Growing Season &Garden Update 2017

Our growing season 2017 is finally here, the moment that i had been waiting for so long and with it begins my sowing for 2017.I started it by doing one of the most important parts of gardening which is ordering seeds that i planned to grow,and the list was a long one. After lots of confusion,rethinking and brainstorming ,i made my decision and i got my seeds finalized and delivered to me all the way from the USA from Baker Creek and Pinetree.I also bought seeds from seed stores here in India  from companies like Pocha and Omaxe .

Nothing brings me more joy than sowing seeds and the sight of little baby seedlings sprouting from the soil is such a delight to watch,what else could a gardener ask for.It was time to begin the sowing process, and i sowed my very first batch of seeds in June,as you can see in the pic below ,I sowed tomato,pepper,marigolds,beans just to name a few,all seemed to be going well until the monsoons arrived towards the end of June,it poured day in day out non stop for the first two weeks and i lost a lot of seedling and seeds in the bargain due to various issues like water logging, root rot and wilt. 

Not all was lost though they were a few seedlings that stood tough against this harsh down pour and those were my Yardlong beans that grow each year from seeds that i save.

Lab Lab (Hyacinth beans), Thai pink egg tomato and Japanese white eggplants and a sole  little Chinese five color chili pepper plant that was holding on to dear life.

There were also a few volunteer plants that popped up effortlessly with the  help of the rains like Morning glories and Marigolds.

Glorious Morning Glories, oh how i love the pop of color that they add to the garden,each morning i am greeted by these purple beauties :)) 

My friend Mumbai Balcony Gardener shared a few heirloom varieties of Marigold seeds that she bought from Baker Creek with me last year, we exchange, share, swap a lot of seeds with each other, and we share a common love .... oh yes ...now before you get your thoughts running wild, let me tell tell you that the love that i am talking about here is for gardening and seeds :) infact we are seed-o-holics its maddening at times thinking just about how many seeds we have ended up hoarding !!! anyways now coming back to the marigolds, so the initial marigolds that i had sowed were dwarf plants that put out many beautiful blooms but alas i don't know what went wrong and kaput the plants were all dead,with the onset of the harsh summers back then i did not bother to uproot those dead plants, and those marigolds had now self seeded.

And this is what  i ended up with, a gigantic marigold plant now that standing tall, so tall that one of its stems snapped during a rain storm, but nothing seemed to hold it back and it just keeps on growing.

Three days back it began flowering,here is pic of the bloom below.The sweetest looking marigolds so dainty and petite.

Its August now, things have begun moving along, the weather seems to be a tad bit okay,and the sun is out , at times it just suddenly gets dark,cloudy and starts pouring down ,and at times its scorching hot, i hate unpredictable weather :(

 The yard beans have twined themselves, way up onto the fence and they have begun flowering :)

What looked like this around a month back, looks like this now as of today !!!

How can we not talk about "TOMATOES", oh yes !!! one of the most favorite plants that i love to grow in my potted garden,I bought them in colors of pink, white, blue, green, black, yellow,red, orange,stripes etc, I got all the colors of the rainbow covered :))and so i sowed some tomato seeds on the 4 th of August and they are doing just fine,i am yet to sow the remaining ones,this year i had a choice of some 45 plus odd types of tomato seeds to choose from,some seeds were gifted, some i got in swaps, i shortlisted the ones i liked and then decided to grow 26 varieties of heirloom tomatoes.Infact I was tomato shamed by most of my gardening friends when they first heard of my plans !! Lol ☺they thought i have gone wayyyy over board, Hmmm... well that's what most may think ...but for me there is no such thing as " so many tomatoes ",only a true tomatoholic would know and understand, just how i feel about them:)) I waited for a good long period of seven months before i can grow them.

So this was my garden update for my readers, and as always don't forget to leave your precious comments down below tell me what you like growing, where do you like seed shopping or just about anything you like to do in your garden, so until my next post its,

 Happy Gardening To All ☺

How To Grow Bottle Gourd From Seeds In Pots/Containers.

