Gardening Mantras

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How To Grow Mortgage Lifter Tomatoes - A Complete Guide : Gardening Mantras

Mortgage lifter tomatoes are one of the best varieties of tomatoes available. They are stronger, juicier, and are easy to grow. Growing Mort

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Indoor gardening ideas more better for your home. Visit us- www.gardeningmatras.com

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Methi Plants: Grow and Harvest the Seeds at Home

The average height of mythical plants is 2 feet in one stem; the leaves are small, each with three oats of the green leaflet, purple leaflets. Methi plants have yellowish-brown seeds with a relaxing aroma and are used in culinary applications. Along with its use in culinary practices, fenugreek/methi has been a crucial ingredient in traditional medicine. Growing methi plants is not a difficult task but you need to take care of the growing conditions, such as climate, soil, location, and other essential factors. Let’s learn about how to grow fenugreek at home!

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How to grow Radish – the Fast Growing Root Vegetable

Radishes are fast-growing vegetables that are easy to plant but it can get overwhelming during harvest. Why? Well, imagine every seed sowed sprouting and within a few days, you have hundreds of radishes to harvest!

For gardeners who have just started experimenting with vegetable gardening, how to grow radish can prove as motivation because it is a cruciferous crop yielding quick rewards. If you want to encourage your kids to try out gardening, let them sow some radish seeds!

The fast growth of the veggies allows the children to pull the roots in as few as 3 weeks from the day of sowing. In this blog, we have brought you all the information on how to grow radish. You can grow these edible roots in your backyard.

How to grow radish?

For growing radish, you need to choose an appropriate variety from the two basic types – winter and spring.

Winter varieties: The ‘Long Black Spanish’ and ‘China Rose’ are the winter varieties that demand longer growing time. However, these are preferred over the spring variety by many expert gardeners because they retain quality longer in the garden, store well, and have a better flavor.

Spring varieties: These include ‘Champion’, ‘Crimson Giant’, ‘Cherry Bomb’, and ‘Burpee White’. Plant these in early spring to help them reach maturity in the cool weather for better quality and production. These varieties mature within a month.

You can go for a mix of both types to harvest radishes throughout the seasons – spring, fall, and winter.

Planting Radishes

Plant the seeds in a sunny spot. When planted in shade, most of its energy is invested in growing bigger leaves. Do not plant the radish seeds close to other vegetable plants that might shade them.

Similar to carrots, radishes are grown for their roots. Your soil should be rich in organic matter, but not compacted. If the garden soil is clay-like, add some sand to loosen it for proper drainage.

For soil with lesser organic matter, mix some all-purpose fertilizer or aged compost in the planting location soon after the soil is ready for sowing seeds.

Remove any rocks or dirt clods in the planting site.

Carry out 3-year crop rotation– plant radishes in the same location every third year. It helps protect your plant against diseases and pest infestation.

When going for a spring plantation, sow your seeds four to six weeks before the last frost date.

Sow the seeds directly on the planting side to ensure the roots are not disturbed during the growth period.

Sow them half or one inch deep and each seed must have at least an inch of distance, and the rows 12 inches from each other.

Keep planting a round of seeds in 10 days throughout the cool season. This ensures you get a regular harvest even in late spring and early summer.

Radish is a vegetable that can be planted in the fall and produce yield for an early fall or late summer harvest. For this, sow the seeds four to six weeks before the first harvest.

When your radish plant turns a week old, thin them to two inches apart. If crowded, it won’t grow well.

Your plant will require consistent moisture, but not waterlogged. Practice drip irrigation to regulate even moisture.

Add a thin mulch layer to retain moisture during dry climate/drought conditions.

Harvesting Radishes

As said, radishes grow very fast – some varieties in less than three weeks!

In the case of most radish varieties, harvest them when you see the roots are one inch in diameter on the soil surface.

Pull one out to test before continuing to harvesting all.

Once mature, do not leave the vegetables in the ground for long or they will start losing their quality.

Cut the tops and thin the root tail off. Wash the radishes and allow them to dry completely.

You can now put them in plastic bags and store them in the refrigerator

The greens of the plant can be stored separately for almost three days.

Taking care of radishes

Always keep the planting beds moist. Regularly watering the plant will also promote faster growth. However, make sure not to make the soil wet.

Radish not watered well become woody in taste.

To feed the planting beds, add aged compost. In midseason, you can also side-dress the crop with an all-purpose fertilizer or aged compost.

When grown during midsummers, radishes will go to seed or bolt. To avoid this, cover your plants to control the amount of sunlight they receive throughout the day. The slow growth of radishes may make them taste hot.

Aphids and root maggots are pests that may attack your radish plants. To keep your plants protected, pinch out the infested greens. However, pests are not a major factor to worry about for the fast-growing vegetables.

