The Chennai Garden

 

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 : ...

SEED SOAKING TIME  Before sowing seeds it should be soaked for better germination. The soaking time differs for each vegetable. The harder the seed is the more time it requires. Tomato seeds are very light it does not require much time whereas Jack bean seeds are huge and hard so it requires 24 hours soaking time. Given below are the different soaking time required for each vegetable .  S.No. Vegetable Hours 1 Tomato 25 Minutes Few Hours 1 Brinjal 2 to 10 2 Radish 4 to 5 3 Cucumber 5 to 10 12 Hours 1 Ridge Gourd / பீர்க்கங்காய்    10 – 12 2 Snake Gourd /  புடலங்காய்   2 – 12 3 Bean / அவரை                                      12 ...