The Chennai Garden

Tulsi Maadam Makeover / துளசி மாடம் அலங்காரம் I am not very religious but I do follow and try to do as much as possible. Initially I had a small Tulsi maadam which was very compact. Recently we shifted and now I have little extra space so why not upgrade. Here it is my new upgraded Tulsi Maadam I just love how vibrant it looks. I bought my My first Tulsi madam 10 years back. Its was small one.  Tulsi madam adds so much beauty to a garden. I bought it in ECR. It's very heavy can't be carried easily. With plant it becomes very difficult to move even a bit.   #Tulsimadam #tulsiplant Insta ID:  https://instagram.com/the_chennai_gardenutm_source=qr&igshid=ZDc4ODBmNjlmNQ%3D%3D Amazon seller  I just listed: THE CHENNAI GARDEN Turtle Vine Evergreen Live plant/Hanging plant/Semi shade plant, for ₹199.00 via @amazon  https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B08R9386Z2/ref=cx_skuctr_share?smid=AZ0PB4YNQXGKA

 African tulip tree / Spathodea campanulata  African Tulip tree has beautiful orange flowers. It blooms from winter to late spring. In Chennai you can see this tree bloom from December to march. I have seen this tree in Chennai, Kanyakumari and other parts of Tamil Nadu. Unlike Neem, fig and other varieties this tree cant be seen in huge numbers just one or two which adds bright colour to the place. 

  How to Easily Compost Kitchen Waste in an Apartment Be The Change You Wish to See in The World  - Mahatma Gandhi  The Smallest change that we make in our lifestyle not only benefits us but even the next generation and the environment. Composting is the first step that we take for sustainable living. Composting  should be done in each household. How nice will it be if everyone decides to start segregating the waste and start composting? You might wonder if sustainable living can just be a dream for people living in small spaces and apartments. No. The little efforts you take to move towards sustainable living have a great impact on you, your family, everyone and everything around you. Easily Compost Kitchen waste in Apartment or Small space #1  Method:   Using Water Bottle  Things required for making compost using 2-litter water bottle Wet waste / greens Browns   2-litter water bottle   Segregate the kitchen waste first i...

 Pothos  Vs  Philodendron   Philodendron  and Pothos belongs to same family Araceae .  Often Pothos and philodendron is confused to be same variety.  . Philodendrons are a large and diverse genus of plants, but there are a few popular philodendrons that are very commonly confused with Pothos. In particular, Heartleaf Philodendron,  otherwise known as the sweetheart plant is commonly confused with Pothos. This plant goes by the scientific name  Philodendron hederaceum , but it is very commonly seen under the synonym  Philodendron scandens .  Both Philodendrons and Pothos belong to the same family,   Araceae , but Pothos are in the genus   Epipremnum,   and Philodendrons are of the genus   Philodendron . (Source:  https://smartgardenguide.com/pothos-vs-philodendron/)  Pothos: Pothos grows best in bright, indirect light.  Although Pothos does not tolerate direct sunlight it can survive....

Grape on Terrace                                                                                

                                          Can grapes grow in Chennai Climate??? Look for yourself  Can grapes grow in Chennai Climate??? Ofcourse yes!! I bought this grape plant about 2 years back in Chennai. I started growing it only as an experiment.  I knew I have to give it sometime before expecting fruits. My initial doubts were about the climate. I planted it on a 15*15 grow bag and placed it on a sunny spot. Within few days I saw new leaves which gave me confidence. Then I built a trellis not too high or not too small. Once the leaves reached the trellis and after atleast 10 more new leaves growth I started to cut the leaves near the root, which helped to new leaves growth on the top.  Grow Bag:  Grapes need lot of space to grow. It is best to plant on floor. If you do not have space then use 24* 24 inch bag ( 2 feet). It can be placed on the ground floor ...

 

APHID   Common Names :  Aphids are small sap-sucking insects and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea.  Common Names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in colour. The group includes the fluffy white wooly aphids. (Source: Wikipedia)  Damage Crops: Squash, cucumber, pumpkin, melon, bean, potato, lettuce, beetroot             Pic #1: Healthy corn plant.        Pic #2: The top part of the plant               Pic #3: Aphid           Can see ant like insect                    affected Aphids are tiny insects that feed by sucking the nutrient-rich liquids out of plants. Aphids can be brown, green, yellow or black colour. Aphids can be with wings or wingless. Leaves of Aphid affected plants will look curled or stunned.  Preventing Measur...

 Red Melon Beetle Common Names :  Pumpkin Beetles, Red pumpkin beetle, Hamra beetle, Red melon beetle, Red leaf beetle      Damage Crops:  Pumpkin, Bottle Gourd, Cucumber, muskmelon, watermelon and beans.  Red melon Beetle damages the plant by attacking on the leaves. Makes holes the leaves and stops of the growth of the plant. Once infected it is better to separate the plant. It lives in the soil and can spoil the root too. Inspite of using disinfect ( I do not use chemicals in my garden) the plant did not survive. The fruit that started growing also turned black.  Preventing Measures: 3G (Green Chili, Garlic and Ginger):  Take handful of garlic, chili and ginger and grind it into paste.   Dilute the paste in one liter water.   Filter the dissolved water.  And spray on the infected leafs.  Depending on the intensity of infection increase or decrease water.  This paste cannot be used after 3 days. ...

How to Start Growing Vegetable in Apartment Balcony “….The greatest change we need to make is from consumption to Production, even if on a small scale, in our own gardens, If only 10% of us do this, there is enough for everyone.” -           Bill mollison If a family starts to grow food, it is a lifestyle change, if a community starts growing food it is a revolution. A community garden brings the entire community to work together; it will encourage everyone to segregate the waste, use the kitchen waste to make compost for fertilizing the garden and do rainwater harvesting. Preparation to Start Growing Vegetable in Balcony       1.      Size of the balcony       2.      Sunlight       3.  Plan        4.  Potting soil: Soil, Compost and Cocopeat       5.  Seed       Size ...

Seed                  :  Before sowing, soak the seed for 1/2 hr to 2 hours.  Soil                   : Plant in loose, well-drained soil.  Sowing             :  Sow the seed in Seedling tray Germination   :   Germinates in within  5-10 days Transplant       :  20-25 days Pot                     :  12*12 Bag / container with 1 inch width and 1 inch height  Ground            :  While planting on the ground, sowing should be done in 18-24 inch spacing.  Flowering        :  Flowering begins from 35 to 40 days after sowing.  Fruiting            : 60-70 days         Plant life ends : ...