There are trees with small root systems that can grow even in 1 ft of soil, says Hema Vijay
Can tiny home gardens host trees safely? Do tree roots attack foundations and cause cracks in walls? While all of us understand the need for trees in the urban landscape, many of us hesitate to plant trees in our home or apartment gardens fearing that the tree’s roots could attack the foundations or walls of our homes or compound walls.
True, trees with extensive root systems like the neem tree need substantial soil space. While it is not feasible to grow such large trees in tiny soil spaces, there are a host of trees with small root systems that can be grown even in one or two ft soil spaces alongside compound walls, and at locations even just three feet away from the building.
“Bauhinia (mandarai), creteva (mavalingam), shrubby cassias, ixora (vetchi) trees, muraya paniculata with its nice fragrant flowers, henna, dwarf mango varieties, gooseberry trees, lemon trees pomegranate trees, henna, native medicinal trees like the adathoda, nochi... there are quite many options to choose from. These trees can be grown for their shade, fruits, flowers, or just to keep the natural ecosystem alive in the city. We have to think of ways to bring back greenery to the city, rather than take lack of space as an excuse”, suggests Prof. D. Narasimhan, associate professor, Department of Botany, Centre for Floristic Research, Madras Christian College.
In the case of big trees like the neem which needs about 10 feet of soil surface between it and the building, construction of an underground concrete or stone barrier may be taken up, to prevent sprawling roots from reaching into the building’s foundation. And then of course, remember to plant the tree saplings deep enough. If you are going to plant the tree sapling at the surface depth, then of course, the growing tree’s roots have a higher chance of spreading around and reaching the foundations. “If you plant the tree sapling at the prescribed depth of three feet, the growing tree’s roots tend to grow deep into the soil and stay clear of the building’s foundation”, suggests horticulturist Hariesh Krishnamurthy. He recommends, “We need to plant the sapling after digging a pit about 2.5-3 feet deep. After planting, cover the pit with soil, leaving half to three fourth of the pit uncovered. Over a period of four months, the pit can be filled with sand and soil and brought to ground surface.”
Chitra Krishnaswamy shares some ridiculously easy-to-follow tips that will inspire even the most inexperienced gardeners to grow vegetables in a small space
All you need is five pots to start. So says Chitra Krishnaswamy to a gathering of women from FICCI Ladies Organisation and Siruthuli. Chitra is well known in the city for her fabulous terrace garden that grows everything from chillies to big,fat pumpkins.
Listening to Chitra makes one want to do gardening, even if one has never done it before. For those of us out there who find the elaborate instructions and dos and don’ts intimidating, Chitra’s tips make it sound ridiculously simple. She says she was the same way with not a clue about gardening. When the kids grew up and she found herself with plenty of time, she decided to give vegetable gardening a go on a whim.
“I just went to the nearest nursery and picked up almost all the seeds I could lay my hands on and plenty of pots. But I realise now that that is not the right way to go about it. It gets overwhelming,” says Chitra who has since then become an expert on home gardens. What about space? Especially for those who live in apartments?
“Get five pots. And grow the five things you use every day in your cooking,” she suggests. For example, curry leaves, coriander, chillies, tomatoes and greens like palak. Chitra explains how to start step-by-step. “It is not just about the thrill of gardening. It is a larger issue. Growing vegetables oneself ensures better health for our family, better budgeting and less wastage. If we all decide to do it, the volume of garbage we create will come down considerably,” she says. “No garbage should go out of our house, or at least it should be minimal,” says Chitra who believes that consciously looking at garbage, brings it down. “If we compost our wet waste and send the rest to recycling, Coimbatore will be so much cleaner. And, greener. If all of us had a garden in our balconies/terrace/compound how lovely it would be.”
