A Stove saving Environment and earning Dollars $$
How would you react if some body tells you that he would pay you money for improving your own health?
Unbelievable!
But this is how many villages are changing their lives in a unique movement, which quietly started in a small village of Ramnagar, Jharkhand.
And switch is very simple: replacing your conventional gas chulha with improvised one, which is 32% thermal efficient.
The humble story started with Rinku Kumari, a resident of Ramnagar, Jharkhand, who was a beneficiary of Ujjwala Yojana, but could not continue with it because of lack of funds to buy cylinders. She decided to try a Bio-gas chulha, under the scheme of Jharkhand Forest Department, funded by National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change.
How it works
Villagers like Rinku Kumari get a bio-gas stove, which is 32 % thermal efficient, as compared to 3-5% efficiency of normal stoves. That means less wood to be used; that means less of carbon emission, and that simply means accumulation of carbon credits (1 carbon credit = 1 ton of carbon dioxide) which are tradable in international market.
A safer Kitchen
Binita Kumari, like other villagers, used to walk miles to collect fire wood, risking her life to wild animals, and facing smoke of the wood which used to pose serious threats to her health over a long exposure. All that has gone now, since the time she has switched to bio-gas stove.
Earning Carbon Credits
More efficiency of stoves means less Green House Gases, that earn you credits, which are traded in international markets.
The First Payouts
Sangrampur Panchayat became the first such panchayat to have earned in carbon credits. In a first, 150 women got the first payout in exchange of carbon credits in their bank accounts.
Beyond Money: better lives
Savita Mahto recalls how a wild elephant charged her about two yearsago, when she had gone to collect the firewood from the forest.
Now no more.
Scaling Up
As of now, around 2000 households in 48 villages in the districts of Jamtara and Ramnagar have been given this stove, helping them collect over 6800 Carbon credit points of which 3000 have been traded by the state and payouts given to households.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Jharkhand has already set up around 170 bio-gas plants, out of the total 1000 such plants planned. Each plant earns about 10 carbon credit points annually. That means accumulation of 10000 carbon credits annually when scheme matures in some time.
The exchange price for 1 carbon credit varies in the international market. Currently, 1 carbon credit is equal to about INR 196.00 for India, whereas for US, it is about US $ 8.
(story courtesy: TOI)
Gardening in October
🌸 October – A Season of Fresh Beginnings
Spring is not the only planting time—October is just as rewarding. Cool days, gentle sunshine, and light showers create the perfect conditions for new growth. This month gives plants enough time to establish strong roots before winter, so that by spring, your garden bursts with life.
🌱 What to Do in October
- Pruning
● Roses should be pruned this month to encourage healthy, bushy growth and abundant flowering later in the season. - Sowing of Annuals
● October is the right time to sow winter annuals like sweet peas, larkspur, phlox, calendula, dianthus, pansies, alyssum, and petunias.
● These cool-weather favorites will brighten up the garden right through winter and early spring. - Planting of Bulbs
● Plant spring-flowering bulbs such as tulip, narcissus, freesia, hyacinth, crocus, amaryllis, tuberose, and rain lilies.
● With proper care and a blanket of mulch, they will reward you with spectacular blooms when the warm season returns. - Pinching of Foliage Plants
● Pinch back soft shoots of plants like eranthemum, acalypha, and coleus to promote branching and a compact, bushy shape. - Sowing of Vegetables
● October is also kitchen-garden month. Sow seeds of radish, spinach, turnip, fenugreek (methi), lettuce, carrot, beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower, and peas.
● These thrive in the cool season and ensure a healthy harvest for your table.
🌱 Care Tips for October Planting
● Water wisely – Always water thoroughly after planting; continue during dry or windy spells.
● Mulch generously – A thick mulch layer acts as insulation, keeps soil warm, and supports root development.
● Be patient – Don’t expect much top growth. October is about roots working silently underground.
🚫 What to Avoid in October
● Don’t plant evergreens like boxwood, holly, or rhododendron too late—they need longer to settle before facing cold winds.
● Avoid tender shrubs (butterfly bush, big-leaf hydrangea, caryopteris) that usually get winter damage.
● Skip borderline-hardy plants—spring is safer for them.
🌸 Bonus Tip: October is also excellent for transplanting perennials, shrubs, and even small trees.
🍂 With pruning shears in one hand and a handful of seeds in the other, October is truly the month to shape your garden’s future—flowers for beauty, vegetables for the kitchen, and bulbs for spring surprises.
Happy October Gardening!
— Rama Tyagi
tyagirama1@gmail.com
COMPANION PLANTS..
Natural Ways to Increase Nitrogen in Soil
Urea is the most widely used nitrogen fertilizer in agriculture. However, its excessive use has led to soil degradation and environmental problems. Fortunately, there are natural and sustainable alternatives that can help maintain soil health while improving nitrogen availability.
