Laciniated dahlias

Cultivation

Dahlia cultivation is very simple.It thrives in almost any soil, butlikes a light,well drained and moderately rich soil. The clay soil can be improved by adding coarse ash and sand,mixing into the soil to a depth of about of about 12-18inches. For the best development of dahlia tubers, water well .

Location

Plant Dahlias in an open,sunny location away from trees. Dahlias do like partial shade but flower well in sunny locations.Protect them from the winds with heavy staking. They need moisture at the roots, but not excessive, otherwise roots will decay.

Watering

Watering is not required frequently and should be done when plants show sign of drooping leaves. Water copiously so that it penetrates to a depth of at least about a foot. In some places they may require daily watering. Constant stirring of surface soil is needed to keep it free from weeds.

Manures

Any well-rotted manure will give good results. The manures should be spread on the surface about three inches deep and spaded into the soil.If any inorganic fertilizers is used to get large blooms, then it shouldn’t be done in early stages of plant growth.

Liquid manures can be beneficial during blooms like Humic acid/Sagarika /jeevamritorBone meal. Sodium nitrate, NPK,DAP or Superphosphate, and potash 4-10-4 also can be used in the soil.

Pests and Diseases

Dahlias are normally pest free but sometimes are attacked by mildew. Green fly or Aphis also attacks if plants are weak.Slugs,earwigs,and beetles also some time attack them. One way to get rid of slugs is to leave cabbage leaves among plants; the slugs will hide under them and thus can be removed easily. Cutworms can be prevented by sprinkling of air-slaked lime.

KOKEDAMA

Sugandha Jaisinghania

KOKEDAMA is a popular Art of Gardening in Japanese Culture. KOKEDAMA is a combination of two words, ‘KOKE’ means moss and ‘DAMA’ means a ball. Thus, they are also called Japanese moss balls. Kokedamas can be taken care easily and look fabulous and that is why it is often referred as poor man’s bonsai. Various indoor plants can be used for making them hence they not only beautify your place but also help in purifying air around you. It is one of the easiest way to get the nature close to you and fill your place with whole lot of positivity. It is also an ideal form of hanging gardens and thus space saving.

THINGS REQUIRED TO MAKE A KOKEDAMA

1. Normal Garden soil
2. Cocopeat
3. Moss grass
4. String
5. Plant

PLANTS SUITABLE FOR MAKING KOKEDAMA

The best plants are the ones that require medium to full shade. For eg:

1. Money plant
2. Pothos
3. Philodendron
4. Sanseveria
5. Anthurium
6. Dracaena
7. Ferns etc.

METHOD

Add enough water to garden soil and cocopeat mix so that you can make a firm ball that doesn’t crumble. Add more water if necessary, squeeze out any excess. Dig a hole in between the ball and place the plant in it. Lay out the moss, place the ball in the center, enfold the ball in the moss and remove any excess moss. Hold the ball in one hand and randomly wrap the string around the ball (except directly through the plant) to secure the moss, check for roundness. Once you have come to the end of your string, tie it to a neighboring string on the ball. More string can be used if required. You can now place it as it is or further add a string to give it a shape of a hanging garden.

*Kokedama usually lasts up to 2-3 years. Once you see the roots of the plant coming out, it gives the indication that either remake it or dismantle.

*Be sure to keep your Kokedama moist by misting daily especially when you use live moss as it needs to be kept moist .

*Kokedama needs regular pruning to maintain their original shape and stay small. Keep it to 5 leaves for each stem.

  HAPPY GARDENING!!