Things to get before you start
♣ Five flower pots (preferably with three of four holes at the bottom for efficient drainage) ♣ Planting soil (available at nurseries) ♣ Coir pith ♣ Organic manure (available in nurseries/ or make your own) ♣ Neem powder ♣ Pseudomonas (enriches the soil) ♣ Panjakavyam (makes plants healthy)
Things to do
♣ Use one plant in one pot (do not put multiple seeds in the same pot. It does not auger well for the plant) ♣ Prepare the pot by putting pebbles or broken pieces of terracotta at the bottom to avoid stagnation of water ♣ Prepare the soil by mixing one part each of coir pith, manure and soil; add a fistful of pseudomonas and neem powder and then put the mixed soil into the pot ♣ Put the plant/seed of your choice into the soil a few inches apart. ♣ Water lightly. Remember too much water is as bad as too little. Even if it is the hot season it is just the top layer of soil that will dry out. The coir pith in the soil retains moisture. ♣ Set a schedule and it will be easy for you to get into a rhythm. Add a fistful of manure in the pot once a week Spray panchakavyam once a week (dilute 30 ml to one litre of water and then spray on plants)
Composting
♣ Three or four tiered composting pots are available. But one can compost in simple pots or buckets too. ♣ Ensure the pot/bucket has holes in it to breathe. ♣ Layer your wet waste for the day into it. ♣ Add dried leaves or saw dust on top. This will absorb any excess moisture. ♣ Put in a spoonful of compost microbes or dried cow-dung powder and put a layer of newspaper on top. ♣ Remember to turn the pile every day to ensure proper composting. ♣ Do NOT add onion peel, citrus fruit, tamarind, bones to your composting. ♣ It is preferable not to put cooked food into your composting pot as it may attract maggots. But if you do, just ensure you put a little more saw dust or dry leaves.Chitra says there will be no smell at all as the wet wastes decompose and turn into compost.
All your gardening needs are met at the Siruthuli office. For details call: 0422-2318222/2318333
The foot is one area where germs accumulate, more so during the rainy season. Most people tend to wear flip-flops during monsoons, geared to battle the slushy mud pools that come with them.
True, it is good to keep the feet exposed to the air, as much as possible, during monsoons. But open footwear attracts dirt. A fungal problem called ‘Athlete’s Foot’ develops more easily during humid weather, because the infection thrives on soggy skin.
Therefore, foot hygiene becomes all the more important when the heavens pour down.
Quick tips
Pay special attention to your feet, while bathing. After washing them well, dry them thoroughly and apply talcum powder. If you wear closed shoes, sprinkle some talcum powder inside the shoes. Once you are back home, soak your feet in cold water, to which some salt has been added, for 10-15 minutes.Get weekly pedicures to prevent fungal infections. Avoid socks and wear open slippers. Keep the feet as dry as possible.
Foot spa at home
You could do an at-home pedicure of sorts, but it is easier when somebody else is providing the massage. Either way, you will need the following: a small tub to soak the feet in, towels, scrub, foot soak, foot lotion, foot rinse, and massage oil. Of course, you could buy ready-made ingredients. But if you prefer DIY projects, here’s how you do it.
To make foot soak
In one-fourth bucket of warm water, add half cup of coarse salt and 10 drops of lemon, or orange essential oil. If you cannot get essential oil, use half cup of lemon or orange juice. If your feet tend to sweat a lot, use a few drops of tea tree oil, as it has germicidal properties. It helps deal with bad odour as well. Soak your feet in it for 10-15 minutes.
To make scrub
Get either almond meal, oatmeal or wheat bran, or a mix of all three, add dry ground orange and lemon peels, or coarse salt, or granulated sugar. Orange and lemon peels should be dried thoroughly in the sun and kept in a tightly closed container separately. Almond meal can also be made and stored in a dry container.
Yoghurt, milk or oils can be added to such ingredients. You can use any vegetable oil that is available at home, like sunflower, or safflower oil, sesame seed oil, or olive oil. Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl, as required, and scrub your feet gently for 10-15 minutes.
To make massage oil
Take 100 ml olive oil and add 2 drops eucalyptus oil, 2 drops rosemary oil and 3 drops khus or rose oil. Mix together and keep in airtight glass jar. Use a little of this for foot massage. It cools and protects the skin. To make foot rinse
Add rose water, lemon juice and a splash of eau de cologne in cold water and soak feet in it for 15-20 minutes. It cools, cleans and removes odour. Later, wash it off with plain water and pat dry using a towel. To make foot lotion
Mix together 3 tablespoons of rose water, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon pure glycerine. Apply on feet and leave it on for 10 minutes, then wash off with plain water.
