New Entrants to the Garden- Fruit Plants

Chickoo Plant

Custard Apple Plant

 The custard apple plant grows very tall and thick and I have this challenge to grow this fruit plant in a container. Though the plant will be the same only the fruits will have to come in a small container. With orange, cherry and lemon I was also tempted to try growing other fruit plants in containers. I still have to see the fruiting time and years required for fruiting of these plants and will post all the details later.
The most easy growing and fruiting plants were researched upon and the decision made to buy a selected few. Chickoo being the fastest growing, you can see the small fruits on this plant in the photograph of the chickoo plant. These fruit plants can be bought from any local nursery or specialized nursery selling fruit plants.

Close Up of New Fruits on Chickoo Plant

There is also a blue berry plant or the jamun plant growing alongside of the custard apple plant. I have put them in a metal drum and will observe their growth. I hope the plants settle down in the rains and give out new shoots of roots and get settled in my garden happily.

Good Night Time of Parakeet

Ending on a sad note, my pet parakeet has gone away from the past week and I am remembering her too much. Earlier she used to go for two to three days and come back after that but now I think she has gone far since I do not even hear her voice in the society or near buildings where she would fly. I hope she is healthy and fine and I pray for her health and happiness. Living with her now it would become almost a year since she had come to us in the last September. Wishing her good morning and rushing to prepare tea for her even on being hell tired, the most happy moments of conversation in the early morning before sunrise in mono syllables, her rushing for fresh fruits as soon as I bring a plate and knife with fruits, her nibbling on the lady finger, her anger with dilated pupils, her happy dancing and her stone nibbling, and of course the broken keys of my mobile phone ... all her remembrances Hope she comes back soon!

Container Gardening From Scrap Plant pots from broken ceramics

Container gardening with scrap yes this is very true, to begin a garden you just can with some home used old containers, this type of gardening. is becoming very popular due to the crunch of land available. Many people living in flats also make use of the window sill to make a container garden. There are many containers that you can plant and make a beautiful garden in a very small space.
Where do you start? before beginning  the journey of container gardening and spending lots of money first you can begin with containers at home. I have used broken ceramic milk/ tea mugs for a very good use. Though the coffee mugs are small in size they are sufficient to grow ornamental plants. They do not require much water or much care and enjoy their position on the window sill with early sunlight to make food.

Purple Ornamental Plant

Heart Shaped Leaves in Container

I had money plant for many years in this pot and one day it cracked. Since this is an antique vase I did not want to part with it.  This glass transparent container was cracked from below and I applied some binder to the base. Using left over glass paint and coloring the glass bowl made it look like a new attractive vase. Once it could hold some water I planted the ornamental plant which requires the least care in it. The colourful dotted plant with heart shaped leave sis in abundance in my garden and it can be seen growing in all containers with other plants. So it was easy to get some blooming plant to plant in this glass container. Now this container is enjoying  in the garden for a treat in the rains!

Ribbon Grass Growing in broken Fancy Mug

The coffee or tea mug is another very easy and cheap container that every household has. The most common problem we all face is broken handles of these mugs. The mugs are very beautiful and sturdy but of no use to drink since they have lost their handles. Put these coffee mugs to good use by planting some ornamental plant in this. Here I have palnetd the ribbon grass which does not require much care and it looks very attractive.
So it is very easy to get containers at hand without any expenses. Just take a round of your store room or junk yard and get out some broken utensils or jars, fill up soil and gravel and viola! you have a container garden without much investment and that too unique and beautiful.With so many attractive planters available for free you need not buy expensive containers for your garden.
Many people use baskets, cartons, or even wood boxes of fruits to plant. I had also planted in my sons gumboots and these were the highlight of the garden. There is also a plastic helmet which has been used for ornamental dark green flowering plant.
Tips- Container gardening is very easy and these fancy plant containers can be placed on a table near the window or on the window sill. But care has to be taken that they receive some amount of sunlight whether it is early morning or early evening sunlight. The healthy growth of plant is essential and care has to be taken regarding the watering of these plants. I have tried many plants before getting this successful combination of plant and container. Over watering or under watering will create problems so choose easy growing plants for small containers.
Since there are no drainage holes below such ceramic containers the water may get clogged so it is advisable to select plants that an tolerate over watering. The right selection of plants for the planter is most important for successful container gardening.

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All Photographs and Content are My Original Copyright Reserved © 2010  Rizwana A.Mundewadi

DO NOT COPY FOR FEAR OF KARMA!