Conclusion

Radishes are edible roots that grow very fast, within three weeks for some varieties. Now that you are well-versed with how to grow radish, you can easily get these cruciferous vegetable growing in your garden or backyard.

Just remember a few things – moist soil, proper spacing, and you are good to go!

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How to Grow Cardamom? – Everything From Propagation to Harvest and Storage

Cardamom or Elettaria cardamomum is a sweet aromatic herb that finds its origin from tropical countries like India, Nepal and regions of South Asia. It is used in everyday cooking and also used as a crucial ingredient in tea and traditional medicine.

If you are unknown of the rich history of the third most expensive spice across the world, you would be surprised to know it is extensively used in several countries in spice blends (masala), and as a popular and significant ingredient in delicious Scandinavian pastries.

Want to know how to grow cardamom? Well, that’s quite a fascinating thought, isn’t it? The good news is you can grow cardamom in your home garden if you want.

The plant from the Zingiberaceae family (Yes, it is from the ginger family!) will fill your garden with its rich aroma.

Give this piece a read to understand how you can grow cardamom most simply. We have got you a sorted how-to guide here!

How to grow cardamom?

The usual forest-dwelling perennial spice, cardamom, grows from huge rhizomes.

The United States Department of Agriculture zones 10-11 can grow cardamom successfully.

The average height of the plant is 5-10ft, and it is a tropical plant that tends to thrive in partial shade.

The lance-shaped leaves of the spice can grow to a height of 2ft on average.

The stem is erect and rigid, developing the shape of an inverted skirt surrounding the plant.

The pretty, tiny flowers of cardamom plant are white in colour producing red or yellow pods. There are other types of cardamom plants that produce white or black pods.

The pods are crushed to find the small lack of seeds – the main edible source. It is the crushed seeds that release strongly scented oils with enriching flavour.

Propagation of cardamom

From seed

Buy cardamom seeds sold particularly for planting purposes – not the ones from the pantry with only a few pods.

Keep the seeds in a jar and add a 2.5% nitric acid solution, ensuring the seeds are dipped in it.

Keep stirring for around 2 minutes and strain.

Rinse the seeds well.

Now transfer the seeds into a bowl and add lukewarm water. Let it sit overnight.

When planning to plant outdoors, plant the seeds with a gap of at least ½-1inch, and around 1/8 inch deep.

Make sure to choose a shady area or a location experiencing partial shade.

Cardamom loves rich humus soil – slightly acidic.

You can also plant the seeds in a pot, which you can move indoors during extreme winters.

Cover the soil with a mulch of grass or straw.

Germination can be expected to take place from 20-40 days.

From division

Use one-year-old cardamom seeds with two growing stems.

Cut the rhizome using sharp shears or knife.

Separate it gently from the plant.

Replant it in suitable growing conditions of rhizome (that we have discussed later in the blog).

Note: In case you are dividing a rhizome plant that is affected by the cardamom mosaic virus, the new plant will also transmit the virus.

According to gardening experts, cardamom seeds are quite hard to germinate. You can go with the quick and easy procedure of rhizome division to grow cardamom in your garden.

Harvesting and storage

Generally, cardamom produces fruit after three years. Harvesting cardamoms must be a manual process. You can start picking the fruits as soon as they turn green and dry. You will notice they become easy to break when ready for harvest.

Dry them for almost a week after harvesting and store them in an airtight container in a dry and cool place for a long time.

Significant things to know for growing cardamom

Your plant must be in partial shade and never let the soil dry.

The plant loves the company of high humidity, so keep misting once in a while.

When planting cardamom in a container/pot, shift it indoors as soon as the temperature reaches the 50°F mark or drops below. It requires 6-8 hours of filtered light.

E.cardamomum grown in a container can turn root bound, discouraging blooming. In such cases, you must divide the plant.

The rhizomes live for around 10-15 years, and the first round of flowers grow after three years of planting.

Feed the plant fish emulsion every two weeks from winter to mid-summer.

Growing Conditions for Cardamom

Location

The perfect location for planting cardamom is the one with filtered sunlight or partial shade. Your plant should be away from direct sunlight till it grows to a height of 2-4m under the protection of higher trees.

Soil

The right kind of soil for growing cardamom is loamy and sandy with organic matter and optimal manure.

The spice requires a pH level of 6-6.8 (slightly acidic to neutral). Acidic soils of 5.5-6 pH level are also considered tolerable.

The key to producing best-quality cardamom is growing it in the right substrate – well-drained soil that drains water swift.

However, the soil must be moist all the time, Do not let the soil dry out or get waterlogged. The clayey form of soil can even kill your plant.

Watering

Cardamom is a rainforest plant – areas that experience rainfall 200 days a year. This states that the soil remains moist all the time when cardamom is grown in the rainforest.