This year i thought of growing summer veggies like different types of gourds,cucumbers etc.I am terrible when it comes to growing them,but this year the climate and gardening gods were on my side,and i finally was successful in growing Bottle Gourd/Oppo Squash in a pot on my terrace garden.But things did not start off on a good note !! Here's my journey on how i grew my bottle gourd/Oppo Squash.

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My gardening friend Vedashree,had shared a few round bottle gourd seeds with me last year in April, i sowed those directly in a pot which had a potting mix of red garden soil and compost.Days passed by as i waited patiently but no signs of germination,it was way past 15 days since I sowed the gourd seeds,each day i would dig up the seeds, 4 to be precise look at them and stick them back in the soil, i finally gave up thinking that the seeds were not viable and sowed new seeds this time a long variety in the same pot,all the seeds germinated beautifully, they reached first true leaf stage and one fine day, all the saplings wilted i guess due to root rot and over watering on my behalf !! 

After about 5 days, two new saplings emerged from the same pot, i was happy to see that not all was lost after all, out of these two saplings then again one died,not wanting to lose my sole single gourd sapling, i thought of transplanting it into my curry leaf pot,my curry leaf pot is my lucky pot i managed to grow madras cucumbers and tomatoes in it.So i transplanted the tiny baby gourd sapling into the curry leaf pot and much to my surprise it started to take off happily ☺ 

Once it put out two true leaves,i mulched the top layer of the soil with old dry leaves,and then sprinkle some Neem cake over it followed by some more soil and compost,to cover the neem cake.

Twice a month i pour some diluted buttermilk for my curry leaf plant,i guess the bottle gourd seemed to like it too,it started growing vigorously and put out new leaves,the leaves of bottle gourd/oppo squash are very soft and smooth just like velvet ☺

I placed the pot in a spot that receives only morning sun for 2 to 3 hrs,and then gets shade for the rest of the day, since summers were at peak,i watered the plant twice a day, before sunrise and after sunset,to avoid sunburn and other issues.

The leaves grew bigger in size ,without any disease or pest problems, which was a big relief for me :)

After growing a set of 10 to 12 leaves the vines started to form tendrils,and was ready to take off.

Within a months time of transplanting the Bottle gourd/Oppo Squash Vine, i spotted the first male flower.After 10 days or so the first female flower arrived on the vine.

I did not give the Bottle Gourd/Oppo squash vine any support or trellis, i just let it do its thing and left it to grow and spread naturally.Its tendrils latched on to the curry leaf plant for support and grew upwards.

I was so happy with the growth of my Bottle gourd/oppo squash vine.As the plant was now using its energy to produce flowers, i fertilized it with some composted cow manure and week solution of vermiwash.

A week later, the first female flower appeared,its easy to tell the difference between a male and female flower,the male flower is plain at the bottom,whereas the female flower has a small ovary or mini gourd attached to the flower below. 

Bottle Gourd/Oppo Squash flowers bloom late in the evening after sunset,since i did not have any bees visiting the garden during this time of the year,i decided to hand pollinate the flowers, to increase the chances of me getting a gourd.

To Hand pollinate the female gourd flowers,simply take a male gourd flower and  strip of the petals to expose the stamen,now gently touch the stamen,onto the stigma of the female flower,ensuring that it touches the surface all round the middle of the female flower,same procedure can be done using a fine bristled paint brush or q tip.

I then placed the stamen in the center of the female flower and tie it with a piece of thread, as shown in the picture above.

If you the pollination is successful, the ovary or mini gourd attached to the female flower will bend downwards and begin to enlarge and grow into a gourd,in case the pollination is not successful the flower will drop off.It can take upto 2 weeks for the gourd to grow into full size and be ready for harvest.Its important to retain moisture at all times for proper growth of the gourd.

