Hello Friends!

This time, I am going to talk not on the subject of green revolution.

I will also not talk about beautiful flowers, the birds, the bees.

And I am also not going to talk about the Lists of Endangered species.

Today I will talk about the dedication, the zeal, the determination of few members who made it possible.

Who made it possible to hold the first independent FLOWER SHOW on 04 Mar 2024. Planned by them, funded by them, erected by them and made possible by them.

To give a brief, till last year, the society used to depend solely on a construction house. They used to provide the space, and also the much needed funds. But this time, though the space was offered, there was a shortage of funds. that too, it was conveyed very late.

On another front, there was a change in the district administration and enough support was getting delayed.

So, in a quick and bold decision, few of the members of the society came forward and contributed INR 5000.00 each, and some funds managed from here and there, plus hard work of many days and nights, and here it was the GRAND SHOW.

AND IN THE LEAD WAS NONE OTHER THAN OUR ONE MAN ARMY, RAMA TYAGI, assisted by many of the members, including Shailaja ji, Rashmi Ji etc.

So, my message is this. Nothing is impossible, if you have the courage, conviction and dedication to do.

IF THE PAIN OF NOT HAVING IT SURPASSES THAN THAT OF DOING IT, YOU DO MAGIC.

Happy gardening!

Gardening in March

(Best Summer Flowers for Indian Climate)

India is a country which has four seasons. So we are lucky to be able to grow different varieties of flowers according to the seasons.

 Here  are the top summer flower plants which are of low maintenance and can be easily grown in your balconies/Terrace or ground.

• 1) Marigold:
• 2) Portulacas
• 3) Hibiscus:
• 4) Sunflower
• 5) Zinnia
• 6) Aparajita (Clitoria):
• 7) Mogra
• 8) Sadabahar(Vinca Rosea)
• 9) Pentas:
• 10) Mirabilis jalapa
• 11) Petunia
• 12) Morning Glory
• 13) Roses
• 14)Kochia
• 15)Gomphrena
• 16) Tithonia
• 17) Rudbeckia
• 18)Coreopsis
• 19)Crossandra
• 20) Plumeria 

Potting

All these plants are hardy and drought resistant and Dont require any extra fertiliser. Sow seeds in sand or vermiculite. All these plants grow well in the Sun. Over watering will result in fungal rot so water carefully. Other problem suffered by them are: 

Aphids: Powdery mildew and Aster yellow rot.

Bulbs

• 1 Caladium
• 2 Scadoxus(football lily)
• 3 Tuberose
• 4 Lycoris
• 5 Gloriosa lily
• 6 Costus (ginger lily )
• 7 Canna

Planting 

Mix 3 portions soil +2 parts sand +2 compost +2 leaf mould + 1(neem cake + bonemeal)

 Place 1 bulb in 6 in the pot..Cover the hole with broken pcs .Add potting mix to the pots .Place bulbs with nose side up cover it with soil lightly.Water sparingly. Do not water in between till you see the new growth.

Vegetables 

All summer vegetables like Lady finger ,Cucumber,bitter gourd ,melon musk melon, gourds jimikand , spine gourds , drumsticks ,cowpeas brinjals, coriander and radish (summer variety) can be grown.

Sowing 

• Soak seeds overnight . Make a potting mix comprising Soil , compost, neemkhali, and plant 2 to 3 seeds in 18 in to 20 in pots. Cover the seeds lightly.
• Seeds will take a week to germinate .
• Besides these fertilise mint with vermi compost after removing weeds.
• You can spread the runners if overgrown.

Staking

• Since most of the summer vegetables are creepers ,it is very important to stake or provide an attachment with which climbers can climb .
• Don’t wait for plants to grow more .Stakes or attachment should be provided in the beginning only .
• Remove side growth of initial stages.
• Periodically spray with neem oil /dash parni liquid .
• Put pheromone traps and fruit fly traps to protect your crop.

Water Plants

• By now you must have repotted your water lilies and lotus .If haven’t done it immediately.
• Those who had done so can fertilise them.
• Adeniums are out of the shelter, repotted, and fertilised. Get ready to see the blooms of adeniums.
• Fertilise and watering to be continued in the case of cactus.
• Stop watering succulents unless they ask.
• Try to adhere to bottom watering or lower the pots in sand bed.Water the sand instead of plants. Keep them away from direct sunlight but in bright light.

Evergreen and tropical plants

They love to be grouped together:

Azaleas, begonias, geraniums , crotons, aglaonema, dieffenbachia, peperomia ,etc 

Philodendron, alocasia, syngoniums love humidity. Fertilise them regularly i.e. twice a month.

• Water in the morning and early evening.
• Always remember 
• Buy seeds from a reputable agency.
• Treat seeds with fungicide before sowing.
• Do crop rotation.
• Adopt an organic way of growing plants.Avoid chemicals.

way.

Happy Gardening.

Rama Tyagi

tyagirama1@gmail.com.

Tales of Trees in Indian Culture.

Latin name       Butea monosperma,

                          Butea frondosa

Hindi  name      (Palash), Dhak, Palas.

Sanskrit            Kimsuka 

Family.              Leguminosae

History

When a boy becomes Sadhu he is given a leaf of Palasha and his staff is made of Palasha.

Palasha is also mentioned in Mahabharata when saint Jamdagni performs a sacrifice to the gods in Palasvana (a grove of Palasha tree) which was attended by all rivers.

In his book Ritusamhara, Kalidas describes the jungle of Dhak trees in full bloom that looks like fire on the horizon,making earth look like a newly wed bride with red garments.

There are many riddles and superstitions associated with the tree.

