Spring is on its way

 It is alarming situation for our country  as mercury has touched almost 85 Fahrenheit in the first half of   the February itself in our region . The valuable concern raised by the Environmentalist regarding Global warming  seems to be foreboding now. 

There is a silver lining to the  start of warm spring which is the early blooming of spring blooms  

Nasturtium flower has been blooming from last week now 

                                                                        

                                                  

Nemesia blooms are coming out early with the onset of spring

                                                     Nemesia blooming prolifically after sudden rise in temperatures

Adenium blooming in February itself can very well explain the Global warming impact 

Plumeria blooms are rising with early rise in temperature                                                              

Bignonia venusta is a spring flowering vine also known as Flame vine when its blooms look like a flame                                                                                                                            

The warmer spring is a looming peril that explore the potential severe repercussions to the near generation. 

 

Little Egret on the shore of Lake 

Garden Affair : Converting Kitchen waste to plant nutrient

There has been ongoing debate  upon  deployment of organic over  chemical fertilizer for plants after the adverse effects of chemical fertilizers on overall health had been realized. Organic fertilizer are great plant nutrient owing to these are obtained from Nature and have added advantage that they  enhance quality of soil naturally . 

While in todays digital age access to each form of fertilizer is at your doorstep, it is imperative to note that we can utilize our kitchen waste easily to make a nutrient rich fertilizer for our plants. 

 Vegetable peels are the major part of vegetables scrapped  from daily needs in kitchen . It is a fact that  they are more nutrient rich than the actual consumable part  of vegetable. 

These peels can be used in two ways in your garden :

First being direct dispose off peels in plant pots like Banana peels which can be buried directly in to the soil . 

                                                                                

Secondly , soaking potato and lemon peels in water for two to four weeks and then adding that water in plants respectively. 

                                                                     

Banana peels and potato peels are good source of potassium and magnesium that is good for flowering in plants. 

Citrus fruits peels like oranges and lemons can be soaked in water to prepare liquid fertilizer which is a good source of nitrogen for plants that helps plant achieve optimum yield.                                                                          

Leftovers from green leafy vegetables like cabbage, lettuce can be directly buried into the soil of potted plants and can be used to prepare liquid fertilizer by soaking them for few weeks. 

                                                   

Likewise Peels obtained from peas, carrots, radishes , gourds are rich source of vitamins and nitrogen that can be used as a fertilizer for plants by preparing compost or liquid fertilizer as per convenience. Here we can note other than vegetable peels  tea or coffee grounds can also be directly buried in soil as they promote overall plant development.                                                                         

It is the time for link up party Garden Affair where we can share posts related with Gardening, Nature and birds. This link up party will be open for a week. 

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Garden Affair : Best Gardening hack

 Gardening is not everyone's cup of tea , most of the amateur gardeners gave up on gardening when there plants dies even after giving their sweat and blood  to the plants. 

                                                                   

 

Most of the plants can be grown in healthy manner when we understand the pivotal role of watering plants which can make huge difference in the overall growth of plants . 

We can grow plants successfully even as an amateur when we understand basic watering techniques of plants that  can actually help in growing and thriving plants in sustainable manner  .  

                                                                                         

Watering your plants is essential for plant growth , It is important to note that following underlying measures we can achieve good growth in plants 

- Shallow watering on the surface level can resist water penetration to roots , watering deeply helps growth of stronger roots that facilitate plant growth. 

- Watering at morning or evening consistently

- Plant should be watered only when required , it is better to check  moisture or dryness in soil by dipping your finger , 

-  Watering plants without affecting foliage , water coming in contact of leaves or stem of plant is the root cause  behind leaf diseases. If possible watering should be done at morning time so that water evaporates from the leaves. 

It is the time for link up party Garden Affair where we can share posts related to Gardening, Nature and birds.  This link up party will be open for a week. 

                                                                

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Garden Affair : Self seeding surprise

   January weather has been quite unpredictable this year, the first half of month was chilly with fog and rains covering the entire region.  The another half contrary saw sharp rise in temperatures and warmer weather  which is unusual for the month of January. 