- Farmyard Manure & Compost
Apply cow dung, poultry manure, or compost from kitchen waste to enrich soil with organic nitrogen. - Green Manuring
Grow nitrogen-fixing plants such as sunn hemp, dhaincha, and sesbania. After maturity, plough them back into the soil to release nitrogen naturally. - Crop Rotation with Legumes
Practice crop rotation with legumes like red gram, green gram, and soybean to naturally restore nitrogen in fields. - Biofertilizers
Introduce beneficial microbes such as Azotobacter, Azospirillum, Rhizobium, Blue-Green Algae (BGA), or Azolla to boost soil nitrogen. - Mulching & Crop Residue Management
Leave behind crop residues or apply mulches to conserve soil fertility and improve nitrogen levels. - Neem-Coated Urea (NCU)
When urea is used, prefer neem-coated varieties as they reduce nitrogen loss and improve efficiency. - Animal By-Products
Blood meal, bone meal, and fish meal are excellent organic sources of nitrogen. - Nitrogen-Fixing Trees & Agroforestry
Plant nitrogen-fixing trees such as Gliricidia, Leucaena, and Subabul to naturally enrich soil fertility. - Foliar Sprays During Shortages
Apply 2% urea solution or organic sprays (like panchagavya, jeevamrut, or fish amino acid) to meet urgent nitrogen needs.
🌱 Sustainable nitrogen management not only improves crop yield but also preserves long-term soil health and reduces environmental damage.
Happy Gardening
Rama Tyagi
tyagirama1@gmail.com
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15 WINTER FLOWERS FOR INDIAN GARDENS: ANNUALS
Ornamental Gardening
These seasonal flowering plants have the advantage of a tremendous variety of color, size & form. They occupy the garden space in less time & can be easily replaced. Annuals can be grown in beds, herbaceous borders, as an edging, for window boxes, pots, etc.
In India, winter is the best time to grow many different species of beautiful blooming annuals. The seeds of winter flowering annuals are sown in October-November. Some seedlings almost hibernate during the cold months of December & January & start growing as soon as the spring sets in.
Let’s have a look at some of the best winter flowering annual plants that you can grow in your home garden:
Alpine aster: Flowers are colorful, fragrant, and exude the joy of life. The most popular type of home gardens in India are annuals, i.e., ones that are raised from seeds, grow, bloom, seed & exhaust themselves during a season.
Alyssum:
The low growing plants that branch freely with usually white flowers which are honey scented. The compact plant looks like a carpet of flowers.
Antirrhinum (Snapdragon):
Branching annuals with numerous flowering spikes, mostly of crimson or white color. Many other colorful varieties of Snapdragon are used for bedding and pot culture.
Aster: China Aster is an excellent cut flower. The flower heads come in many different sizes, types & colors.
Calendula (Pot Marigold):
The flowers vary from straw color to deep orange. This single or double flowering plant is useful for bedding, potting & for window boxes.
Clarkia:
A hardy annual with slender branches & attractive long spikes of flowers. It can be grown as a pot plant.
Dianthus (Sweet William): Double or single fragrant, colorful flowers are born at the top of the branches in rounded clusters. The plant is suitable for beds, borders, rock gardens, or window boxes.
Hollyhock: This is a tall majestic annual. The large flowers are born in the axis of leaves all along the length of the stem. Hollyhocks can be used as a background plant, screen, open space shrubbery or annual border.
Larkspur: It is a very popular blue/mauve-purple/pink cut flower. The plant is grown in the background or in front of a tall hedge or border & in pots.
Pansy: The beautiful butterfly-like flowers are available in almost all shades of colors & their combinations & blotched, variegated, marked, stripped in contrasting colors. These low growing plants thrive well under the shade of other tall plants.
Petunia: The petunias are the most popular, loveliest & a valuable race of garden plants. The flowers are trumpet-shaped & may be small or large. Petunias are classified into many different types of flowers. Buy flowering plant seeds online in India.
Phlox:
One of the most well known & favorite annuals grown for its brilliant display & long lasting blooming period. Flowers are delicately scented, with a wide range of colors & many are with contrasting ‘eyes.’
Salvia:
The lost terminal spikes with tubular bright scarlet flowers are borne above the foliage. Salvia is ideal for growing in mass, in beds, borders, background shrubbery, under trees & semi-shaded places.
Sweetpea: This garden climber is valued & widely cultivated for its range of flower colors, elegant form, fragrance, and utility as a cut flower.
Verbena: A free flowering, low-growing, spreading plant. Flowers are born in clusters with light mauve, white & pink as common.
Statice: The flowers of this plant retain their shades for a long time when dried & are used for dry decoration as ‘everlasting’ flower.
Apart from the above, many other seasonal flowering plants can be grown in winter. Eg. Candytuft, Carnations, Centoria, Cornflower, Gypsophila, Nasturtium, Nigella, Poppy, etc.