As you are planning to grow the spice in your home garden, you must always keep the soil moist. During summers, increase watering as the plant starts bearing fruits.

Fertilizer

Fertilize your cardamom plant twice a month using an organic fertilizer with a high content of phosphorous during the growing season. Apply 5kg of compost and aged manure per clump every year.

Some intercultural operations to practice

Mulching

Mulching is a crucial cultural practice while growing cardamom – fallen leaves of the nearby trees can be used for mulching. You should apply an adequate amount of mulch in November and December months to prevent adverse effects of drought. Mulching is also important for better pollination.

Weeding

There are rounds of weeding to carry out while growing cardamom in your home garden. The good time for the first time is in May-June; second round in August-September and the last one in December-January.

The process involves spraying a solution of weedicides in the interspaces (space between the rows), leaving around 60cm area of the plant base. You can use paraquat (625ml) in 500 litres of water to make a weeding solution.

Trashing

Trashing consists of getting away with dry and old shoots of the cardamom plant with the onset of monsoon every year. Do this in rainfed weather conditions as monsoon starts. You can also use irrigated facilities to practice racing 2-3 times in the high-density plantations.

Shade Regulation

The cardamom plant is quite sensitive to moisture stress. When kept in shade, the soil moisture and temperature remains well-regulated, providing favorable micro-climate for its growth.

However, excess shade is also not a suggested idea – 50-60% of filtered sunlight is what experts prefer. Take up shade regulation before the monsoon starts to ensure sufficient bright yet filtered light for your cardamom plant.

Earthing

Post monsoon, a firm layer of soil that is fresh, fertile and organically rich can be earthed up at the base. This is done to cover up the collar region scraping in between rows or any staggered check pits/trenches. It promotes new growth.

Pests and diseases affecting the growth of cardamom plant

Though cardamom is not usually attacked by pests, there are a few diseases you should know about, such as:

Rhizomes rot: The symptoms of rhizome rots are yellowish lower leaves, chlorosis of leaves, premature fruit drop, decaying rhizomes, etc.

The reason for this rot is the high planting density that protects against aeration. Waterlogged soil can also be a cause of rhizome rot.

Cardamom mosaic virus: It is a serious disease to take care of when growing cardamom.

Cardamom mosaic virus is a viral disease caused by aphids. You must keep your plant healthy and away from aphids to prevent the disease.

Other diseases and pests against which you must keep your plant protected include capsule rot, nematodes, and cardamom thrips.

Conclusion

Growing cardamom requires patience and right understanding of the process. When planting the herb in your home, make sure you take care of the growing conditions.

Wasn’t that helpful information on how to grow cardamom? Let us know your views and do share the experience of producing your cardamom pods in the home garden. We would love to answer your queries in the comments if any.

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How to Grow Jade Plant? Plant the Decorative Houseplant Indoors!

Jade plants belong to succulents family – woody and thick stems with oval leaves. These plants have a miniature and tree-like appearance, making them an appealing houseplant you can plant as a decoration in the attic, patio, or even indoors.

The life expectancy of jade plants is longer than most popular houseplants, and they can reach a height of 3ft or more when planted indoors. It is easy to learn how to grow jade plants. They adapt well to dry and warm conditions, and can even grow as landscape plants outdoors in zone 10 or warmer areas.

However, jade plants are susceptible to winter damage. So, if you live in a colder climate, better grow jade in containers and shift the plant indoors as soon as the temperature falls below 10-degree Celcius.

In this blog, we have discussed everything from preparing the site, planting jade, to growing and harvesting the plant. You will also learn about the growing conditions, caring for the plant and about some pests/ diseases that may affect the succulent.

How to grow jade plant

Jade plants are underrated houseplants and succulents that are easy to grow. Being a part of the succulent family, over-watering can be fatal for the miniatures, so shift to keeping it drier. Before moving to grow jade, let’s talk about the ideal growing conditions of jade plants, and allow you to become a friendly and knowledgeable home gardener.

Ideal growing conditions for jade plant

Light

Young jade plants should not be exposed to direct, and intense sunlight or their leaves start scorching. Keep them in an area receiving bright but indirect sunlight. Jade plants that are well-adapted can thrive in 4-5 hours of sunlight in a day.

It would be best if you grow them in a room having windows on the south wall.

Soil

To create a succulent/all-purpose potting mix, take well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0, add a small amount of perlite in 2:1 ratio for proper drainage. Well-drained soil allows preventing extra moisture that may lead to fungal growth.

Water

While growing jade plants, you should water them often during spring and summer to keep the soil moist but do not overwater. Also, make sure there’s immaculate drainage.

During winters, water once in a month. You must never leave the plant sit in water.