Here’s another way to make your feet happy:
Fill the tub with hot water and add rose water to it, or a few drops of rose or lavender essential oil.
Add coarse salt to the water and some pure almond oil. You can also add some rose petals and petals of other flowers to create the spa feeling.
Soak the feet in the water for 15 minutes.
Mix the scrub ingredients and apply them on the feet. Rub it gently in circular movements, for 10-15 minutes and wash it off.
Then give the feet a massage with oil or cream. Wipe off excess cream with a moist towel. Mix one tablespoon honey with 50 ml rose water. Apply it on the feet; lie down and relax for half an hour; then, wash it off with plain water.
A stew is not just comfort food, especially during the rains or winter, but also a powerhouse of immunity and health, avows Sangeeta Sen. When it comes to stew, our thoughts always turn to a piping-hot food that is chock-full of some wholesome root vegetables, herbs and/ braised vegetables simmered slowly over a gentle flame. As a matter of fact, such type of stew has been the perfect choice, across cultures since time immemorial, for promoting good health.
For the ancient Romans, a stew of lentils, like the Laganophake Stew, made a perfect healthy meal. A medley of various recent experiments and studies conducted, indeed, back the Roman’s belief:
The Laganophake Stew has ingredients like green lentils that are rich in proteins and iron. Besides, the green lentils help ensure a healthy immune system. Its dietary fibre content helps sustain the energy levels. In addition, this stew has other ingredients like the quercetin-rich onion that performs anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory functions.
The stew contains the digestive cumin, dill leaves with anti-bacterial properties, as well as aniseeds and black pepper that help reduce bronchial irritation. The icing on the cake is that Laganophake also contains parsley leaves, which are rich in vitamins A and C, and thyme leaf extracts that help prevent colon cancer.
It’s not just the Laganophake Stew. Other varieties of healthy stews dating back to the ancient times are gradually finding their way into the kitchens today. Take, for example, the Persian Ghormeh Sabzi, that dates back to about 500 to 1000 years.
This stew was cooked with herbs, kidney beans and cottage cheese. It was considered a very healthy choice as it was known to consist of minerals and vitamins that were deemed necessary for good health. In fact, recent researchers have confirmed that the spinach, parsley and fresh coriander leaves present in this stew are full of iron and folic acid.
In addition, these ingredients contain vitamins C, A and K, all of which are essential for maintaining strong immune and nervous systems, and good bone health as well. Besides, it also contains immunity-boosters like dried limes and lemon juice. The manganese-rich red kidney beans, present in this stew, help cut down risks of developing cancerous growths. Also, the garlic used acts as a powerful antibiotic.
Back home, our ayurvedic texts too prescribe several types of vegetable stews that help boost the immune system, get rid of common cold and cough or flu, relieve acidity, gastric problems, constipation and many other common ailments.
The Ayurvedic Carotene Stew - rich in, as its name suggests, carotene, from lettuce, green beans and carrots - is the best example. Spiced with cumin, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, the stew is known to help balance the pitta, vata and kapha doshas, thereby, protecting the body against a variety of illnesses.
Furthermore, it’s also known to relieve symptoms of stress. Well, what are you waiting for? Throw on your apron and try one of these health-boosting vegetarian stews right away!
Roman Laganophake Stew
Ingredients: 100g of green lentils (or sabut moong dal), a finely sliced onion, a sprig each of fresh parsley, finely chopped dill and thyme leaves, 1 ½ tablespoons of red vinegar, 1 teaspoon cumin powder or cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon aniseeds or saunf, a pinch of black pepper, salt to taste, some oregano flakes, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and water as desired. Method: Fry the sliced onions till golden brown in a shallow pan. Add the green lentils, red vinegar and about 3 cups of water. Grind the cumin and the aniseeds and then, add to the stew mixture. Also add the chopped dill leaves. Stir in the chopped thyme and mix well. Simmer the whole mixture over a gentle flame till the green lentils are cooked. Finally, transfer the healthy Laganophake Stew into a bowl. Garnish with the chopped parsley, and serve hot.
