THE JOURNEY TO PATH OF GOOD INTENTIONS IS ALWAYS FULL OF CHALLENGES…

Yes. The path to good intentions is always full of thorns, challenges, roadblocks. Don’t you feel so!

This has been my life experience. I would cite an example. There are volumes written about the difficulties one faces while climbing the Mt Everest! But what are the challenges in putting a jungle on fire? Hardly any!

Hence, the same holds true for the path to conservation efforts. While the desire to protect and preserve our planet’s flora and fauna is noble and crucial, the journey toward achieving this goal is often fraught with obstacles. From environmental degradation to socio-economic pressures, those dedicated to safeguarding biodiversity face a myriad of challenges along the way.

One of the primary hurdles on the path to protecting flora and fauna is habitat loss and fragmentation. Human activities such as deforestation, urbanization, and agricultural expansion encroach upon the natural habitats of countless plant and animal species, pushing them to the brink of extinction. Conservationists must grapple with the daunting task of preserving and restoring these habitats while simultaneously addressing the underlying causes of habitat destruction.

Climate change further exacerbates the challenges faced by conservationists. Rising temperatures, shifting weather patterns, and extreme weather events pose significant threats to ecosystems worldwide. Species must adapt or migrate to survive, placing additional strain on already vulnerable populations. Mitigating the impacts of climate change on flora and fauna requires concerted global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and implement adaptation strategies.

Human-wildlife conflict is a persistent challenge in conservation efforts. As human populations expand and encroach upon natural habitats, conflicts between humans and wildlife over resources escalate. Crop raiding, predation on livestock, and attacks on humans by large carnivores strain relationships between local communities and conservation initiatives. Finding sustainable solutions that balance the needs of both people and wildlife is essential for long-term conservation success.

Moreover, the illegal wildlife trade poses a grave threat to countless species worldwide. Poaching, trafficking, and the illegal harvesting of plants and animals for commercial gain drive many species to the brink of extinction. Despite international efforts to combat this illicit trade, organized criminal networks continue to exploit vulnerable species for profit. Strengthening law enforcement, enhancing international cooperation, and addressing the root causes of wildlife crime are crucial steps in curbing this destructive trade.

Despite the myriad challenges along the way, the path to protecting flora and fauna is not devoid of hope. Countless individuals, organizations, and governments around the world are dedicated to safeguarding biodiversity and restoring ecosystems. Through innovation, perseverance, and collaboration, progress is being made in conserving threatened species, restoring degraded habitats, and promoting sustainable coexistence between humans and wildlife.

Ultimately, the journey toward protecting flora and fauna is a complex and arduous one, but it is a journey worth undertaking. By confronting challenges head-on, harnessing the power of collective action, and staying true to the principles of conservation, we can pave a path towards a brighter future for all life on Earth.

(with the help from AI)

Vegetable Gardening Tasks for April

Here’s a recipe for creating your own organic potting soil mix:

Ingredients:

• – 6 cups pulverised topsoil
• – 6 cups compost (cow dung)
• – 2 cups perlite (optional)
• – 1 cup vermicompost
• – 1/2 cup neem cake and mustard cake
• – 2 to 4 crushed eggshells

Alternatively, you can use the following ratio of soil, sand, compost, mustard cake, neem cake, and micronutrients:

• – 4 parts soil
• – 3 parts sand
• – 2 parts compost
• – 1 part mustard cake
• – 1 part neem cake
• – Micronutrients as needed

Ensure proper drainage in your containers by adding a few inches of gravel, charcoal, or larger rocks to the bottom. Be sure to provide ample drainage holes to prevent waterlogging.

Before sowing seeds, treat the soil by spraying jeevamrut or soaking seeds in fungicide. Purchase seeds from reputable sources and remove any diseased plant debris from the area.

For raising seedlings, use a mixture of sand and coco peat in a 1:1 ratio.

The following vegetables can be grown in April:

• – Leafy vegetables: Amaranthus, spinach, mint, coriander
• – Bulbous/Rhizomes: Colocasia, turmeric, ginger, sweet potato, tapioca/artichoke/amorphophallus
• – Cucurbits: Cucumber, gourds, pumpkin, melons, bitter gourd, squash, parwal
• – Pod crops: Beans, cowpeas, cluster beans, sword beans
• – Stem crops: Asparagus
• – Root crop: Radish
• – Additional options: Lady’s finger, chilies, eggplant, maize

Stake climber vegetables, establish a watering schedule to prevent irregular watering, and use pheromone traps to control pests. Protect strawberries and tree tomatoes from birds with fishing nets, and train grape vines early.