Out of three hand pollinated female gourds ,I managed to get one decent sized bottle gourd,the rest never grew in size and fell off the vines.Summers got harsher, they were hot dry winds that blew in the afternoons,i knew there was no scope for any more gourds,but i was happy with the one single gourd that i managed to get.

As the saying goes, its not the size of the harvest that matters, what really matters is the success !!! 

so friends until next time, its Happy Gardening to you all ☺ 

How To Grow Spring Onions From Old Onions That Have Sprouted In Pots/Containers.

Spring Onions also known as scallions is a must have in my potted garden,i always a batch of them growing at all times.Its probably one of the easiest greens that a novice gardener or anybody with a brown thumb can grow,non fuss,simple,can handle a bit of neglect and almost free from the dangers of any pest attacks, and even better it does not need much space to grow and can be easily grown in pots/containers in your balconies,terrace gardens or gardens.So here is a step by step pictorial guide on growing your own spring onions using old onions that have sprouted and have been lying in your kitchen pantry for long.

Begin by taking a few sprouted onions make sure they are nice and firm because they have sprouted and have been lying for some time there are chances that some might be rotten, spoiled or mushy from within.

Once you have sorted and picked the good ones, begin by peeling off the top skin and a few layers of the onions, this step is important as it assures that the skin and peels don't rot in the soil,which may in turn rot the bulbs.

Next get the potting soil ready by mixing equal quantities of garden soil( you can use red soil,black soil or loamy soil),coco peat and compost/aged manure/vermi-compost,mix everything up together so that all of the potting soil ingredients are well incorporated.

Fill the soil in a pot/container make sure the pot has holes for water drainage.Once you have filled the soil press it down to remove any excess air pockets or gaps.Now simply stick the sprouted onions in the soil and cover lightly,don't bury them deep inside, simply place them on the surface and make sure the sprouted top remain exposed. 

Its important to start with a good potting soil mix that's full of organic matter and rich in hummus as we will not be adding any additional fertilizers once the sprouted onion bulbs are sowed in the soil.

You can place the pot in part or full sun,2 to 3 hrs of direct sunlight is more than sufficient to grow them.Spring onions love moist soil and grow quickly,until the green sprigs emerge simply sprinkle water on the top of the soil,making sure that it remains moist at all times but not waterlogged.Incase the tempratures and weather where you live are too hot or humid you can sprinkle water twice a day.

Within a weeks time the green sprigs will emerge from the soil once this happens it will grow rapidly.At this stage you can begin watering the spring onions but only at the base.

The trick to growing upright spring onions without any droopy or bent leaves is by avoiding pouring water on them,always water at the base,spring onions hate over head watering as they tend to bend over this way,making the leaves look untidy and giving it a messy appearance. Also avoid pouring water with force.

Planting bigger sprouted onion bulbs will give you better and larger green springs,so basically planting small onions will result in small sized springs.

In about 3 weeks time your spring onions will be ready for harvest,Now if you would like to have a continuous supply of spring onions you can snip only the green tops out using a clean and sharp pair of garden scissors,leaving the bulbs in the soil itself in a weeks time you will see new growth.

You can get two or three harvests using the snipping as much as you need method,because the green tops tend to become slimy and fibrous after a few harvests.Also once you cut the green tops and let them re-grow the spring onion will not produce a flower bud and go to seed.If you wish to let it seed just leave the spring onions to mature on their own without removing any of the leaves.

I personally do not use the snipping method,i prefer waiting and pulling out the entire bulbs with the greens,once they reach about a foot and a half or so in height.

Home grown spring onions are crisp,fresh and vibrant green in color,nothing beats the joy and satisfaction that you get by growing,harvesting,cooking and eating the produce that you grow yourself organically.Spring Onions are great raw in salads,they can be stir fried, and they make a wonderful garnish in soups,fried rice,omelettes, and porridge.