Persian Gormeh Sabzi
Ingredients: A bunch of roughly chopped spinach leaves, ½ cup each of chopped parsley and coriander leaves, 350g of cottage cheese (cut into 1-inch cubes), 1 ½ cups of cooked kidney beans, 2 finely sliced spring onions, 1 thinly sliced medium-sized spring onion, 3 chopped garlic cloves, 2 dried limes (made by blanching lemons in salted water and then drying them) that are soaked in water for a couple of minutes, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, salt, black pepper, vegetable stock and olive oil as desired.
Method: Coat the paneer cubes with some olive oil, salt, turmeric and black pepper. Grill them till the cubes turn golden. Next, in a big pan, heat olive oil and fry the chopped onions until brown. Add the chopped garlic, kidney beans, grilled paneer cubes and the vegetable stock. Mix well and allow to simmer. Also add the chopped spinach, parsley and coriander leaves, as well as the spring onions. Pierce the dried limes and add them to the stew, along with their water. Add the lemon juice, salt and black pepper. Cook till the dried limes and the spring onions turn tender. Finally, pour a bit of olive oil over the stew and serve hot. Ayurvedic Carotene Stew
Ingredients: 3 cups of beta carotene-rich vegetables like chopped lettuce leaves, green beans and carrots, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 4 black pepper corns, 1 cinnamon stick, 5 cloves, 4 crushed green cardamoms, salt, water and oil.
DUNES OF LIFE History is just another story, and so is your past. You can interpret it in several ways. But you know it is unhealthy when you cling onto the bad parts with the “if only” attitude, reckons Advaita Shyam Sunder. “When we go back into the past and rake up all the troubles we had, we end up reeling and staggering through life. Stability and peace of mind come by living in the moment.”- Pam Vredevelt Today is the beautiful gift which is wrapped at the foot of your bed. But each morning encounters with its foe ‘the past’. The past is often something that holds us back from enjoying and fully relishing the present moment. It is like a cacophony in the everyday melodious music of your life. Clinging onto the past is detrimental to our mental health. Letting go of the past is imperative. But it is easier said than done. Welcome the new day Begin each day in a jolly way. Every new day is too valuable to be cumbered with the old balderdash. Once you finish a day, you better be done with it. You did all that you could. You might have committed a few blunders. You behaved in a silly manner where you weren't supposed to. Still, forget them as soon as you can. Don't let the novelty of the new day be overshadowed by the perturbations of bygone day. How about you greet everyday with open arms as anything new presents you with endless possibility? If you treat every new day as a once in a lifetime event, your life will be much more exciting and refreshing.Learn to breathe. Literally.
Nothing is worth breaking your head over. The past continuously torments you and doesn’t let you get on with the flow of life. All that incessant chatter inside your mind needs to stop. Meditation helps in calming your mind. Clarity sets in from composure and quiet. Knowing that meditation is tough for many as it needs too much concentration, start with few minutes. If you have troubling focusing on your breathing, any soft stress-free or transcendental meditation music can help you along. Accept your history
Accepting your life the way it is gives you power. When you accept your past for whatever it gave you or taught you, it will stop having power to control you. When you deny, the past comes back again saying ‘you better face the fact’. In order to let go of the animosity, bitterness and anger associated with your past, you need to accept it. It helps you cope with all the burdens of the past. Once if you have been hurt, let it go. The moment you accept things the way they are, you control the mind than the other way round. Analyse your past
Analysing your past is not a problem. But when you feel stressed after a certain point, and you still do it anyway, that is when you have a big problem. It leads to self-destructive behaviour. Identifying the things or people that hurt you will help you to stay away from them. Thereby, anything that triggers memories of your past will be discarded from your life. That is good. But you must not dwell on it along the lines of “If only I had (or not)...”. Re-align with yourself Take a moment and write down your core values, life goals, and actions you are taking to pursue them. When you get an honest view about yourself, you will know whether you are progressing or regressing. Wherever you find that you are moving backwards, figure out what is holing you back. This way you will be able to get a more objective opinion about yourself. And this means you will solve your past problems yourself, without dwelling on it too much. Find your unique expression Indulge in an activity that soothes you, on a regular basis. It could be dancing. It could be exercising. It could even be baby-sitting. And if it is writing that feels like a therapy to you, you are really lucky! Because that way you could maintain a diary for all your daily happening. That way you will be able to record your past and you wouldn’t have to wrack your brains to analyse it. It will all be jotted down for you. And if you aren’t into writing, it is okay. Just make sure the activity is a stimulative one, preferably physically too.
