Banana - Eggshell Fertilizer

The best way to care for a garden is by Organic methods of gardening. When using chemicals in our garden, the results might be quicker and easier, but these chemicals cause severe damage to the soil and is harmful to our surroundings. Also, the crops that we grow gets contaminated with these chemicals and in turn harm our body when we consume these vegetables and fruits.

In our garden, we use organic methods of farming an make a few organic mixtures at home.

The banana - eggshell fertilizer is made from banana peels, eggshells, tea leaves and coffee powder. Once it is made, it is allowed to ferment for a day at room temperature before using this mixture for all the flowering plants.
This mixture contains all the nutrients to bring out those beautiful blooms from your flowering plants.

Please watch the video to know to this mixture is made and used.

Banana Eggshell Fertilizer for Beautiful Blooms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=squvW96d6xc

Growing Ginger

Ginger is a rhizhome/ root that is used a lot in Asian cooking. Ginger has a lot of medicinal properties and is used regularly in our kitchen.
A hot cup of Ginger Tea on a cold evening is the best way to soothe your throat.

Ginger rhizhome is usually sown in early fall and harvested in late spring or summer. Ginger takes about 9-10 months to grow. Once harvested, a fresh rhizhome can be re-planted for harvest in the next season.

Please watch my YouTube video to learn how to grow Ginger at home

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBy0SIkzEEg

Growing Greens - Spinach, Cilantro and Fenugreek

Greens are leafy vegetables are herbs that we use regularly in our kitchen.

Today I'm sharing a video about growing cilantro, fenugreek and spinach. These are commonly used in various households on a regular basis. They are really easy to grow and can be harvested 2-3 times from the same plant before the plant goes to seed.

Please watch the video for more tips on

How to Grow Greens

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkL7xwIITCo

Blog Update

It's been a while since I posted any updates on my blog.

Would love to share a few wonderful updates.

Articles on my garden and gardening techniques were featured on

Humans who grow food
https://www.facebook.com/humanswhogrowfood/posts/471319746547900?pnref=story

The Better India
https://www.thebetterindia.com/203927/bengaluru-woman-organic-garden-compost-vegetables-earn-money-how-to-india/

I also published a cookbook on Amazon KDP

The Green Thumbed Culinarian
https://www.amazon.com/Green-Thumbed-Culinarian-Smitha-Varma-ebook/dp/B079SP2SRY

Recently started a YouTube channel to share tips and experiences from my garden

YouTube channel

Fresh from my Garden
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOC4AOJ7yQGz2eXU__1qUPA

Please follow my FB page and YouTube channel for regular updates
Will also share updates on the blog

FB page
https://www.facebook.com/FreshFromMyGarden/

Sharing a few updates pictures from my garden

A harvest

Harvested Babycorn

Guava

Babycorn stalks

Lemons

Passion fruit

Growing carrots

Carrots  from  my  terrace  garden - 1st & 2nd batch

Carrots are a cool-weather vegetable. 

They are hardy biennials grown as annuals. A rosette of finely divided fernlike leaves grow from a swollen fleshy taproot which can vary in size, shape, and color. Depending upon variety, carrots can be tapered and cylindrical, short and fat, round, or finger sized. Some carrots grow to 10 inches long; others are much shorter. Carrots are usually orange, but colors can vary from red to yellow to purple. Shorter varieties are a good choice for heavy soil; long types require loose, loamy soil.

Planting time  

Carrots are a cool-weather crop best grown in spring, early summer, and autumn. Sow carrots in early March. 

Place your pot in a location that receives partial sun and partial shade. As a root vegetable, carrots tolerate shade well. A location that receives up to six hours of sunlight each day may encourage growth better than a spot that receives none, however.

Growing carrots in pots  

Many of us are hesitant to grow carrots in pots assuming that the carrots will not get enough space to grow. Choose a big pot wide and deep enough for the carrots to grow and keep the soil medium wet to ensure that your carrots receive enough water to maximize growth. Plant carrots in wide rows in square or rectangular containers, or in concentric circles in a round container.

Soil

Try a mixture of red soil, decomposed compost, and sand mixed in equal portions for a soil-based media.Consider coco peat, mixed with a small amount of perlite, for a soilless media.

Water and feeding

Keep carrots evenly moist to ensure quick growth. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Reduce watering as roots approach maturity; too much moisture at the end of the growing time will cause roots to crack. Add aged compost to planting before sowing and again as a side dressing at mid-season. Carrots are prone to develop mildew when kept too wet, and you may need to spray your crop if you receive heavy rains over an extensive period of time.

Carrots have no serious pest or disease problems.

Harvest your carrots after two to two and a half months pass, depending on the variety you chose to grow. Grasp the greens near the top of the root and gently wiggle them out of place.  Lift carrots gently by hand or with a spading fork so that they don’t break. Pull carrots when the soil is moist. Lift one or two carrots to check the size when you are ready to harvest.  Regular main crop carrots are usually ready for lifting when they are ¾ to 1 inch thick three quarter inch thick. Carrots can be left in pots until ready to use.The earlier you harvest, the sweeter the carrots will be.

What's Growing @ Fresh from my Garden?

Due to my busy schedule, am unable to update my blogs regularly. But I do post pics of my activities on my FB page.
Here's a brief preview of what's growing in my garden....
For more details & pics, pls visit my FB page

https://www.facebook.com/FreshFromMyGarden

Harvested my first batch of carrots yesterday...Super Excited :-) !!!!!

Red Spinach ( Naadan Cheera )





Chilli Pepper Varieties


Banana Trees

Get rid of Mealy-Bugs the Organic Way

A lot of us have trouble with mealy-bugs attacking our plants...I have a lot of them on my veggie plants..
Mealybugs are insects found in moist, warm climates. They are considered pests as they feed on plant juices of greenhouse plants, house plants and subtropical trees and also act as a vector for several plant diseases.
Mealybugs occur in all parts of the world. Most occur naturally only in warmer parts, and get introduced into greenhouses and other buildings in cooler countries.

I have tried spraying them with neem oil spray...but with no result.
Recently, my aunt suggested this remedy which seems to work. I hope this remedy will be useful to all of you dealing with the same problem.
The 2 things shown in the pic -
Kaandhari Mulakku ( also known as "Bird's eye Chilli") is a very small but spicy chilli.
&
Garlic
Grind the 2 ingredients together & mix them with kanji vellam (water drained from boiled rice).( Kanji Vellam is starchy & sticky. It will help this mixture stay on the plant.)
Strain the mixture of ground kaandhari chilli, garlic & kanji vellam & spray on the infected plants (mainly the stems & underside of leaves)