A Hindu superstition has it that if the root of a Palasha is collected during Ashvini nakshtra  and tied to a man’s arm ,any woman he touches will fall in love with him.

Birth of Palasha (Ancient Story )

As the story tells us ,One day Indra felt a great thirst so Goddess Gayatri was asked to go to mountain Mujavant , where Soma creeper grew and bring it back to Indra so that Indra Dev could have uninterrupted supply of Soma forever .

Gayatri took the form of an eagle and flew to the mountain .The mountain was guarded by the guards of moon .She swooped down and secured the creeper in her beak before the guards could do anything.With her plant secured, She flew away .

However ,one of the sentries, Krishanu, shot an arrow at the bird .The arrow missed the bird but struck the vine in her beak ,causing one of the leaves to fall .This leaf fell to earth and grew into Palash tree.

 Description 

Palash Tree is a small sized , dry season deciduous tree growing to 15 m tall with crooked trunk and branches. It is a slow growing tree The bark is tough and greyish.The branches are velvety and dark olive  green in colour

The large trifoliate leaves are stiff , velvety in the beginning and leathery later turning pale bronze green in colour. Flowers come on bare branches .

 The flowers are 2.5 cm (0.98 in) long, bright orange-red, and produced in racemes up to 15 cm (5.9 in) long. The fruit is a pod 15–20 cm (5.9–7.9 in) long and 4–5 cm (1.6–2.0 in) broad.

The vivid orange Palash flowers that grow ubiquitously in numerous geographical terrains of India are indeed a beautiful floral wonder, being aptly titled “Flame Of The Forest”. However, this small deciduous tree, scientifically called Butea Monosperma and native to India, South-East Asian countries of Nepal, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, is much more than just a pretty sight to behold, being a valuable creation of Mother Nature.  It grows in flooded areas, saline and alkaline soil, black cotton soil, and barren lands too.

Bestowed with umpteen medicinal traits and therapeutic bioactive components, Palash flowers, as well as the roots, leaves, seeds, fruits are a panacea to heal myriad health anomalies, such as treating stomach infections, alleviating diabetes symptoms, easing bowel movements and even boosting sexual functions.

Worship essentials

In Kerala Palash is called Plasu or Chamata. The wood is essential as firewood for yagya, agnihotra, worship by offering of mantras to fire. It is nearly as common as the holy tulsi in homes of Namboodari Brahmins in Kerala. Palash flowers are also used for worship of Lord Shiva, especially in Andhra Pradesh.

Holi with tesu flowers

The tesu flowers are traditionally used for colour-play in the spring festival of Holi. Tesu flowers are boiled in water to give a fragrant, deep yellow water which has medicinal properties and prevents skin problems in the coming summer.

For Holi celebrations, Vrindavan’s Radha Vallabh temple uses warm tesu water from huge silver cauldrons, and brass water sprinklers – pichkaris to spray colour on everyone in the temple courtyard.

In South India, the Palash tree is widely used not only for medicinal and holy purposes but also to serve food in the fresh green leaves. In these regions, Palash is called in Kannada as Muttagamara, Muttulu, in Malayalam as Pilacham, Palashin, in Tamil as Palashmaram, Chamata, Parasa and in Telugu as Modugai, Paladu, Chettu. The ancient Ayurvedic texts refer to Palash by various Sanskrit names of Vakrapushpa, Brahma Vriksha, Raktapushpa, Yagnika, Samidha.

Palash Dosage:

The recommended dosage of Palash formulations for safe ingestion  in the body on a daily basis for adults are:

• 1 – 2 tsp of Palash Churna with warm water and honey after meals
• 10 – 20 ml of leaf juice
• 50 – 100 ml of bark decoction
• 3 – 6 grams of flower powder
• 3 – 6 grams of seed extracts
• 1 – 3 grams of gum resin

These concentrations of Palash infusions are generally safe and effective when consumed along with the regular diet. However, it is advised to consult with a certified Ayurvedic practitioner prior to ingesting Palash formulations, in order to ensure taking only the required dose and avert any side effects from excess consumption.

When giving to children, it is recommended to serve very small portions of Palash extracts along with warm milk and jaggery or honey, to facilitate smooth digestion.

Topical application of Palash pastes on the skin can be done in moderate amounts after making sure that no allergic reactions occur.

Side Effects Of Palash:

Palash is generally well-tolerated by most individuals, when taken as powders, pastes, decoctions, in the correct dose. Nevertheless, it is advised to avoid consuming Palash formulations regularly for a prolonged period of time, since it hampers kidney functions.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not take Palash in any form as it could influence the reproductive and lactating hormones.

Moreover, for people with sensitive skin and very dry scalp, Palash paste preparations trigger allergies, rashes and hence must not be used.

Conclusion:

Palash, clad by the scientific nomenclature Butea Monosperma, is truly an invaluable gift from Mother Nature and the time-tested system of Ayurveda, to enhance overall health. Packed with strong antioxidants, phytonutrients and anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and aphrodisiac traits, Palash plant extracts aid in mitigating numerous health anomalies such as skin infections, joint pain and low sex drive. The best way to reap the superb benefits of the Palash plant is by taking the herbal formulations in the right dosage, to steer clear of any side effects and uplift wellbeing.

Happy Gardening

Rama Tyagi

tyagirama1@gmail.com.

FROM THE LENS OF AMRITA BHARTI

THE BEAUTY THAT RISES IN THE HEART HAS NO COMPARISON

from the lens of the members

‘THE BEST TERRACE GARDEN’

awarded to SHASHI KAMRA IN the competition held by

The Kitchen Garden Association