I  simply Stir fried the spring onion greens i harvested with along with some potatoes,salt and pepper as a side dish and had it with some rice and lentils :-)  Happy Gardening ♥

How To Grow Cilantro/Coriander From Seeds In Pots.

Cilantro or Coriander is widely used In Asian,Mexican, Spanish and Latin Cuisine.Its a popular herb that is catching up fast and gaining popularity in other countries as well.Its a herb that you can either love or hate due its distinctive flavor and aroma. The roots,leaves,stems and dry seeds are used in cooking.Its a fairly easy herb to grow and can be easily grown in small pots or containers,without taking up much space so its an ideal choice of herb to grow in a small balcony/ garden .So here's a pictorial step by step guide on growing your very own Cilantro/Coriander from seeds .

Begin by taking some dry Cilantro/Coriander seeds,then spread them out on a flat surface and gently crush them using a rolling pin,don't over do the crushing part or else you will end up turning the seeds into coriander powder and we don't want that,do we !! so be gentle and crush lightly applying  just enough pressure to help split the seeds into two half's.If you prefer you can sow the seeds whole, but it will take more time to germinate in comparison if you split them.

To speed up the process of germination you can soak the crushed Cilantro/Coriander seeds in warm saline water overnight,or else you can just skip this step and get to sowing them directly.

Prepare the potting soil in which you will be growing your Cilantro/Coriander  by mixing together,cocopeat,garden soil and compost in equal quantities,its important to give the Cilantro/Coriander good quality potting medium that is rich in organic matter and natural hummus and is well draning, as we will not add any additional fertilizer once the seeds sprout and begin to grow. 

Fill a pot with the potting medium and lightly scatter and spread out the pre-soaked split Cilantro/Coriander seeds over the potting soil,then gently cover the seeds with a thin layer of potting soil,water lightly and set the pot in a spot that receives full to part sunlight. Root rot and dampening off are some common problems that one can face when growing Cilantro/Coriander,and one of the main causes is over watering, its highly recommended that you just sprinkle or spray the soil lightly with water just to keep it moist and not water logged,also pouring water directly displaces the seeds.

Depending on the temperature Cilantro/Coriander seeds can take anyway between 7 to 10 days to germinate.Cilantro/Coriander needs cool weather to grow.In India you can grow Cilantro/Coriander from October to February. 

Once the first set of true leaves appear and the Cilantro/Coriander has established itself , water every alternate day keeping the soil damp but not soggy.

You can thin out the Cilantro/Coriander at this stage,simply pull out the smaller ones that are about 2 inches (you can use them in your cooking or as a garnish) and leave the rest,I do not thin out mines as i grow a Thai dwarf variety of Cilantro/Coriander called Pak Chi so i just let them grow and leave them as they are.

Cilantro/Coriander cannot tolerate heat or extremely warm climate,it just bolts or goes to seed in short.Hence its advisable to grow it only during the cooler season,this reduces the chances of the Cilantro/Coriander bolting or going to seed prematurely,Cilantro/Coriander also bolts due to other reasons such as over crowding,irregular watering,and due to poor soil that lacks organic matter.

To harvest the Cilantro/Coriander you can snip the top part away using a pair of sharp scissors,take as much as you want to use and leave the rest to grow back again.

Cilantro/Coriander plants get feathery and wispy when they bolt and they produce lovely lacey clusters of flowers that are called umbels these pretty looking flowers can range from white to pale pink in color. 

Cilantro/Coriander flowers are useful in attracting important pollinators like bees,butterflies and birds in your garden.

There will come a point when the Cilantro/Coriander will eventually Bolt or Flower/Go To Seed,so if you intend to save seeds you can let the flowers stay, once the tiny flowers bloom and fall,tiny green round Cilantro/Coriander seeds will start forming.

To collect the seeds simply let these seeds get fully matured and dry on the stems then collect and store them in a ziplock or paper pouch in a cool and dry place for future use.

So that's it friends,i hope you like and find this post useful,so until next time.... Its Happy Gardening To All ☺