The Ginger Plant

Spiral Leaves

Feeling very sad about the lost Brahma kamal bud. Some how I think I knew this would happen because the plant is new and it may need strength to flower. This also gives hope that the plant will flower some time and also give a very beautiful and stronger bloom!
The post discussed here is about an unknown plant that grows in spiral way. The leaves are typically growing in a spiral shape. On searching the internet I came to know this is a variety of ginger plant. The blooms may be red or yellow, I do not know because my plant has not flowered yet. I believe this plant ginger is not edible and not used for cooking purposes. Still I have let it be since it does not require mush care and also looks beautiful and unique.
This ginger plant may have been accidentally planted by my mom or me and it has grown well. The leaves are the best part for me. They are lush green in colour. The leaves look as if they are radiant and bright. I have kept this plant for the colour of the leaves and its special spiral way of growing. The best part is that it can tolerate long hours of direct sunlight and also watering irregularities.
The rains have made it brighter, fresher and greener.
The stem is dark red in colour and thick and the leaves grow spirally around it. This palnt is good for foliage and also for giving special colour to the garden.
Tip- I do not know the blooms and so it is difficult for me to refer. I am waiting for the blooms as since I love flowers and most of my container gardening has begun with the wish of flowers. This plant grows from rhizome or tuber and I had removed the big tuber when the plant had gone in dormant stage after the rains last year. Again in spring the plant started blooming as I planted the rhizome about three inch deep in a pot.
I had cut the tip of the growth and this ended up with the plant going in dormancy so let it grow as it is from side ways.

The White Fragrant Rajni Gandha

New Rajni Gandha Flower Stem

The Rajni Gandha is a fragrant flower which is proved to be very good for anxiety and mental problems. The fragrance is so heavenly that it makes the whole garden and atmosphere aromatic and relaxing. Immediate relaxation and soothing of emotions and relieves stress.
With the rains there are many flowering plants that get a boost in growth and one of the most fragrant plants is the Rajni Gandha. The new stem grows as a hard, tall shoot among the green leaves.

Close Up of Rajni Gandha Flowers New Buds

Opening of Rajni Gandha Flowers

Close up of Buds of Rajni Gandha Flowers

Close up of Rajni Gandha Flowers

This is  a must have for any plant lover who loves to have fragrant flowering plants.The plant grows from rhizome which is planted under the soil during spring. The summers are very good fort his plant and this Rajni Gandha plant can tolerate direct sunlight. The leaves are similar to grass shoots and grow in bunches. My Rajni Gandha plant gives flowers in a single shoot and many plants clubbed together sometimes bloom together making the whole garden fragrant. The fragrance is sweet and heavenly and it intensifies and becomes more stringer during evenings and night.
I am lucky to have this Rajni Gandha plant that flowers without much care as I have heard people purchase this plant and wait for years without any flowers.So I guess mine has strong genes of flowering!
The plant grows with rhizomes of the mother plant and one can see different plants grow from the side of the original plant. Remove carefully the small saplings and plant in other containers to get a border of fragrant flowers. The flowering season in particular depends upon the plant as mine grows from summer to rainy season, and this is similar to all flowering bulbs and rhizome plants. But sometimes I also get flowers in winter or early spring, so maybe I am lucky to not depend upon the season for seeing flowers of the Rajni gandha.
I have seen that Rajni Gandha plants are available in many varieties. I have the single stem variety. There are other plants that give thick flowers and double or triple layered flowers which are more costlier.
Tips- One of the most important tip which I would like to share is that if the plant is flowering take care to keep the stem intact or tie it  as this grows very tall and also has to bear the weight of the flowers. I have kept my plant near the garden fence which lends it support but still the flowering shoot does grow very tall as you can see in the photograph of Rajni Gandha that I have posted here. The plant  looks very elegant with the flower shoot and as this moves with the wind we get a dose of fresh heavenly fragrance that energizes all your senses!
All the Best from Rizwana!
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Kaner Flowering Plant

Close Up of Kaner Leaves

Kaner Flower Buds

Close up of  White Kaner Flower Buds

The Kaner is a very sturdy and tough plant. It can tolerate direct sunlight for hours and also gives blooms all year round. In fact this is the plant that always has flowers on it no matter what the season and no matter the feedings!

I have a pink coloured flowering Kaner plant and a white coloured one. I also wished to have the bush variety but did not go ahead as information regarding this plant on the internet shows that this plant is poisonous. Yes it has a strong bitter fragrance but the blooms are very attractive and lovely. I like the pink Kaner as well as the white one. The white flowers against the background of the sky look almost heavenly. When I see the flowers against the sky in the evening just before sun set the flowers glow as if they are flowers from heaven.