For new gardeners, consider planting curry leaves, moringa, mint, tulsi, lemon grass, mango, guava, and citrus trees. Keep a watchful eye for pests and flower drops on fruit trees.

Remember: Grow what you eat, and eat what you grow.

Happy gardening!

Rama Tyagi

tyagirama1 @Gmail.com

 नव दुर्गा के औषधीय पौधे

ब्रह्मा जी के दुर्गा कवच में वर्णित नव दुर्गा  नौ  विशिष्ट औषधियों के रूप में विराजमान हैं । यह नौ दुर्गा वास्तव में दिव्य गुणों वाली नौ औषधियां है।यह औषधियां प्राणियों के समस्त रोगों को हरने वाली,बचाने वाला कवच का काम करने वाली हैं।

यह पांचों ज्ञानेद्रियों एवम पांचों कर्मेंद्रियो पर प्रभावशाली हैं ।

नव दुर्गा का आध्यात्मिक एवम धार्मिक महत्त्व तो है ही साथ ही स्वास्थ्य के लिहाज़ से भी नवरात्र का महत्वपूर्ण स्थान है ।

दुर्गा के नौ रूपों की औषधियों को प्रतीकात्मक रूप में भी जाना जाता है।

नौ औषधियों के पेड़ पौधे जिन्हें नवदुर्गा कहा गया है –

1 प्रथम शैलपुत्री (हरड़) :कई प्रकार के रोगों में काम आने वाली औषधि हरड़ हिमावती है जो देवी शैलपुत्री का रूप है.यह आयुर्वेद की प्रधान औषधि है।

यह पथया, हरीतिका,अमृता, हेमवती,कायस्थ,चेतकी और श्रेयसी सात प्रकार की होती है।

2 द्वितीय: ब्रह्मचारिणी (ब्राह्मी)- यह आयु व याददाश्त बढ़ाकर, रक्तविकारों को दूर कर स्वर को मधुर बनाती है.इसलिए इसे सरस्वती भी कहा जाता है।

3 तृतीय:चंद्रघंटा (चंदुसूर) – यह एक ऎसा पौधा है जो धनिए के समान होता है यह औषधि मोटापा दूर करने में लाभप्रद है इसलिए इसे चर्महंती भी कहते हैं।

4 चतुर्थ :कूष्मांडा (कुम्हड़ा))- इस औषधि से पेठा (मिठाई) बनता है,यह रक्त विकार दूर कर पेट को साफ करने में सहायक है।मानसिक रोगों में यह अमृत समान है।

 5 पंचम: स्कंदमाता (अलसी)- यह औषधि वात,पित्त व कफ रोगों की नाशक औषधि है और फाइबर अधिक होने के साथ यह रक्त शोधक भी है।

6 षष्ठं : कात्यायनी (मोइया) :यह औषधि कफ, पित्त व गले के रोगों का नाश करती है।

7 सप्तम :कालरात्रि (नागदौन)यह देवी नागदौन औषधि के रूप में भी जानी जाती है यह मन एवं मस्तिष्क के विकारों को दूर करने वाली और सभी प्रकार के रोगों में लाभकारी है.यह पाइल्स के लिये भी रामबाण औषधि है

8 अष्टम् : महागौरी (तुलसी) : तुलसी 7 प्रकार की होती है सफेद ,काली ,मरूता,दवना,कुढेरक,अर्जक और षटपत्र ये रक्त को साफ कर ह्वदय रोगों का नाश करती है।

(9) नवम् :सिद्धिदात्री (शतावरी) :यह औषधि बल, बुद्धि एवं विवेक के लिए उपयोगी है.विशेषकर प्रसूताओं के लिए यह रामबाण औषधि है ।

आपको नवरात्र की शुभकामनाएं

रमा त्यागी

tyagirama1 @gmail.com

CARE FOR DRAGON FRUIT PLANTS

Area: Place it where it gets maximum sunlight.

Potting Soil: As it prefers good drainage add 10 % Course Sand + 50 % Red Soil + 30 % Compost + 10 % Manure.

Watering: Between each watering make sure soil go dry and water regularly during the growing season, but have to avoid overwatering as it can lead to root rot. And also avoid overhead watering as it may cause leaf rot or may fungus attack.

Support: Have to provide support for the stems, as dragon fruit plants are vine like and need something to climb on.

Pruning: Keep removing dead/damaged leaves/stems. And pinch the tip of the leaves in March/April and in July. In March/April after pinching the leaves end, leaves will multiply and in July budding will start after pinching leaves.*

Fertilization: For 5 days ferment hand full of compost, hand full of manure and tbsp of mustard powder in 2 lt water. Dilute with fresh water in 1:5 ratio and feed monthly once. 1 ripe banana paste + cup rice porridge diluted with water in 1:5 ratio feed this alternate weeks during the growing fruiting season only.