The warm temperature has a silver lining for my garden , as the plants dormancy ends and the growth is resumed   . Its a fortunate stroke of   serendipity when spring annuals that self seed themselves are spotted blooming after winters.                                                                        

                       The blessed garden are those where self grown flowers bloom in spring.                                                      

                                                                          French marigold

                                                                Salvia

                                                           California Poppy

Dahlberg daisy

It is the time for link up party Garden Affair where we can share posts related with Gardening, Nature and birds. The link up party will be open for a week . 

                                                                                 

                                                         

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Garden Affair : Growing plants from vegetable waste

It is a known fact that we do not consume whole vegetables  as it is , there is always a part which is thrown as waste and rest major part of the vegetable is consumed.  There are numerous vegetables whose waste part  can be regrown to obtain harvest . 

A Radish is a popular vegetable which is not consumed as a whole but only consumed after removing the green leafy part from the top of Radish. We can grow the leftover leafy part for obtaining harvest of Radish pods . 

How is it done ?

                         Firstly a  Radish  is dissected from its  top green leaves 

           Whole Radish                                                    Top part of Radish

Now this leftover top part of radish which is waste can be regrown to obtain radish pods or 'mogri 'as it is called in Hindi.                                                                                                                                    

This waste part of Radish is regrown to harvest  Radish pods. 

                                                                                                                          

                                        Radish pods obtained from growing Radish waste 

Onions are versatile vegetables which are humongous  consumed around the world. Onion bottom root part  is scraped of as waste for consuming onions. Do you know these scraped parts can be regrown to obtain fresh spring onions.                                                                                                                     

How is it done ?                                                                                                                          

                                                                                    

Onion root part scraped off from onion as a waste 

These bottom parts can be regrown to obtain spring onions 

Spring onions grown from onion waste 

Most of the leafy green vegetable can be regrown from their leftover roots that are thrown away after consuming the leafy part of the vegetable.                                                                             

                       These roots part are removed from coriander stems as a scrap                                          

These roots can be regrown to harvest fresh stock of coriander leaves

 

                                         Coriander regrown from scrapped roots                                         

These roots that come with spinach can be regrown to obtain fresh harvest 

Spinach regrown from leftover roots 

It is the time for link up party Garden affair where we can share posts related to Gardening, Nature and birds. The link up party will be open for a week .                                                                             

                                                    

               

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Garden Affair : Makar sankranti

 Its festive time in India Makar Sankranti which is a mid winter festival dedicated to Sun God  is celebrated every year during the mid of January in the Northern part of India . It marks the end of Winter Solstice  and start of new Agricultural year when sun moves northward called 'Uttarayan'. This transition of Sun is significant to bring warmth, energy and life. 

                                In Northern India it is celebrated by Flying kites, preparing traditional sweets and taking holy dip in holy rivers. Flying kites is an ancient practice on this auspicious day   considered   to be a way of showing appreciation and gratitude to God for  our Good health.

                                                    Kite flying on Makar Sanranti     

While Northern part of India celebrates Makar Sankranti Southern part of India celebrates Pongal which is a multi day festival that spans for  four day celebration , there is a traditional pongal dish which is prepared with newly harvested rice, jaggery and milk.                                                

Pongal decoration 

Pongal is a hindu harvest festival that celebrates the end of winter and the beginning of the new harvest season. It is celebrated by the southern region of India especially Tamil people and around the world.                                                                                                

                                                                                             

It is the time for link up party Garden  Affair where we can share posts related to Gardening, Nature and birds. The link up party will be open for a week .

                                                               

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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Drizzle weather

 The weather right now is foggy, its drizzling . The concurrent rains from last week had lead to drop in temperature with absence of sunlight it has been challenging to peep out in the Garden .

The wait for spring seems longer as weather forecast doesn't  augur to see weather condition improving till next fortnight. Meanwhile the dreariness in garden is broken off with the presence of  blooms of Tagetes lunulata .

                                          Tagetes (red marigold )

The consistent blooms on Coral Jasmine and Bauhinia Purpurea from last month is a candy for my eyes daily

                                                                                          

The last few days  for chrysanthemum blooms 

                                                               

It was pleasure to spot Rufous treepie frolicking around in my garden

                                           I spotted it first perching on my plumeria tree 

                                    It kept on flying and perching from one to another tree 

Finally it came close to pose for a macro shot