Temperature and humidity

Growing jade plants successfully in summer requires an average temperature of 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit. During winters and at night, the preferred temperature falls to 44 degrees Fahrenheit. The plant is not frost-tolerant.

So, get the pot in when the temperature falls below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fertilizer

During the growing season, many gardeners underfeed jade plants. In the start of the season, you should feed the succulent with a controlled-release fertilizer. Alternatively, you can use a weak liquid solution to feed jade plants once a week.

We would suggest you use one-quarter of a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer for well-established jade plants. For younger plants, one with less nitrogen will do.

Planting your jade plant

Being succulents, you can try growing jade plants using single leaves or stem cuttings. Read on.

Start with choosing a wide-mouthed and strong pot having sufficient depth because jade plants tend to grow to the top and fall over.

Use well-drained soil to avoid excessive moisture. You can improve drainage by adding some perlite to your all-purpose potting mix – a ratio of 2:1 works well for preparing a perfect succulent mix.

Prepare the pot and plant the succulent carefully.

Take a stem cutting or remove a leaf from a mature jade plant. The stem cutting should be at least 2-3 inches long with a minimum of two pair of leaves.

Allow the leaf/stem cutting to sit in a warm place for several days.

You will see a callous forming over the cut area, promoting it to root and preventing rot.

Get the prepared pot, lay the leaf horizontally on top of the soil, and cover the cut part with little soil.

In case you are using a stem cutting, place it straight in the soil. You can use some toothpicks or small rocks to support it.

Place it in a warm place with indirect yet bright sunlight.

Don’t water the young jade plant right after.

Let the root settle and recover (if damaged while planting) for a few days or one week before watering the plant.

After a week, check if the root seems settled. If not, wait for a few more days to water your jade plant.

Once it seems rooted perfectly, water it well.

Use a turkey baster to water the plant gently, without disturbing its roots.

You must ensure that water reaches the roots through the soil, and doesn’t remain on the surface layer.

Allow the soil to dry out between each watering session.

Always keep the plant away from intense and direct sunlight to prevent the leaves from scorching.

Read on to know the right ways of watering jade plants for helping them thrive well and healthy.

Watering Jade Plants

In the summer and spring, as your jade plant grows actively, you must water it more than other seasons. Once you water the plant, wait for the soil to dry out well before watering it again.

The ideal interval between two watering sessions can be a week or sometimes a month, depending on how long does the soil takes to dry out.

During fall and winter, jade plants may turn dormant, resulting in slow growth or putting on a pause completely. It is the time when the plant requires minimal watering.

Water it less often in spring and winter, but do not leave the soil to dry out completely between waterings.

Well-established and large jade plants don’t usually require more than a couple of waterings during the dormant phase.

Avoid splashing water on the jade leaves to keep them from rotting in humid conditions.

Use distilled or filtered water for jade plants as they are sensitive to tap water (salts in tap water specifically).

If you notice the leaves getting waterlogged or squishy, take this as a hint that you are overwatering it.

Move the plant away (take it indoors) from cold temperature and shift to a warmer place.

Feed jade plants sparingly. You can use a diluted mix of cacti or succulent fertilizer or a standard liquid houseplant fertilizer.

Repotting jade plants

Jade plants don‘t complain of remaining root bound in a small area/pot. Moreover, planting and preserving the jade root bound makes it more manageable.

However, if you want to repot the jade to encourage growth, you can do it every 2-3 years. It is best to transplant your plant in early spring – right before the growing season.

Similar to planting a fresh jade plant, do not water the repotted plant right after. Wait fora week or more. You should also consider waiting for a month (at least) to fertilize the plant.

Pest & diseases affecting jade Plants

There are various problems that jade plants face throughout their growing season. Some of the most common issues that arise are pests like mealybugs or scale.

Use a spray bottle to remove pests, or gently wipe off the insects by a paper towel with a small amount of rubbing alcohol.

You may need to repeat the process multiple times to get rid of the offsprings.  

In the case of heavy infestation, better take a clean cutting from the plant and plant afresh.

Excessive moisture may lead to root rot. So, you must ensure the soil dries out between waterings.

Powdery mildew can also be a problem for jade plants

Watering issues mostly lead to leaf drop.

Leaving the plant thirsty results in the leaves turning wrinkled and shrivelled. Your plant needs regular and deeper waterings.

Squishy and waterlogged leaves are a sign of overwatering the jade plant.

Conclusion

Jade plants are woody, thick stem succulents that are used as decorative houseplants. Learning how to grow jade plant is an easy job, but you need to be very careful throughout the growing season.

You have to be most careful when it comes to watering your jade plants. Most of the problems you face while growing jade plants are due to watering, such as leaf drop, squishy and waterlogged leaves, shrivelled leaves, etc.