The term beans generally refers to large seeded plants that include soybean, peanut and peas. Beans are one of the evergreen vegetables that can be grown easily in your backyard, terrace garden and even in your balcony as well. They belong to the legume family and have enormous amounts of health benefits.
Beans are a good source of protein and fiber and are also rich in iron, potassium and magnesium.
How to Grow Beans and What Month do you Plant Beans:
Beans need warm weather to grow, so if you are planning to grow green beans then summer is best for growing, start it in summer as cold weather or frost can damage the seeds and make them rotten. Sow the seeds directly in the garden, if you transplant it later, then the roots may get easily damaged as they are shallow.
Before planting the beans make sure to know about the type of plant that it grows into, whether it is a bush bean or pole bean.
Bush bean: If it is a bush bean then sow the seeds one or two inches deep and apart. In case you are planting it in garden then the rows should be 2-3 feet apart.
Pole bean: If you are planting pole bean then they need support of some stick or pole to grow. For every 3-4 seeds one pole is required with a space of 3-4 feet between each pole.
These beans grow when under full sunlight or at least look for a place where there is partial sunlight. The soil should be well drained but moist enough for the seeds to germinate.
Different Types Of Beans:
Beans come in large variety, some can be eaten raw while the other needs to be cooked. The green tender pods can be consumed as it is, where as the dried ones need to be cooked before consuming.
They are considered nutritious as it contains large amount of protein, carbohydrates and minerals. The various beans cultivated through out the world are
French Beans
Soy Beans
Kidney Beans
Cluster Beans
Lima Beans
Broad Beans
Sword Beans
Garden Beans
Dolichos Beans
Navy Beans
Fava Beans
Pinto Beans
Cranberry Beans
In this article we are going to study about how to grow kidney beans, when to harvest beans, when to plant broad beans and how long do broad beans take to grow.
How To Grow Kidney Beans
Kidney beans are very healthy as they contain antioxidant properties, vitamin B6, folic acid as well as cholesterol lowering fiber. Kidney beans can be a good choice for vegan’s as well as the one having diabetes. Kidney beans need to be consumed only once they are dried and cooked, the raw once are toxic.
Kidney beans can be planted when the temperature is about 18-26 degree Celsius. It is best to do the planting in the spring or after the last frost. It give good results when they are directly sowed in the garden instead of doing transplant, as it may damage the plant and it may not yield well.
Kidney beans comes in two varieties-bush and vine. Make sure you know what type of seed you are using. The vine variety need some sort of support like a pole or trellis to grow.
The planting area should have full sun exposure or at least for about 6 hours daily. Kidney beans require humidity and warmth to thrive. Make sure that the temperature does not go below 16 degree Celsius. Sow the kidney bean seeds 1-2 inches below the soil surface, giving a space of about 4 inches between each seed. Water the plant daily once, when the soil is dried out, do not give over supply of water. The seeds will germinate in about 10-12 days.
Unexpectedly if there is snow fall after the beans have sprouted , cover the seedlings with a canvas or cloth so that it doesn’t get effected by the freezing temperature.
If you have planted bush variety then it needs to be harvested only once at the end of the growing season. But if it is pole variety then it has to be harvested several times through out the season. The average harvesting time will be 3-4 months depending on the type of seed you use.
If there are some unfavorable conditions like dropping temperature that may threaten your harvest then pull out the plants early. Keep the plants for the pods to dry out completely, it may take several days or weeks. As you dry the seeds keep them in a warm indoor location with lots of circulating air.
How To Grow Broad Beans
Broad beans produce high yields from the smaller area of garden. These can be grown in modest sized pots as well. This vegetable is easy to grow, especially a good activity for children.
Lets learn about when and how to grow broad beans.
Before starting with the planting few things need to be kept in mind. Always choose a spot away from strong winds, sheltered spot, fertile land and a place where you can easily get sunlight.
When To Grow Broad Beans
Some variety of broad beans need to ne sown in spring while some are well grown if you plant them in autumn. If you sow it in November, that is autumn then it will germinate within 2-3 weeks.
The germinated seeds will overwinter and start growing again in spring. In severe winters you need to protect the crops by covering it with fleece or cloches.
The seeds of broad beans should be sown 2 inch deep into the soil. Each seed should have a gap of at least 9 inches. These can be sown in double row with a gap of 9 inches between each row. After sowing the seeds water them adequately.
Now you will be concerned about how long does it take for the broad beans to grow. Well the answer is that these beans germinate in approximately 10 days.
When To Harvest Broad Beans
Broad beans should be harvested and when they are 3 inches long. You can even wait for a little longer and harvest them later. But make sure that when you harvest the seeds should be soft and pots well filled.
Best time to consume them is when the scar on the edge of the seed is white or green. If it has become black then the bean will become hard and chewy.
The most important thing to keep in mind while sowing any seed is that don’t be in a hurry to plant the seeds, wait till the weather becomes appropriate as all the seeds may not be suitable for all typed of weather.
Take proper care after the seeds germinate and protect them from insects and mice attack.
Are you searching for a fast-growing root crop to plant in containers? Then why not trying growing beet that is simple! It is the answer to your need.
You don’t like the spicy bite of radish, although these roots grow crops fast too, the radish can yield sooner than beets.
The beet crop prefers cold weather and spring-fall then you will be allowed to utilize summer crops for growing containers crops after you harvest them. That’s wonderful! Let’s continue to learn how to grow beets in containers.