Life has so many things that can bring a twinkle to your eyes and a smile to your lips. Rachna Chhabria recommends twelve to-dos that are sure to get you high on positivity throughout the year. Another year has crept up on us, like so many years before it. Every year we postpone things with excuses ranging from “I don’t have the time, resources or the energy” to “I will do this when I retire or after my children are settled or when my finances are in a better shape”.
Things once put on the backburner seldom see the light of the day, because life and work play such a spoilsport. Let’s make positive use of the 365 days that are smiling at us invitingly.
Embrace physical change
Practically every one of us has secret desires that we have not succumbed to. Maybe a trendy haircut that you think you will be unable to pull off. Maybe a beard that we have been dying to grow or shave off. Perhaps a hair streaking that you have postponed forever. A tattoo that has you lusting after it or a nose or ear-piercing that has you dilly dallying. This year resolve to take that risk. Go for that change in your physical appearance. It will make you fall in love with your new self. Read a book a month
In the hustle bustle of life, books get literally pushed back into the shelves, with the excuse of lack of time. This year make it a point to read at least a few classics that had garnered rave reviews during their time of publishing. Reading makes us explore the world in a way and meet new people in the book. The pages of a book take us on a wonderful journey of discovery. If classics are not your cup of tea, read a few inspirational books that are packed with positive energy. These books will change your perspective towards life and fill you with optimism.
Try a new hobby
Due to myriad reasons we put off learning a new hobby or skill and then it becomes too late to venture into that terrain. Fulfill that childhood dream that has been postponed forever. Eager to learn dancing, piano, classical singing, a new language, cooking, computer, yoga, painting, photography, or whatever it is that had captured your heart in its grip. Nothing like learning something new that brings back the colour into one’s monotonous life.
Watch a classic movie
Acquaint yourself with a classic movie. Watch a classic movie that had people of your parent’s generation in raptures. Rent out a DVD and subdue your senses as the old movies had less noise and more story, coupled with great acting. Get engrossed in real cinema for a change. For the older generation it’s the opposite. Watch a current movie that has your children enthralled. What they consider current classic. Perhaps it will have you rolling with laughter and you will get a sneak peek into what your children consider entertainment. Give in to wanderlust Our bucket list of places to visit in one’s lifetime is always overcrowded. Start checking the places by visiting the one nearest and most affordable. Nothing excites a human mind like a new place with its unique culture, monuments and people. Journeys can be both exciting and enriching.
Sample a new cuisine
Food monotony can suck the flavour from food and life. After all how long can you eat the same food day in and day out without losing the taste for it. Try out a new cuisine to tantalize and tickle your taste buds. Whether you enjoy it or not, it will at least end up giving you appreciation for your own cuisine. You can take this one step further and learn to cook a new cuisine.
Get close to Mother Nature
Plant a tree or grow your own terrace garden. Life in cities separates us from mother nature in a big way. Space constraints makes plants a distant friend. For those of us living in apartments, a garden is a dream that we can never fulfill in this lifetime. But potted plants can satisfy our gardening dreams in a small way. Certain plants and vegetables thrive in pots which can sit in our balconies and fulfill our craving for nature. And watching what we have planted grow and blossom every single day, fills us with silent wonder. Clean up your attics
Things that we don’t need or use can clog up our living space. Here, the great Indian storing mentality rears its monstrous head. None of us like to part with objects, clothes, or gadgets that we have not used for years. We store them in the hope that someday in future we will find some use for it. This is meaningless wishful thinking and it manifests itself in other areas of our lives too. It is time to unclutter and move on. Get some “Me Time” The twenty four hours in a day fly by the speed of lightning. Work, family, household chores, commuting and TV act like leeches and suck away the time. The ‘I’ gets subsumed in ‘everyone.’ Even fifteen minutes of “me time” (time reserved solely for oneself) can do wonders in one’s life. Call it meditation time, time for introspection, or time to plan the next day. Or it could be the time to just relax by listening to one’s favourite music or reading a few paragraphs from our perennial favourite book is something we all need. In this rat race we get to know a lot of things, but we forget to acquaint ourselves with our own self. The “me time” can be used for introspection: Why did I lose my temper? Why did that person’s comments hurt me? What is my body trying to tell me?
