Category: Batch’64 Gardening tips

Help

Any advice please from garden enthusiasts 

This is my dwarf patio applet tree and it has developed curly leaves and there are aphid-like tiny insects on the underside of the leaves. Any advice on how to tackle them using eco-friendly homemade insecticides will be welcome. There are tiny apples already and I fear they might drop off and the tree might die. Thanks.
Praxy

How to grow sweet potatoes

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Dear all
Have you  ever tried growing sweet 🥔 potatoes? This a photo of my sweet potato developing roots.It is ready for planting out now and I hope to harvest some later … hopefully 😊
All you do is get a sweet potatoe and put 4 toothpicks in the way I have done it and suspend it in 💦 water. Change the water daily and in about 10 to 12 days you will see roots developing on the bulb . Then dig a hole and bury it. Hopefully new shoots come out from this and as they are runners they will grow and produce the sweet potatoes. Shall let you know later in a few months time as to what happens . Happy 😃 sweet potato growing. Praxy

 

 

Photo Quiz- Rani

Can You Identify at least 10 of Srilanka Indegenous Fruits?

Rani LogoIMG_0372 copyRani is testing your Horicultural expertise !

 

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Answers From Top to Bottom

1.   Kottamba   2.  Kirilla     3.  Himbutu

4.  Kirala          5. Ela Dan   6. Pada Gedi   7. Ambilla

8. Bakini           9. Pani Mora  10. Bovitiya  11. Palu

12. Kala Naran   13. Kone  14. Jambu  15. Val Kohila Gedi

16. Dan            17. Cheena Pera 18. Palukan 19. Koholla Lavulu

20. Attikka    21. Vela Waraka    22. Lollu   23.  Karamba

 

 

 

Gardening Quiz- Ariya

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Question for the plant enthusiasts with green fingers in our batch
Name the plant with abundent purplish pink luxurious floral growth
A perennial, related cousins lavender blue, mauve and red, trailing
Thrives in bright Sun well drained soil, ours, eight years & counting
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Ariya

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Maha’s Orchids

 

 

“ For us in U.K we don’t have to travel  far to buy orchid plants.During the last few Christmas periods orchids were found in the flowers section in
Tesco . Tesco also sells Orchid Feeds.One only needs to add to the jug of water you are going to water the orchid 2 or 3 drops of this.The indoor orchid then grows well and blooms nicely.”
Maha

Abey’s Tropical Garden

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I read with interest Dharmas account on Curry Plant (Karapincha) and I noted that it grows in your garden as well. I suppose most plants grown here in Sub-Tropical Brisbane are found in Florida too. I got a few pics to share with everyone.

I got Guaua, Palmer Mango, Crotons, Bananas, Kariwila, snake beans among others in our garden.Our main problem are the pests like opossums, mealy bugs, bats, fruit flies etc.

I note with interest that there are some keen gardeners among our batch mates. 

Happy Gardening and a fruitful new year to all !

Regards,

Abey

 

 

 

“Very Curry” Christmas– by Dharma

 

 

 

I emigrated to the US in 1975.

The  “Currys” emigrated in 1982 (illegally, Don’t tell Trump). and have been with us since then on the basis of  “The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) “. Two of them are 35 years old (Scientific name: Helichrysum italicum)

They go on summer vacation outside to the patio and invited indoors for winter. On  Dec 25th 2017, the temp outside was about 20F (about minus 6C)!!  Inside it was about a balmy 72F/20C.  2.5 inches of snow on the ground ! (can see the snow out of the window on the picture)

Before they come inside in fall / Autumn, they get a good shower including insecticidal soap. This is for prophylaxis.   Regular insecticides are toxic to us. They are vulnerable to spider mites and scale indoors.  In spring they are re pottedonce in 2 or 3 yrs.

They are very hardy. Even if they shed all the leaves indoors, they will bounce back in spring, much to our delight. One spring we threw out a plant which appeared dead in the pot. But, lo and behold, like the Phoenix,  when it got warmer it started sprouting tender leaves!  A “hard to kill” plant.

We have propagated many new plants arising from the roots. Very limited success with seed. We usually prune out flowers so that all the energy goes to foliage production. The flowers also have the characteristic aroma. We distribute daughter plants and leaves to  family and friends. Sometimes the distributed plants die. We think it is not due to lack of care but they miss our tender loving touch and voice Without that, they get depressed and commit suicide!!~

It is nice to be able to pluck fresh leaves for cooking from the adjoining room or patio! The leaves add flavour to any curry, even the lowly “Pol Sambol” takes on another dimension!!

We in the temperate zone make so much fuss to keep them going. While I was in Florida, I found at Wimal’s, Devacaanthan’s and Johnpulle’s  they have Curry trees and daughter plants growing around the mother like weeds. Reminds me of our home in  Chavakachcheri, SL. Sam has a nice bushy pot for easy access on his patio. Sam is a good cook, I tasted his egg plant ( brinjal /obergene) curry, it was very good.

Curry tree – Wikipedia (plus)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry_tree

 

The curry tree (Murraya koenigii,  Karapincha (S) Karuverpillai (T) is a tropical to sub-tropical tree in the family Rutaceae (the rue family, which includes rue, citrus, and satinwood), which is native to India and SriLanka. Its leaves are used in many dishes in India, Sri Lanka, and neighbouring countries.

Rose’s potted chillies and Bonsai pine

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

ROSE AND JB

 

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Spring –&–Summer– Gardening– in–Canada–Deepthie

 

 

 

Deepthie’s Comments to follow

 

 

Enjoy this clip from India,

 

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