There is another plant which grows like a bush called the Oleander Kaner and this give yellow coloured flowers. They are beautifully shaded yellow and cream coloured flowers and this Oleander Kaner is seen in mnay places planted as borders of the garden. They do not require special care except for few trimming sif you wish to give it a proper shape of the bush.

The leaves of the Kaner are thick and green in colour. Elongated leaves and strong stem give the Kaner plant strength to face strong winds and hence makes it a tough plant. The plant bends and sways with the wind but comes back to its original position. I love this plant for its strength and flowering ability through out the year.

The plant develops seeds as a growth of pod. there are very small seeds that look like rice inside the hairy mass of root like substance in the pod. If the pod is plucked before maturing the seeds have not developed then you will not be able to grow a new plant from this. 

New growth can be seen from side of the original mother plant. The plant can grow huge as a very big tree when planted in soil on the ground. When a mature pod is cut one can get many number of small rice like seeds which can be planted in controlled conditions to develop into new Kaner plants.

There are many varieties of kaner and one can plant the bushy flowering type in which the blooms look like rose flowers from a distance.

With no special care and any particular water requirements the Kaner is among one of the easiest and tough flowering plants to grow.

Pink Kaner Flower

Tip for Growing Kaner:- If you have planted the Kaner in a container and wish to have a bushy growth then keep trimming along the length of the plant. If you let it grow naturally the main stem will grow tall and lanky and the plant will look dull. To encourage new and bushy growth of the plant trim from the tips f the stems sot hat new growth develops from all sides and with many branches the plant looks a lot bushier and full. This plant needs sunlight and place it in such a place where it gets loads of sunlight.
I f you have pets please be careful as the leaves are supposed to be poisonous. Keep away from children, and my plant container has been kept on a height so that we can enjoy the beauty of flowers all year round.

The New Brahma Kamal Bud

New Bud in the Brahma Kamal Plant

Close Up of New Brahma Kamal Flower Bud

All new day with rains lashing and winds blowing hard and making it difficult to enter my garden, I took a quick peek and was welcomed with this wonderful new growth in the brahma kamal plant.
After vigorous searching of texts and internet I could not help my plant to produce flowers. Just then I started neglecting it.
 I guess the rains triggered the flowering aspect as this plant has been planted few months back. The new brahma kamal bud looks like a miniature piece of art. All the fine hairs surrounding the would be flower are clearly visible and the bud of the brahma kamal flower is emerging from within this light pink hairs. The growth of the brahma kamal bud is seen from the side of a leaf.
The journey of this flower is going to be long , I guess it will take some days to develop and grow and later , hope so it will bloom on one night. It is considered auspicious and lucky plant by many people and to watch it flowering is another heavenly experience. Since the brahma kamal is considered as a rare plant I have at least 4 varieties of this plant taken from different places.I have never seen the flowers on my plant and had viewed it once at my neighbours. Am waiting with lot of excitement, enthusiasm and patience for this plant to flower.
So much excitement is cropping already, I don't even know if this bud will grow, or if it will mature, or God knows if it will fall off!
Anyways let me be happy for the while and hope for the best!

The Cherry Tree in Container

Flowers on Cherry Tree

 The cherry blossoms are very beautiful and the tree looks very attractive when it is full of cherry blossoms. This tree is very famous and with a small garden this was a real challenge to grow cherry tree in a container. The tree grew very afst and had green foliage.
Container growing has become necessary and nowadays with less availability of free land. Many trees can be grown in containers though they are no replacement to the healthy growth of trees on land.People especially love to grow fruit trees and I just luckily got a cherry plant from my local plant nursery.
The cherry tree requires feeding regularly and focusing on the fruiting will give good yield of fruits. I have let my tree grow naturally and need to focus on the fruiting aspect. My plant has shown good growth in container with every six months it is full of cherry blossoms. The wind it too strong near our garden and this is the most important negative point as the cherries fall off before becoming mature.

Close Up of Cherry Blossom

 Trimming the new growth of leaves and branches will also help to yield more fruits. Keeping the tree small in container will help. The leaves are green in colour and this looks very good and can tolerate direct sunlight.
One thing important is that the leaves and tree have very tiny spikes or thorns maybe which are not visible to the eyes. Due to this one must avoid close contact with the plant with bare hands. If you start getting itchy and scratched on your hands clean it with soap and water immediately and apply an antiseptic cream to avoid more itching and rash. The skin coming in contact with the tree becomes inflamed and red and scratching will make it worse.

