FUNGAL ATTACK-PLANTS-REMEDY -THE ORGANIC WAY!

FUNGAL ATTACK

If there is a Fungal attack, the plant would look similar to this one above.Prune the infected leaves and keep it under direct sunlight.Dilute little cowdung in cow's urine and pour 30ml to roots and on the third day mix 10gm of manjal in cows urine and supply 50ml to roots.

 Curry leaves and citrus plant leaves usually get infects by a fungus which when mature and exposes its spores, the black spots appear. This can be handled by spraying fungicides. But since this is a leaf used directly for food, it is not advisable to treat that with any chemical. Turmeric and garlic paste can be made and diluted/ filtered and sprayed to see if this will bring some relief. but test spraying has to be done before all plant is sprayed to ensure that dilution id OK. Ideally is to remove the affected leaves..
  
Thanks to Anoop kumar Sir,Alladi Mahadevan and the entire Organic Terrace Garden group for providing the inputs and making this possible for me to create a databank full of information.

SOWING SEASONS OF VEGETABLES IN SOUTH INDIA AND NORTH INDIA

Sowing Seasons

Month	North India	South India
JANUARY	Brinjal	Lettuce,Spinach, Gourds, Melons, Radish, Carrot, Onion, Tomato,Okra,Brinjal, Bean
FEBRUARY	Applegourd, Bittergourd, Bottle gourd, Cucumber, French Beans, Okra, Sponge, Gourd, Watermelon, Spinach	Same as January
MARCH	Same as February	Amaranthus, Coriander, Gourds, Beans, Melons, Spinach, Okra
APRIL	Capsicum	Onion, Amaranthus, Coriander, Gourds, Okra, Tomato, Chilli
MAY	Onion, Pepper, Brinjal	Okra, Onion, Chilli
JUNE	All gourds, Brinjal, Cucumber, Cauliflower (Early), Okra, Onion,Sem,Tomato,Pepper	Gourds, Solanaeceae,Almost all vegetables
JULY	All gourds, Cucumber, Okra, Sem, Tomato	Same as June
AUGUST	Carrot, Cauliflower, Radish, Tomato	Carrot, Cauliflower, Beans, Beet
SEPTEMBER	Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Peas, Radish, Tomato, Lettuce	Cauliflower, Cucumber, Onion,Peas,Spinach
OCTOBER	Beet, Brinjal, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Peas, Radish, Spinach, Turnip	Brinjal, Cabbage,Capsicum,Cucumber, Beans,Peas, Spinach, Turnip, Watermelon
NOVEMBER	Turnip, Tomato, Radish, Pepper, Peas, Beet	Beet, Eggplant, Cabbage, Carrot, Beans, Lettuce, Melon, Okra, Turnip
DECEMBER	Tomato	Lettuce, Pumpkin, Watermelon, Muskmelon, Ash gourd, Ridge gourd, Bitter gourd, Bottle gourd, Cucumber, Chilly, Cabbage,

AMRUT MITTI and AMRUT JAL

My first Attempt to make Amrut Jal and Amrut Mitti!!!I also tried to create a picture for easy understanding with my little Photoshop knowledge(dry leaves from my locality) from Urban Leaves info.Face Book Groups like Urban Leaves,OTG and Grow your own Veggies have been an inspiration to many of us!Wishing all OTG's to be part of community gardening and be blessed with Health,Happiness and Greens!There cannot be a better gift to the coming generations than this Amrut Mitti!!

My garden is back into action after the hot summer...

I am happy  to share my garden pictures after a long scorching summer.This time my Snake Gourds,Bitter gourds are all in full growth.

Would be happy to show my garden to all chennaiites.

Do contact me at srikant_sumi@hotmail.com

My garden is growing

My long variety Snake gourd

My cucumber

Love to share the information on EPSOM SALT with you all!!

EPSOM SALT has an array of uses.Here are a few....

 

Brush your teeth with Epsom salt and peroxide to fight against periodontal   disease. While some dentists recommend using baking soda and peroxide, the sodium in baking soda can create a problem for people needing to restrict their sodium intake while Epsom salt will not.

              

Soak your feet in warm water and Epsom salt to soften and smooth corns. Dr. Levine states in The Doctors Book of Home Remedies that soaking your feet in warm water and Epsom salt will bring temporary pain relief by diminishing "the size of the bursa sac" while taking "pressure off the nearby sensory nerves."

