7 Quick Easy Economical Ways to Grow Orchids in India

Think Orchids and the word exotic comes to mind. As a graduate in botany, I think of their seeds. Orchids have the world' smallest seeds. They are so beautiful that these days they are also used for wedding decorations and little welcome bouquets. Here is how you can grow some of your own wonderful orchids in some easy steps.

1. Know your orchid.

Orchids like the ones below are the easiest to grow in India.

2. No soil please. Orchids grow best in coconut husks with bits of broken bricks/red tiles, charcoal and moss. Tie this up to a tree trunk where they can enough moisture from the air. Alternatively, use gardening nets,  which give the best results as in case of the Oncidium or the dancing girl. You could many of these together along a string and hand them along your portico/ veranda walls. Thus making excellent natural decorations.

3.  Give your plants breathing space.Keep the soil adequately loose so they can have plenty of air. While transferring or potting certain pot orchids like the Dendrobium, make sure the roots are not disturbed.

4. Most orchids need the shade, which is why growing them on a shady tree's trunk is the best idea. If not ensure that your orchid gets plenty of shade during the day.

5. Water regularly. Every two days will suffice. Particularly so, if you are from a dry part of the country. Coastal areas tend to be dry especially down west in parts of Kerala like Alappuzha and Kottayam . In such cases, you may want to grow them near a water body like your garden pond, near the water tank on the terrace, your drinking water collector tank, near that always leaking garden tap or someplace else you can come up with, that will ensure your orchids that extra care. 

6. Manuring is tricky. This is best done if you know your orchid. Use nitrogen fertilizers or urea-free mixtures, as nitrogen in urea form is not taken up much anyway. Occasionally, or before you transplant any plant soak it in water that has had old iron utensil scrubbers in them. Better still you may use the water that has been lying around in the RUSTED old (probably discarded too) watering can. This gives your plant the needed iron. 

Or if you wish to go the traditional way, egg shells, starch water from boiling rice, potatoes peels, used tea powder, bone powder, crushed banana peels, can work wonders too! Alternatively, if you have an old garden can or pot, make some dry leaf mulch by soaking dry leaves in it for a weak. This also makes for an excellent nutrient source once the water has turned brown.  

Did you know?

Spoiled milk products like sweets, buttermilk,cheese, chaas, yogurt, sour milk can also be used as a nutrient mix for orchids. 

My beloved Dendrobium Orchids

7.  Most importantly, love your orchid and it will blossom throughout the year in gratitude.  :)

Red Roses: Seven Easy Steps To Grow Healthy Rose Plants

Who doesn't love red roses? Especially if they are part of your well cared garden. It takes a few useful tips to get your garden blooming red for most part of the year. 

Here are a few tips to get your deep red roses blooming:

1. When you plant roses using stem, cut their ends slantingly. This makes for more surface area to take up water and nutrients from the soil.

2. Give your love symbols at least 6 hours of adequate sunlight.

3. Water them everyday.

4. Avoid chemicals. Use egg shells, dried leaves and dried cow dung instead. 

5. Prune regularly. Remove the dried or insect-effected parts every other day. 

6. Cut away wilted or dried flowers at a point half an inch below the stalk/peduncle.This redirects plant growth to flowering rather than seed- making. In short, you get more flowers!

7. Replant or propagate by stem cutting in spring. Do it in summer, and you can as well say Ta-Ta, goodbye to your beloved plants.

     

 Do this by September-October and you will have red roses ready in time to be shipped off to your valentine.

How to Arrange Flowers In Simple Ways

As one travels along the Alleppey-Changanasherry road (AC Road) there is a sight that will add cheer to your ride. You may never get tired of the beautiful homes, but they do tend to get repetitive with their constant use of a particular plant for gussying up. The Allamanda.

The flower Allamanda is a very commonly found blossom in Kerala. Popular as 'Kolambi' or the Trumpet flower, almost every house especially in the central parts of Kerala like Alappuzha and Kottayam sports a plant. It is especially favored as it needs no special maintenance or care.   This might be due to the soil which is mostly sandy owing to nearby beaches or red loam due to mountainous terrain as in the case of Kottayam.

Each of the houses, you will find, has taken care to carefully grow it over porches, around gates, or winding up porch pillars. My personal favorite is letting the plant grow around a central post and then shaping it to fall over a top umbrella-like wiring or plant support. This makes for beautiful plant showpieces around  the garden. Simply perfect for marriage occasions! If you plan in advance, that is.

Here are a few other ways you may use the home-grown Alamanda around your apartment. They add that extra color to homes. If you are using yellow Alamanda they make homes look more cheerful, sunny and bright.

And you won't have to worry about cutting your beloved plant out of shape, as just a single flower arrangement can also do the trick.

A single flower arrangement 

A many flower arrangement

How to arrange flowers by the window

The Purple Alamanda is not less pleasing a sight either. It can be used in ways shown above to add a pleasant  feminine touch to homes.

Purple Allamanda