Superb Kitchen Garden Blogs

We’ve been busy this week, as we participated in the Biotechnology Interest Group Meeting (BIG) in FGI this Thursday. BIG is a NGO was set up in 1998 for the promotion of biotech industries. Their objective is to promote the development and growth of biotechnology industries in Gujarat and it does this by organizing a range of activities like seminars and interactive discussions among the academicians and industrialists. We hope they’ll organise some free to attend seminars for budding bio-techies in Gujarat soon.

Meanwhile, we’d like to mention some superb blogs for Indian gardeners:

http://geekgardener.in/

This one is my personal fav. This weeks’ post was on Bok Choy, and I’m happy to second everything mentioned there…Bok Choy is a delicious healthy salad leaf, and it tastes well in Chinese stir-fries and dim sum. Here it is in our terrace garden plantation from last year:

Another brilliant blog:

http://techie2aggie.blogspot.com/

This is a serious blog of serious note…for anyone who wants to make a living off agriculture but is trying for the first time. This week, they’ve put up a very useful checklist of things to watch for when buying agriculture land.

A fun picture blog:

http://indigarden.blogspot.com/

This is an informal photo blog with pictures of the author’s garden, birds and animals, places to see. A recent post mentions some gorgeous flowers that can be grown in India.

Other Indian blogs of note:

http://vrikshanurseries.blogspot.com/

http://the-urban-gardener.blogspot.com/

http://www.padvalagriculture.com/

 

Preparing For The Rains

It’s been a while since we’ve posted: that’s because we’ve been busy WATERPROOFING our terrace

This blog post is going to help you prepare for the rains. Here’s a handy list of things to keep in mind before the heavens open:

1)   For container plants, now would be a good time to aerate them. Loosen up and dig out the soil around the plant and add a handful of organic manure, then replace the soil. This is because when it rains, the rain will clog the air channels in the soil and will get thick and heavy around the roots. Also, rains will likely carry away some of the topsoil and important nutrients. Also remember to unclog the drain holes at the bottom or sides of containers.

2)   If you have a terrace garden, ensure you call a professional and service your drains, as well as the rainwater drainage in the terrace. This is especially important if you have any L shaped pipes. Always avoid having L shaped storm water drain pipes- they clog real easy.

3)   Waterproofing is a very important element to rooftop gardens. Waterproofing requires you call an architect or a special “kadiya”. Don’t just hire labour and slap on some cement mixed with water proofing powder.

4)   Small plants and rock garden plants such as cactus, and succulent plants do not like excessive rain. Try erecting a temporary shelter over them with a glass plane and some bricks, keeping the slope away from the plants.

5)   Its time to start rainwater harvesting! Rain is the best kind of water source for plants because it contains nitrates (especially after a thunderstorm), microbes, and is an ideal pH. Unlike tap water, it is free from chlorides and fluorides.

6)   Excessive rain or harsh rain with wind is bad for kitchen garden plants. If you have sticky clay type of soil that creates “kichhad”, it could become water logged in the rain. You may need to add a sandy layer to it. You may also have to erect cloches.  Tomato plants turn yellow with excess rain, and chilli plants are affected by a variety of diseases due to excess water logging. Plants such as broccoli and strawberry rot with excess rain. Remember, too much of a good thing is never good.

7)   If you see frogs, toads or earthworms crawling in your soil, don’t scream in terror and start killing them- they are just coming up for air. Earthworms are a gardener’s best friends: they help keep soil loose and aerated, and help breakdown organic manure to create plant food. Froggies and toads will eat all your insects and pests.

    

8)   Insects and sucking pests are bad for gardens, and very prolific in the rains. You will need a good pesticide and fungicide spray for your  plants such as Chinni Kam and Bavistin respectively. Read instructions on the bottles carefully and use accordingly.

   9)   Do you have a fountain or a water body in your garden? You will notice a lot of wriggly tiny black creatures- these are mosquito and insect larvae. The best way to get rid of them is to add wild Guppies and Gambusia, which are mosquito eating fish.

10) Now is the best time to grow herbs like Mint, Coriander and Chives. Just make sure they stay well drained.

ENJOY!

Foliar fertilization

Foliar fertilization is the application via spraying of nutrients to plant leaves and stems. Foliar feeding has been used as a means of supplying supplemental doses of minor and major nutrients, plant hormones and other beneficial substances.

High concentrated sprays have potential to burn the foliage

Spray solution should be in near neutral range (6.5-7.5).

Increase pH: baking soda

Decrease pH: lime, vinegar, tamarind

Always delay foliar fertilization until air temperature drops to 26°C (80°F) or below as absorption at higher temperature is very poor because plant stomata are closed.

Otherwise, the feeding can be done in the evening or early in the morning. Absorption is further enhanced when weather conditions are humid and moist. The presence of heavy dew on the leaves facilitates foliar feeding. Addition of surfactant to solution decreases surface tension on the leaf and may increase absorption. (Note: possible chemical interactions should be considered).

Foliar nutrition is not prime method of feeding the plants and hence should not be used as substitute of soil application. Instead, it should be used to correct the nutrient deficiencies, pest resistance.

FREE PLANTS

FREE tomato and chilly plug plants for the residents of Vadodara and other accessible areas....Sponsored by Sun Agrigenetics in Vadodara

If you want some, add your email in the comment, and we'll give you directions to their farm near Umeta Chokdi 

Intercropping

A short while ago, we came across a fantastic website www.ghorganics.com which is a Colorado based company promoting the organic cause.  Here is an excerpt from the information on their site, plus a few additions from us.

Intercropping, companion planting or symbiotic planting are all techniques of growing different plants together or in succession, to deliver best results. Here is another good resource with loads of info:  www.organicgardeninfo.com/intercropping.html.

Some common intercrops or companion plants are listed below and can help promote growth, fruit taste or quality and protect against diseases. (Does not eliminate need for pesticide or weeding though)

Holy Basil (Tulsi): Grow with Tomato’s, Capsicum, Oregano, Asparagus and Petunias. Basil is helpful in repelling thrips, flies and mosquitoes.

Bay leaf (Tamalpatra): With Beans.  We Gujaratis have been putting tad patti or tamalpatra in each storage container of beans or grains to deter pests since kingdom come.

Beans:  With Carrots, Corn, Brinjal, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Wheat and other grains. All beans enrich the soil with nitrogen fixed form the air, improving the conditions for whatever crop you plant after the beans are finished.  Beans are great for heavy nitrogen users like corn and grain plants because the nitrogen used up by the corn and grains are replaced at the end of the season when the bean plants die back. Besides, remember the nursery rhyme we sang as kids? 

Beans Beans
Good for your heart
The more you eat
The more you fart

Sorry, couldn’t resist. Hehe

Beetroot:  With Lettuce, Onion, Cabbage, Good for fixing magnesium in soil, and that in turn helps plant take up nitrogen. Companions for beets are lettuce, onions and cabbage, cauliflower. Grow beets alongside garlic.

Chamomile, Mint, and Dill: plant with brassica like Cabbage and Cauliflower. Do not plant near tomato and chilly.

Broccoli: Mint, Garlic, Dill and Marigolds and Methi

Coriander: Potato

Garlic: Roses, Cucumber, Pea, Tomato, Carrot …almost anything!  It’s a great natural fungicide that is high in sulphur content.

Do let us know if you have anymore suggestions...email us at greenbay1999@gmail.com