Maintain a diary
This one is a classic! If you don’t already maintain a diary, try it sometime. It is a great way of not just recording your life but also venting out stress. These days, most people are caught up in their own worlds and even your close ones might feel over-crowded if you get too emotionally dependant. A diary can come to your rescue like nothing else. Simply pouring your heart out into it can do wonders to you. Psst... Remember to hide it well. Spend time with family Earning a livelihood ensures that we have no time for anything else in life. Work keeps us busy to the extent that we forget our parents and children; one set is responsible for our presence on Earth and the other set is dependent on us. Before we realize it, our parents have left us for their ultimate journey and the children have flown the coop in search of careers, without us ever having spent quality time with them. Make it a ritual to spend time with both - one’s parents and children. Support an NGO Reaching out to the unfortunate and helping mitigate their suffering is a wonderful way to help society. There are a plethora of NGOs that do wonderful work. Supporting them in our own small way goes a long way in lighting up someone’s life. Do not think only along the lines of donating money. Instead, how about donating some time for volunteering for good causes? Adopt the policy of out with the old and in with the new. There are so many things that fill your heart with joy. Bring a twinkle in your eyes and a smile on your lips. Let this new year be the start of something beautiful…
This festive season, if you are wondering what to gift your dear ones, engage with nature and gift them a garden, suggests Sarah Thomas.Festivity is in the air with Christmas and New Year around the corner. There are sales everywhere, and you can’t help but notice the shopping spree. And it is always a task to choose what to give your loved ones because it has to be well-liked and surprise the person.
Now, have you considered gifting a living, fresh garden? Seems absurd, right? But no, people have done that in the past, and it has worked out better than they imagined. “I wanted to give my nephew something he could have for life and something he could benefit from. I just did not know what that ‘something’ was until I came across Purna Organics. Mallesh, its CEO, gave me the idea of gifting a garden. I totally loved it,” says Veena Karlekar, an IT sector employee.
Purna Organics is an established company that pioneers in the concept of ‘garden gifting’ in India. Mallesh says that the concept of gifting plants or giving food has existed since ages. All he has done is improvise it and present it in a new manner. “All a customer has to do is provide us the size of the garden he wishes to have and specify what variety of vegetables he prefers. And we deliver it to her in a span of thirty days,” he says.
A plant requires an area of two square feet to grow. You could gift a garden that is just two square feet in size with one vegetable variety, and it would cost you Rs 1,000. You could also gift one that would have 12 varieties of vegetables for Rs 12,000. This, Mallesh specifies, is a modular garden.
He says that not everyone would have a large space to grow a garden, but with modular gardens that isn’t a problem at all. Nearly everyone has two square feet or more of an area to give for a garden. The cost too is meagre when compared to the gifts you would buy from shops. This is an investment worth making.
You aren’t just giving a gift, you are giving something that would constantly provide for your loved one, something he could use forever. Anything grown at home is a lot healthier than what you get in the markets.
“We provide ready-to-harvest gardens that would take nearly a month to raise, and hence, the customer needs to book the garden in advance. We also take up the responsibility of setting it up. It is transported with care in firm-bottomed boxes, so, there is nothing one has to worry about. In case you want a tomato plant then when we deliver a six to eight inches plant,” he adds.
The gifts are not restricted to vegetables. It can be customised. Exotic plants, edible herbs, an Italian herb garden and, if desired, flowers and ornamental plants too. Or a combination of these makes a great gift.
“Today, Purna Organics has many satisfied customers, which makes me feel elated,” says Mallesh. Sharing his experience, he says that once his customer surprised his wife with a vegetable garden on her birthday. “His wife was a garden lover, and she was on cloud nine when she saw it.” Mallesh points out that ‘garden gifting’ is merely an integration of the culture of growing into the art of gifting. This is a new concept that has been accepted well and appreciated. Anybody would love a touch of green in his/her house.