Sprinkle Epsom salt on your garbage cans to deter the raccoons. Another tip is tying a rag soaked in ammonia on your garbage can. If the taste of the salt doesn't get them the odour of ammonia will.

Add 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt to a gallon of water and spray your lawn for a lusher, greener lawn.

Add Epsom salt to olive oil and use to exfoliate your skin. Add the Epsom salt to your shampoo to rejuvenate your scalp. Let it set on the skin for a few minutes to be absorbed before rinsing.

Use Epsom salt and liquid dish detergent to whiten floor tiles and dissolve dirt. By adding some Epsom salt to your sudsy water you will get a cleaning boost.

Make a home remedy for blackheads by boiling ½ cup of water, 3 drops of iodine and 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt. Let cool enough to touch. Bottle the mixture and use with a cotton ball to apply to blackheads. If the mixture separates days later just heat in the microwave and wait to cool before applying again.

Use Epsom salt to fertilize and feed roses, tomatoes, and peppers. In general, magnesium plays a role in strengthening the plant cell walls, allowing the plant to take in the nutrients it needs. It also aids in seed germination, photosynthesis and in the formation of fruits and seeds. Either mix in 1 T. of Epsom salt into the soil at the bottom of the planting hole when setting out transplants or mix the 1 T. in a gallon of water and water the seedling.

Increase your magnesium levels in your body by soaking in Epsom salt bath water three times weekly. While it is extremely difficult to get enough magnesium in our systems through our diets, it is readily absorbs into our systems through our skin. Magnesium is needed by our bodies for many functions; however, a doctor should be consulted prior to extensive use, particularly for those with kidney problems. Magnesium works to activate many other enzymes our body needs.

Magnesium is useful in the treatment of asthma, cold, fibromyalgia, ADD, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, angina, cardiac arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, fatigue, kidney stones, migraine and tension headaches, complications due to pregnancy and premenstrual syndrome. Our bodies cannot properly use serotonin without the assistance of magnesium. Serotonin is a natural chemical created within the brain responsible for feelings of well being and relaxation.

COMPANION PLANTS

Hi,

The last few days,I seem to be bumping into this term -"Companion planting ",that I thought that I should start finding more details on this subject.The very term Companion sounded very friendly.

I was right!!This is plants being friendly with each other(Nutrient uptake) and helping each other through its rough patches(Pests trouble).They also help each other in pollination and crop productivity.

The smell of the foliage of marigolds is claimed to deter aphids from feeding on neighbouring crops. Marigolds with simple flowers also attract nectar-feeding adult hoverflies, the larvae of which are predators of aphids.

Carrots work well with tomatoes because they share space well. The carrots can be planted when the tomatoes are still quite small, and can be happily growing and ready to harvest by the time the tomato plants start to take over the space.

BASIL: Plant with tomatoes to improve growth and flavor. Basil also does well with peppers, oregano, asparagus and petunias.It is said to repel flies and mosquitoes. Do not plant near rue or sage.

MINT: Deters white cabbage moths, ants, rodents, flea beetles, fleas, aphids and improves the health of cabbage and  tomatoes.Mint flowers attract hoverflies and predatory wasps. Earthworms are quite attracted to mint plantings.

OKRA: (Hibiscus esculentus )

 Plant lettuce around your okra plants and they will shade the lettuce in the summer giving you some more growing time. Okra also does well with peppers and eggplants as it helps protect these brittle stemmed plants from high winds. It also gets along with basil, cucumbers, melons, and black eyed peas. For planting with the peas,plant your Okra first. When the okra is up and established plant the peas around the edges of the okra planting. You may find that the peas are far less bothered by aphids when near okra. 

RADISH: One of the workhorses for the garden. 

 Companions for radishes are: radish, beet, bush beans, pole beans, carrots, chervil, cucumber, lettuce, melons, nasturtium, parsnip, peas, spinach and members of the squash family.

Radishes will lure leafminers away from spinach. The damage the leafminers do to radish leaves does not stop the radish roots from growing, a win-win situation. 

Keep radishes away from hyssop plants, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and turnips. Radishes are a good indicator of calcium levels in the soil. If you radish grows and only produces a stringy root you need calcium. 

SPINACH: Plant with peas and beans as they provide natural shade for the spinach. Gets along with cabbage, cauliflower, celery, eggplant, onion and  peas.

Here's a neat and clear picture of some of  the plants and their companions.Loved it.

Please do share your thoughts and post your comments.Love to hear from you.

Sumi