Pest and Disease Control: Monitor for pests such as scale insects. Treat with baking soda formula if you notice any.

Pollination: Though ants works as pollinators, we better to do the hand pollination to get healthy sized fruits.

After yield, plant or share the stems which have given fruiting as they will get early fruiting in the coming next season.

Madhavi Latha

IN THE NEWS

विशाल झा/गाज़ियाबाद: इन दिनों राष्ट्रपति भवन में अमृत उद्यान उत्सव 2024 चल रहा है, जिसमें अब तक लाखों लोग विभिन्न फूलों के बारे में जानकारी जुटा चुके हैं. और सुंदर फूलों का दीदार कर चुके है. यह उत्सव 31 मार्च तक चलेगा, जिसकी टिकट बिल्कुल निशुल्क है. एक और अमृत उद्यान में विभिन्न प्रकार के फूलों का लोग लुफ्त उठा रहे है तो वहीं गाजियाबाद के मॉडल टाउन में भी मिनी अमृत उद्यान चर्चा में बना हुआ है.

दरअसल, ये कोई रिसोर्ट या फिर सरकारी पार्क नहीं है बल्कि एक बुजुर्ग महिला की वर्षों की मेहनत का कमाल है. 65 वर्षीय राम त्यागी को बचपन से ही पर्यावरण के प्रति बेहद ही खास आकर्षण था. इस उम्र में लगभग दिन के 7 से 8 घंटे वह अपना समय इन पौधों की देखरेख में ही खर्च करती है. रमा त्यागी वर्ष 1977 में जम्मू यूनिवर्सिटी से बॉटनी में ग्रेजुएशन किया और फिर पोस्ट ग्रेजुएशन. स्टूडेंट लाइफ से ही प्रकृति से इनका खास लगाव जुड़ गया था.

बढ़ते प्रदूषण को कम करने के लिए मुहिम
रमा हॉर्टिकल्चर सोसायटी गाजियाबाद की प्रेसिडेंट है. उनके अनुसार इस सोसाइटी को आज से 20 साल पहले बनाया गया था. ये संस्था इस वजह से बनाई गई, ताकि शहर भर के लोगों को पर्यावरण के बारे में जागरूक और शिक्षित किया जा सके. हमारे जीवन के लिए पर्यावरण को संरक्षित करना बहुत जरूरी है.  दरअसल, हर साल यहां पर पॉल्यूशन काफी ज्यादा होता है. तो उसको बालकनी गार्डन, टेरेस गार्डन और जिनके पास जमीन है. वो उस पर फूल- पौधे लगाकर इसको कम कर सकते हैं. इसके साथ ही ये जानना भी जरूरी है कि कौन -कौन से ऐसे पौधे हैं, जिसे लगाकर पॉल्यूशन को कम किया जा सकता है. इसके अलावा हम वर्टिकल होम गार्डन और प्लाटिंग के लिए भी लोगों को प्रशिक्षित करने का काम करते हैं.

GARDENING TIPS: CARE OF FOLLIAGE PLANTS

•  Water them very carefully. Overwater could rot your plants. 
• If kept indoor then don’t forget to give them early morning or late afternoon sunlight once in a week. 
• For good  growth we can give onion water as it’s high in nitrogen
•  Non organic fertilizer NPK is also good for them. 
• Few foliages plants performs well with few hours of direct sunlight. Like- Crotons, rubber plant ect. 
•  During monsoon let  them also enjoy under rain once in 15days. It will make them happy and also simulated there growth. 
•  Fertilizer requirements once in a month is enough. 
•  Indoors plants generally lots of  dust and other undesirable residues will accumulate on foliage and become unsightly. Misting or wiping foliage with a soft moist cloth make them look shine and beautiful.

AMRITA BHARTI

Tips for Saving Seeds from Annuals

Harvesting seeds from annual plants is a simple and rewarding process. Wait until after the flowers have bloomed, then follow these steps for saving seeds. Some of the easiest annual flowers to collect seeds from include:

• – Alyssum
• – Antirrhinum
• – Brachycome
• – Candytufts
• – Dahlia
• – Hollyhock
• – Larkspur
• – Marigold
• – Mesembryanthemum
• – Mimulus
• – Nasturtium
• – Nemesia
• – Pansy
• – Petunias (non-hybrid)
• – Phlox
• – Poppy
• – Snapdragon
• – Stocks
• – Sweet peas
• – Verbena
• – Viola

If you need the space for next season, keep a few healthy plants for seeds and remove the others.