Close Up of Pink Cherry on Tree

Close Up of Cherry fruit on Tree

Last year I treated myself with a red cherry that grew hidden in thick foliage of the tree. The lone cherry fruit this year which has grown on the cherry tree in container was feasted upon by some bird!. I think I will have to shift this plant to a more comfortable area with less wind. I will definitely focus on the feedings and improve the fruiting of this plant, Get back to you with good yields!

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All Photographs and Content are My Original Copyright Reserved © 2010  Rizwana A.Mundewadi

DO NOT COPY FOR FEAR OF KARMA!

Flowering Stages of The Yellow Jhendu Flower

This is a beautiful Jhendu or marigold plant which has fragrant flowers. With the rains in full swing this plant has become very full grown and fully laden with yellow flowers. Its fresh green leaves look very healthy and happy.
I have lost many marigold plants before, due to lack of knowledge on growth about these plants.So many colours are available with oranges, reds, yellows and also some plants having flowers of the shading colours of yellow and orange or red , I had taken and planted many times with no success.
Every time I lost them due to the pigeons or the rats God knows who were after these plants. Many times I have seen rats love to nibble on these and even in one night the whole plant will get nibbled along with its flowers.So beware if you have rats nearby, we have had clear times now and I hope the rats do not come back!thanks for once for the new constructions of towers!

Leaves of the Jhendu Flower

 With the pleasant climate during rains this plant has got the growth boost. It is full of green leaves and flowers. I being an plant lover along with nature lover was compelled to see the progress of flowers in this jhendu plant. The process of flowering is very novel. We can see only small buds appear in large numbers on the plant and very soon the whole plant looks covered with baby buds.

New Bud appearing on the Jhendu Plant

 The stages of flowering of the jhendu flower are very slow and progressive to watch. As the bud grows little speck of yellow is visible on the buds. This grows in size and more of yellow is seen. The flower develops gradually inside the bud and the bud will appear to increase in size.

Growth of Bud on the Jhendu Plant

Seen in this picture is a white pest which si common in these plants. I try to remove them manually as if they increase in numbers the plant will die, like I have lost many Hibiscus plants. No amount of spraying pesticides or water washing will help if they take over the plant.

Roots of  Jhendu Plants

Transplanting of this Jhendu flowering plant is very easy and it take scare of itself. There are many tiny roots that the plant sprouts on the stems. This plant grows from sides and I have also cut some stems and planted in new pots.
Tips- Most important tips are to pay attention to the watering! After losing so many plants I have understood that the most important tip for success in growing marigold is to water regularly till the plant roots itself. This jhendu plant requires well draining soil and will die in water clogged soil. Does not tolerate direct sunlight and prefers to grow under big trees. Pest like the white aphids can attack this plant so beware and take care.

The Palm Tree

Palm Tree

 The most common tree noticed in every house and office is the palm tree. Very easy to grow and requires very little care this palm tree is grown as an indoor plant. I have this in my garden in a big pot. This plant can tolerate sunlight but during summer the leaf tips burn.
This has been seen from ages as an ornamental plant in offices and luxurious homes, in fact it is a must for every plant lover to have a palm tree among other plants. The delicate leaves and the strong stems make it hardy and tolerable. This plant needs little acre and does not have any special requirements with regard to fertilizers or pests.

Leaves of Palm

The leaves of the palm look very beautiful as they are delicate and as the wind blows they make a hustling sound. This plant is very good for feng shui of the garden. Plants that move with the wind and make soft sounds are considered very good and auspicious in feng shui. As they increase the flow of energy in that area and promote positive energy to flow there.One must have some plants that hustle with the wind to promote good chi and improve the garden feng shui.

Close Up of  Cocoon of the Butterfly

Butterfly coming out of cocoon

This is the favourite plant for butterflies. They lay eggs and the new caterpillars feast on the leaves of this palm.You have to keep a watch since these caterpillars have a voracious appetite. It is also very difficult to notice any pests and only on close watch can one recognize these cocoons. On maturing the larvae make a cocoon and then are stagnant for many days. The leaves will appear stuck at the edges and one can see the sticky substance that covers the edges of the leaves. But in the end it is worth the effort as beautiful butterfly comes out and flies, it is a feeling of great joy to see anew life in nature, God's creation, so beautiful and good, who teaches the butterfly to fly?
This palm tree does not require much care and watering can be done like any other plant. This can tolerate intervals without watering for a few days and very good for people who do not have a green thumb!

Tips- The stem of palm trees are strong and require hardy cutters to trim the dried leaves. Keeping clear of dead leaves and trimming the dried leaves regularly helps the plant to look fresh and green. Also requires sprinkling of water or cleaning leaves with spray to keep away dust accumulating on the leaves.