This festive season engage with nature and gift your dear ones a garden. It would be a surprise indeed, an unforgettable one. You would be doing Mother Earth a favour too. Add a little life into somebody’s life
If planning to grow a garden from scratch, A Dyuthi offers some useful tips. Read on to know how to get the best results when you’re growing plants from seeds. Sweating profusely, he changed the location of his precious pots once more, frowning as the stubborn soil refused to show up some semblance of green! No sign of life despite the daily exercise! I was eager to unravel the mystery of the sulking seeds. Here’s what my research yielded.
Now, what’s actually involved in the germination process? A seed contains within it a plant’s beginnings. To help encourage its development to its full potential, you need to create the proper environment in terms of heat, light, air, water and growing medium. An error in any one of these aspects even will stifle the seed’s attempt to multiply its cells, supply food and break out of its seed coat to sprout out its root and start developing into a whole plant. So, let’s first identify the optimum growing conditions for germination to occur successfully. Environ for growth
Whether you purchase seeds or collect them from your own garden or your friend’s, make sure they’re whole and healthy. Are they suitable for your garden’s or area’s conditions? Are they of species in season right then? Have you stored them for so long that they have lost the capability to germinate?
Once you’ve ascertained the quality of your seeds, choose proper growing containers. Use pots or plastic containers, but check whether there are enough drainage holes. Determine pot-size depending on the seed’s size. Place saucers/trays beneath each to prevent water from running down onto the floor.
Grow them indoors first and then move the pots outdoors when the plants start showing signs of resilience.
Select the right fertiliser if you’re using one. Higher nitrogen content is ideal for grass and foliage plants, while phosphorous and potassium are good for flowering and fruit-bearing plants. However, fertiliser isn’t indispensable.
As for lighting, fluorescent bulbs are usually recommended since most seeds require only low level light. If you prefer natural light, then place the pots in indirect sunlight. Long hours of direct harsh rays will only kill the seeds. Keeping the pots on the window-sill will prompt the seedlings to tilt towards the sunlight, resulting in long and weak plants. Avoid using garden soil. It sometimes promotes fungus growth and diseases. Go for potting mix instead.
Now proceed with the sowing of seeds in the pots. You can use a pencil for making tiny trenches for the seeds to go in. Very small seeds can be scattered on the surface and lightly pressed down. Spread a light layer of soil over them.
Take utmost care while watering. Avoid splashing lots of water onto the pot. The soil should only be moist and not drip with water. Misting the soil with a spray-can is a wonderful method to achieve this result. Maintain moisture during germination by placing a clear plastic bag over the pot leaving at least one-inch space above the soil level. But, punch holes into the bag to let the seeds breathe. Don’t forget to remove the bag once the seedlings emerge. Make more space
As the seedlings grow, they’ll require more space if you’ve planted them densely in one container. So, transplant them when the first true leaves appear. But, avoid hurting the roots. Handling them by the leaves and not their delicate stems will minimise injury to the seedlings. Don’t arrange the pots outdoors, leaving the poor little things to their own devices.
They can’t survive the sudden change in environment. Place the plants initially in a warm, protected area outdoors like the porch/portico for a few hours daily. Refrain from this process on windy or extremely cold days. Gradually increase the length of exposure time to the natural elements till the plants adapt to the changed conditions. When the plants appear firm and hard, move them to their designated locations.
A word of caution! Even a small mistake can prove to be costly. So, where are you most likely to go wrong? Forgetting to water the plants, or more commonly, being overcautious about preventing flooding, leading to dry, growing medium. Not all plant species can be subjected to the same level of heat and light. So, first determine the optimum levels for your particular seed type.
Also, be sure to use clean containers. Remove all debris from them and cleanse them thoroughly before use. Use deep containers for large seeds. But, never drive seeds too deep into the soil since this will render rising up to the soil-surface an impossible task. Remember, planting too many seeds in a single container will only choke them. Next, is the ventilation good? And when you’re acclimatising the plants to the natural environment outdoors, don’t overdo it. For, extreme exposure can damage them! Plus, fetch them indoors at night.