Wait until the seeds dry naturally; avoid picking seed heads immediately after petals fade. Seeds like those of daisies and sunflowers are sunken when immature but swell as they ripen. Similarly, seeds in pods, like scarlet runner beans and lupines, should be left until the pods fatten from the seeds within.

To protect seeds from falling off or being eaten by birds or squirrels, cover seed pods or mature flowers with a transparent bag and tie the mouth with thread.

For chambered seed pods, green pods, or quickly self-sowing flowers like annual poppies and spider flowers, collect and dry them in boxes.

Air-dry seed heads in shallow boxes to prevent mold. Spread them in a single layer, leaving space between them. If collecting berries or fruits, either remove the seeds before drying or dry them fruit and all and dissect them later.

Once dry, shake the seeds into an envelope or paper bag. Sieve to remove chaff and transfer to labeled envelopes or lidded jars for storage in a cool, dry place until planting time.

Composite flowers, including sunflowers, coneflowers, asters, gazanias, marigolds, and daisies, produce both viable and nonviable seeds. Sort through collected seeds or plant them thickly to ensure successful growth.

Seed-saving is a simple yet rewarding practice. Share seeds with friends, neighbors, and public parks to spread joy and biodiversity. Remember, trial and error are part of the learning process, and successes and failures contribute to the adventure of gardening. If Mother Nature can do it, so can you!

Happy Gardening

Rama Tyagi

tyagirama1 @Gmail.com

THRU THE LENS OF MEMBERS..

STORING THE BULBS

A bulb is a rounded part at the base of a plant’s stem that stores energy while the plant is dormant. At the center of the bulb is the plant shoot itself, which is surrounded by layers of carbohydrates. Some bulbs, called tunicate bulbs, are covered in a papery skin called a tunic; imbricate bulbs have no tunic. Corms, tubers, tuberous roots, and rhizomes are all bulb-like storage organs but are not, in fact, true bulbs.

In India we have all bulbs in the spring category.

 Spring bulbs, such as tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and hyacinths, the list is large. When their foliage wilts in the summer , you can trim away some of the dead plant matter, but leave the bulbs in the ground.  or pot to bloom next spring. Some gardeners dig up hardy bulbs anyway, to divide or replace overcrowded bulbs for maximum yield.

How Long Can You Store Bulbs?

Tender bulbs go into storage —meaning they spend about four months in storage.

How to Store Bulbs

Harvest bulbs. Wait to dig up bulbs until all of the plant’s foliage has died. Trim the foliage down to about six inches and gently dig the bulbs out of the ground, being careful not to damage them. Compost any damaged bulbs.

Cleaning – If your bulbs were dug up from the ground, gently brush off any excess dirt. Do not wash the bulbs as this can add excess water to the bulb and cause it to rot while you are storing bulbs for the winter.

Dry bulbs. Allow the bulbs to air-dry indoors on paper towels or newspapers for at least two weeks. Choose a dry place with good air circulation. Test a bulb’s dryness by trimming the stem. (Leave at least two inches of stem, or the bulb may start to root from the sprouting end.) If the stem is moist inside, the bulbs need more time to dry.

Pack bulbs. Store tender bulbs in paper bags, reusable mesh bags, or cardboard boxes with air holes poked in for air circulation. 

Fill the container with peat moss, sawdust, or vermiculite—enough to cover each bulb by one inch. Make sure the bulbs have enough air circulation to prevent rotting.

Packing – Remove the bulbs from any plastic bags or containers.

 One of the things to keep in mind when you are learning how to store bulbs for winter is that if you store your bulbs in a material that cannot “breathe,” the bulbs will rot. Instead, pack your bulbs in a cardboard box for storing bulbs for the winter. When preparing bulbs for winter, layer the bulbs in the box with newspaper in between each layer. In each layer of bulbs, the bulbs should not be touching one another.

Store bulbs in a dry place. 

Store your flower bulbs in a dry place until you’re ready to replant them. Aim for a storage temperature like a refrigerator. Store tropical bulbs in a slightly warmer area.

Check on them occasionally – Another tip for how to store garden bulbs over the winter is to check them about once a month. Squeeze each one gently and toss any that have become mushy.

Plant bulbs. Planting time will depend on the variety of bulbs, but you’ll generally plant tender summer bulbs in November. If your main bulb has several smaller daughter bulbs attached to it, you can divide it before planting. Healthy bulbs should be large, firm, and free of fungus or rot. Discard any mushy or cracked bulbs.

Happy Gardening

Rama Tyagi