Please share indian vegetable gardening tips and ideas in this thread.
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Please share indian vegetable gardening tips and ideas in this thread.
First of all, where do u stay?
Because Vegetable Gardening depends a lot on the area(soil) you stay.
Aathirai,
If you need Indian vegetable seeds, check out this web-site. http://www.evergreenseeds.com/evergr...ableseeds.html. Happy gardening!
Suja
try seedsofindia.com or pm our friend Ms. Idiappam
any online website for buying indian jasmine plants??
Hi friends,
i am planning to plant a "tulsi" (basil) in a pot. i am living in Minneapolis. where shall i buy a basil plant and of which species.
thanx in advance.
Deepali
I have found these in Home Depot. I had two to three of them when we were in Houston. It grows very well in hot weather. It used to flower very well.
Check in your local Home Depot. I don't remember what the name was though.
CI.
Types of Thulasi
Basils - there are a number of species - consisting of more than 50 varieties amoung them! Family - LabiataeQuote:
Originally Posted by deepali128
Tulsi (or Thulasi) - Holy basil ... Ocimum sanctum
--- The black (Krishna thulasi or karunthulasi) and the green (rama thulasi or venthulasi) varieties
Thiruneetru pachai or Siva Thulasi (in Tamil) .... Sweet basil ... Ocimum basilicum .... the common popular one, purple stemed and blooms, with a strong medicinal scent ...
Other varieties of O. Basilicum - the green variety used in western cooking.
Lemon Basil (sometimes called O. grattissimum)- leaves having lemon smell... elumicham thulasi in Tamil.
Karpoora thulasi (with the smell of camphor) and few others having different scent are classified as varieties of O. Basilicum.
Others
kanchang kOrai - Ocimum album
mul thulasi - Ocimum hispida
saaNaaki - Ocimum polystachyum
nila thulasi - Ocimum prostratum
suNai thulas - Ocimum villosum
sen thulasi - Ocimum violacecum
thanx idappam :D
Great thread! did any one try growing bittergourd, podalankai and peerkangai? i tried pavakkai but the seedling died within few days inside the house.
Kz
Hi Niranjana:
I live in New York. If you have any suggestions to new york residents please share it with us in this thread.
KZ
I planted Pavakkai couple of times. Five years ago I got totally five pavakkais. next two years I planted and had to go to India. I had some body watering my garden but no body to take care of my plants. so no yield. this year i planted some and i see the buds. I will let you know if I get any thing.
Aathirai
Any idea where we can get Tulsi in Boston or Connecticut
PRiya
Check with your local Hindu temple. I got mine from Bridge water temple.
Aathirai
Good Thread :)
Aathirai, I live in Ireland though it does get cold in winter the temperature never really goes down below -5 or goes up beyond 25-26 deg C!
I generally grow mustard, fenugreek (Vendhayam), mint, corriander, etc. - easy to grow varieties
I've planted pavakkai, peerkangai, vendaikai, melon, tomato, chilli, pumpkin (again easy to grow), keerai varieties including manathakali and pulicha keerai, lettuce, basil (the herb variety), onion and garlic!
Mint died during last winter and came up by itself this summer. I've heard that mint is like a weed and takes over the garden if you leave it on the ground! Manathakali keeri sort of went dull but is still alive and back to it's normal self now.
Green chillies are easy to grow in the window box.
I've found that it is easy to put the seeds in a pot and leave it in the green house in March and then plant it in the ground in April when the weather is better (if required still use the green house around it)
I had beetroot, lettuce, Spinach, broad beans and cabbage last year as well.
If you have loads of space in your garden, decide what plants you want to plant in what area. Dig it well in September, turn the soil over, add compost and turn it over again before adding the seeds or plants.
Don't over crowd the garden, leave ample space and water them regulary. Add compost and plant food regularly as well.
If you are growing in pots, change compost on a regular basis!
As for flowers I have balsam, andhi mandharai, jaathi malli, shoe flower, etc.
Andhi mandharai and balsam seem to grow well in summer, I have left them outside on the ground though! They come up quite easily :) Jaathi malli is outside and if you water it well and add enough plant food it blooms very well. My shoe flower plant nearly died last year because I left it outside, but it seems to have come back up though!
PS: My Tulsi grows very well indoors :)
Wow, Anoushka..you have a very good interest in gardening.
I planted pumpkin and came out nicely, but all of a sudden, the growth is becoming dull! Can u tell me why?
I put plant food once in a week and the temperature is also like in 90s and water regularly. Where did I go wrong?