- Now that you know the winter season flowers, make a note of the following things:
- As the growth of plants during winters is less, start with proper-sized ones.
- Plant according to the size of the container.
- Place your container in a place where it receives ample sunlight.
- Water your plants cautiously during winter.
- Fertilize regularly.
- Sow the seeds of your favorite flowers right before the winter sets in. Flowering plants need soil to be 5 inches deep. So, select an earthen pot of 6-8 inches, and bury the seed about 2 inches deep.
- Saplings will emerge in about 6 weeks.
- Sprinkle water as and when required.
- Fertilize your plants regularly.
Happy Gardening!
Why Is There Mold on My Houseplant Soil and How Do I Fix It?
What It Looks Like:
White, fuzzy growths often appear at the base of houseplants, sometimes overnight. This is usually a harmless type of saprophytic fungus feeding on decaying organic matter in the soil.
Causes of Mold on Soil
● Overwatering – Consistently damp soil encourages fungal growth.
● Poor air circulation – Stagnant indoor air makes it easier for mold to thrive.
● Lack of sunlight – Mold prefers dark, humid conditions.
● Organic matter – Rich compost, peat, or mulch on the surface can support mold growth.
Is It Harmful?
Most white mold on soil is harmless to plants, but it indicates conditions that may eventually damage roots (too much moisture). It’s also unsightly and can spread spores indoors.
How to Fix It
- Remove the mold – Scrape off the top 1–2 inches of soil and replace with fresh, sterile potting mix.
- Improve watering habits – Allow the top layer of soil to dry before watering again. Use pots with good drainage.
- Increase airflow – Place the plant in a well-ventilated spot or use a small fan.
- Give it more light – Natural sunlight or a grow light reduces mold growth.
- Use natural antifungals (optional) – Sprinkle cinnamon, baking soda, or activated charcoal on the soil surface to deter mold.
- Prevention Tips
- ● Avoid leaving water standing in saucers.
● Stir or aerate the topsoil occasionally to keep it from compacting.
● Repot plants every year or two with fresh soil to reset microbial balance..
Happy Gardening
Rama Tyagi .
tyagirama1@gmail.com
🌿 Grow Your Own Herbs Organically
Why Grow Herbs?
● Health & Nutrition: Fresh herbs like basil, parsley, and mint are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They boost immunity and support overall wellness.
● Flavor & Culinary Value: Nothing compares to the taste of freshly picked herbs. They enhance everyday cooking, turning simple meals into gourmet experiences.
● Sustainability: Growing your own herbs reduces reliance on store-bought packets, which means less plastic waste, less food waste, and a smaller environmental footprint.
● Cost Savings: Herbs are often expensive in supermarkets, but home-growing is inexpensive and ensures a fresh, constant supply.
● Wellbeing & Connection: Gardening is therapeutic. Caring for plants reduces stress, improves mood, and builds a connection to nature—even in urban environments.
Best Herbs to Grow at Home
● 🌿 Basil: A summer favorite, perfect for salads, pesto, and pasta.
● 🌿 Parsley: A versatile garnish, rich in vitamin C and iron.
● 🌿 Mint: Hardy and refreshing, great for teas, desserts, and cooling drinks.
● 🌿 Rosemary: Fragrant, drought-tolerant, and excellent for roasts and bread.
● 🌿 Thyme: Compact, easy to grow, great in soups, stews, and marinades.
● 🌿 Chives: Mild onion flavor, ideal for salads, omelets, and dips.
● 🌿 Coriander (Cilantro): A staple in global cuisines, from curries to salsas.
● 🌿 Oregano: Essential for Mediterranean cooking, pizza, and sauces.
● 🌿 Lemongrass: Adds zest to teas, stir-fries, and Asian dishes.
How to Grow Herbs Organically
- Containers or Garden Beds:
Use pots, raised beds, or balcony planters with good drainage. Terracotta pots are excellent because they allow roots to breathe. - Soil:
Choose a high-quality organic potting mix enriched with compost. Herbs thrive in fertile, well-draining soil. - Sunlight:
Most herbs need 5–6 hours of direct sunlight daily. South-facing balconies or windowsills are ideal. - Watering:
Herbs like consistent moisture but not waterlogging. Water when the top 2–3 cm of soil feels dry.
👉 Group herbs with similar water needs together—basil & parsley like more moisture, while rosemary & thyme prefer drier conditions. - Fertilisation:
Feed with organic compost, worm castings, or liquid seaweed as gentle fertilisers. Avoid synthetic chemicals that harm soil life. - Pests & Companion Planting:
Herbs naturally deter many pests with their aromas. To keep them healthy, attract beneficial insects by planting flowers like marigolds nearby. - Harvesting:
Regular harvesting encourages growth. Snip leaves in the morning when oils are most concentrated. Always leave enough foliage so the plant can recover.
Happy Gardening
Rama Tyagi
tyagirama1@gmail.com