Abt onion, I have some and which is the right time to remove? Now, the flowers has started blooming on the top. Now is the time to take out?
Take yr time and reply me..bye
R: Thanks :)Quote:
Originally Posted by R
I am not sure why there is a problem with your pumpkin :( Is there enough space for it to grow. My pumpkin did not grow beyond a certain stage in a pot and it was happy when I planted it on the ground! Ofcourse I had to save it from the slugs! Is your ground soft or hard?
And as for onions, I am always in a hurry and pull it out when ever I need springonions for my kitchen, I don't wait for it to grow fully! I guess your onions should be ready now though! Always you can try pulling out one and checking.
PS: Did you know you can make lovely "keerai" dish out of your onion leaves?
Hi Anoushka
Thank you for your reply. I do have Keerai ( arai keerai, siru keerai and Thandu keerai) in my garden.
I have a question about Green chili in window box. I tried it once. I didnt get any thing. can you please tell me how to grow green chilies. also I have egg plant this year. do you have any suggestions for high yield
Thanks
Aathirai
Aathirai - this is what I do for green chillies.
I fill one of those long pots with normal compost (there are loads of different varieties of this if you have noticed) and add a packet of seed to it and water it just enough to germinate and leave it in a place where it is warm and where it gets enough sunlight!
Once it germinates, I replant it so that there is enough space between plants.
As for egg plant, I am sorry as I have no info on them. My hubby dear hates any type of eggplant/brinjal/aubergine so I don't grow them at home at all :(
Hi Anoushka
Thanks for the info on chilis. I will try next year.
you are right mint is like weed. you cant control easily. 5 years ago when we bought the house, i bought a bunch of mint from indian stores and took all the leaves i want for cooking and planted the rest in my garden. It is growing every year. I take out leaves every other week. It is growing very well. I even freezing some for winter.
Aathirai
Aathirai,
Great that u got some pavakkais, i will try next yr. do let me know how they are doing for this summer. did u grow in pots? did u put some stake for the climbers?
I got some thai chilli plant and the chillies are great. little hot than the store bought green chilles. do u have land to grow or just container gardening?
Kz
Aathirai,
Where did u get thandu keerai, siru keerai and arai keerai seeds? from here or from india?
For eggplant they need lots of sun like tomatoes more than 8hrs, as soon as eggplant matures harvest them, if u leave it for long time they will become more stiffer( muthal) and then the plant will stop producing veg. so it is imp to keep checking and harvesting them. i wanted to grow some eggplants this time but no time to start seeds. so i have only tomatoes, bell pepper, chilli and mints.
Kz
Hi KZ:
I have big yard. But I live in New York and summer here is hardly 3 months. It is not enough for most of the plants. I do start them inside. This year I bought plants. eggplants, tomatoes, zucchini, greenchilies i bought from a local nursary. Beans, pavakkai and keerai i started from seeds. I also stared some radishes from seeds. slugs are eating them. With work, family and kids it is hard to maintain garden. I am trying to control slugs.
Keerai seeds, Thandu keerai i got it from a friend. I also got red keerai from a friend. siru keerai and arai keerai i got it from India. Slugs are eating arai keerai. Siru and Thandu keerai are comming well. I have enough to give it away.
Next time I will try thai Pepper.
Thanks for the info
Aathirai
KZ:
About Paavaikkai, I started in a planter and planted in the garden. My husband helped me to put a Pandal using thin sticks. I have a hibiscus bush in the garden. one paavakkai is climbing on it. I will let you know.
Aathirai
Wow u sure have a great garden. i would love to have a big one. i live in NJ so here too same 3 months. nice that u have a yard. i have big deck so only container gardening. what kind of radish do u grow, red one or our indian white ones? i wanted to grow more but not sure how the rabbits ,squirells will treat them so just starting slowly. they are fond of my rose and eat all the leaves. i will start pavakai next yr and see how it does. i had red leaf before but some animal ate it not sure which.
Will try keerai next yr. do u use any spray for slugs and japanese beetles, they are messing up my peppers.
Kz
KZ
I have slugs and beetles too. Beetles are eating my chillies too. Additionally we have raccoons in out nighbourhood. such a nuisance.
I bought mixed radish seeds. Mullangi and red radish are comming very well. last year i had them too. But my mullangi never comes like the one we buy in stores. I usually get small ones. The seeds that comes on top of that plants can be cooked too. I never knew that. a friend of mine who is from Bangalore told me. They make curry and put it in sambar etc. tastes good.
I never get good coriander either. If some one can help me.
Aathirai
athirai,
i have been trying to find the mulangi seeds which you get on top of the plants- here in USA. U mentioned that you get those seeds in your plant. how do you grow mulangi? could you please explain me.
and do you know if american stores sell those mulangi seeds which you were talking about( which you can put in sambar.)
Thanks in advance for your info.
Last year, I too faced the slug problems; but, eventually, as the temperature goes 80 and above, they all disappeared. The person who comes to our house to spray was telling that the slugs will stay when the soil is wet or moist.
I was told to try pouring salt on the slugs or keeping beer in a cup near slugs where they come; but, have not tried either of the methods.
And for coriander, pound one or two coarsely and put in the soil. For me, it took 2 to 3 weeks time. Back at home, my mother used to say that we have to pound the seeds with slippers(dont know the reason why).
Anoushka, my pumpkin stays on the ground only as we have a good backyard. But, the soil has little stones too. But the other veggies or flower plants are coming finely! Why not this?
Sorry, I dont know any of specific dish on what you are asking. Can substitute it in the place of other keerais' dishes.
thanks for the info.,
R & Aathirai - Beer is small flat cups gets rid of slugs :) Works wonders actually! I use slug pellets sometimes too. And the slugs do appear because of dampness. And when you bring plants from other places do check for slugs as one slug in a slug free garden is enough to do the damage :(
If you have small children avoid the slug pellets and stick to beer in small yoghurt pots stuck in the groud!
R, I am not sure why your pumpkin is not growing :(
That is ok, Anoushka..am thinking of planting the pumpkin again in a pot. Becoz, just now saw my coriander is not growing properly in the direct soil, but it is fine in the pot!!
Looks like my garden soil is fine for flowers, not for veggies!!
Thanks.
Aathirai,
U must be growing radish in the ground right? i wanted to grow them in containers, but couldn't get suitable ones. my pepper plant leaves and small veges are fallin gof before they mature, i feel so bad when the veg falls off. any idea why?
Regarding beer cup i too have heard that it works but since mine are in pots i dont have much slugs, only beetles and insects on the leaves. i tried soap solution spray but it is only temporary.
Kz
hi everybody,
seeing your thread has created an interest in me to do gardening. i was presented a rose potted plant which seems to be doing really good until now and seeing it bloom has created an interest in me. can anyone tell me how to go about growing plants like mint ,coriander etc indoors since in stay in an apartment.
really appreciate your input.
PS any pointers on which soil to use since i am a total beginner
thanks
Hi fortune,
U can buy any potting mix, i get miracle gro which is good soil. make sure ur pot has a good drainage. for mint, u can either buy small plants from nursery or garden center and transplant to ur pot, or u can use the stems from the grocery store mint bunch , just remove leaves for cooking and stick the stems into the soil. keep it near a sunny window which is important. i have no luck growing coriander, someone else will help u with coriander.
Good luck!
Kz
thanks kz for the info.
Any suggestion on growing jasmine plant(gundu malli) in winter and summer??Pls do respond immediately.
In NJ, yesterday, have seen it in Rt.1 Chinese farmer's market. Some one asked abt the availalbility of the same plant.
Thanks in advance.
Hi R,
Gundu Malli grows very well in hot weather. So, summer is no problem at all. But bring the planter inside the house once it starts getting cold. Even in Houston, could not keep it out year around since it does to go freezing temperature couple of times a year. But there once the plant is big enough, could be planted in the ground and covering the base with lot of mulch. Here in north east, you will have to bring it inside by the end of August or early September depending on how fast it starts getting cold.
Hope this helps you.
CI.
Thanks, CI for the reply. In that case, will it die in winter? Though we bring it inside, if there is no sun, how it will survive? Any idea...
Also, any idea about manjal kizhangu? Every year, it is coming out very well on the ground. Whenever I transfer into the pot before the fall begins, somehow it is not surviving. I am very keen in growing atleast until Pongal.
Suggestions r welcome!!
napolims445:
I havent seen mullangi seeds (Kai?) in the stores. I buy mullangi seed pockets from Home Depot and plant it in early spring. After few weeks I get leaves and the Kai on top.
But my mullangi is always small. I do not know why.
Aathirai
Kz:
most of my plants are in the ground. I think it is normal for the first few flowers to fall.
If it happens all the time, it may be due to several reason. water, fertilizer, sun ect.,. Do not put lot of miracle grow. Read the labels before you put any fertilizer. Keep a particular time for watering. Other than that may be some bugs and beatles may be the reason.
Aathirai
Thankyou Aathirai, haven't put much miracle gro, i didn't put any fertilizer too as the soil itself has. will check for beetles.
Kz