Choosing the container:
Here you have to consider a container for growing the beet in the garden in almost any climatic or soil condition is completely fine too.
The size of the container should matters when planting beets in them. If you consider the smaller container then the soil in it dries out and less room for its root has to grow.
Depth is the most important factor to consider when growing radish or beet in a container, but a container that is too large is also difficult to move and expensive to fill properly. Moving them from a small container to a larger container is something that plants hate, so it’s important to grow them in a permanent container,
However, you can use biodegradable pots like peat, newspapers, and other organic materials for transplanting if you like.
This material quickly decomposes in the soil, so the seedlings can be transplanted without removing from such a pot, without damaging the roots when handling.
Beets are ready to transplant when they have the first few true leaves, it is too late to transplant when they are older, which increases the likelihood of shock to the plant, resulting in stunted growth.
There must be enough space for the beets to grow normally. Therefore, it is very important to choose a container that is at least 10 inches deep.
When choosing a beet pot, make sure it has drainage holes and is deep enough for normal root growth. You must consider the successful growth of beets.
Preparing potting soil:
Beets can adapt to any type of soil but you prefer the better which is provided with rich in nutrients, well-drained, loose, and aerated soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5.
Beetroots are heavy feeders, therefore the initial potting soil of the plant needed with high nutrients and also the addition of some amount of soil amendment during the growing period such as compost and organic amendments that are the smart idea.
Beets needed full sun and cold temperature to flourish. When the temperature increases the best way to cool the soil is the addition of a deep layer of mulch to the soil.
Hence, be sure about the plants receive full sunlight every day it will produce the best beet taste and which permits them to grow with their potential.
Planting Beets in the Container:
Prepare the Beet Container:
At the bottom of the empty container place the layer of small rocks which serves as the adequate soil drainage barrier. Make sure about the soil does not become waterlogged.
Filling the Potting Soil:
Fill the container with potting soil and if you want to remove any small pebbles, and gravels in the soil.
Pre-soak the Seed Overnight:
Usually, the beetroot seeds have a hard seed coat. Therefore, it requires much time to germinate. To speed up the germination process you have pre-soaked the seeds overnight in water. It will help to soften the seed’s hard coat. Then it allows the seeds to sprout fast.
Start Planting:
When sowing seeds, start at a medium depth in the container. You can sow radish seeds in any direction for a full harvest. Make sure there is at least an inch between the edge of the bowl and the beets.
Cover and Water the Seeds:
Sow the seeds well and cover the pot to keep the soil moist. After a few weeks, the beets will sprout.
Thinning of Seedlings:
When most of the seeds begin to sprout, trim the seedlings thinly to leave enough space about 3 inches apart.
Seedlings can be cut off the base of unnecessary seedlings with scissors or gently pulled out with your hands, but when pulling out, you need to be careful not to damage the remaining healthy beets.
Water the Plants Enough:
Now that the beets are laid, most of your task will be to water them as the plants grow.
You must keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged. Waterlogging can lead to the rotting of the beets.
Water the beets every other day in outdoor containers. Always try to cultivate the soil as best you can to determine if the plant needs water.
Adding Fertilizers:
It is essential to add fertilizers to your plant after a month and be sure about the instructions on the back of your fertilizer bag should be followed and get ready for one-time application.
This will increase sugar beet production and ensure a quality harvest.
Radishes quickly consume nutrients from the soil, so you need to fertilize them once during their growth.
Compost containing NPK equivalent or homemade compost is sufficient to provide the necessary nutrients.
These days, tilapia is among the most popular fish for cultivation. People are doing tilapia farming even on their farms for thousands of years now. It is considered a very successful, profitable small-scale business, and you can of course make it a large-scale one with time.
If you are patient and at the same time, dedicated, this business can completely change your life for good. Flexibility is one of the biggest highlights of the tilapia farming business, as there are various cultivation methods you can opt for. Here we are discussing one of the most productive cultivation processes.
How to set-up a tilapia fish farm
Having various sizes and shapes of tanks and ponds can be immensely helpful, especially in the beginning. It will help you to manage water properly. Your tilapia fish farm must be equipped with different types of fish containers and a proper drainage system. And providing fish with high-quality, fresh food will also ensure proper and timely growth of fishes.
Is tilapia farming profitable?
The answer is “yes”. As we have discussed earlier, it is one of the most profitable farming businesses. Intensive and hyperactive intensive are the two most common types of breeding that are preferred for business purposes.
Different types of tilapia species
You can discover tilapia in estuaries, ponds, watercourses, lakes, marine habitats, and other seafaring conditions. They love tropic conditions with 25-30 degrees Celsius as optimum temperature for growth. A few varieties can even tolerate as low temperatures as 8 or 9 degrees Celsius.
NAME
DESCRIPTION
REASON/WEATHER
Nile Tilapia
One of the oldest species from Egypt. Gain approximately 1 to 2 pounds in five to seven months.
Can be found anywhere in fresh lake water
Blue Tilapia
Gain 2 to 4 pounds in 12 months
Part of Asia, USA, Middle East, and Northern Africa. Grow even in cold temperatures. Fresh and saltwater are suitable for their growth
Mozambique Tilapia
An average weight of 2 pounds in 1 year
Can’t survive cold or salty water
Mono-sex Tilapia
Hybrid, one of the most suitable species for tilapia farming, capable of growing at very good speed for a couple of years.
Found in India, USA, Bangladesh, and South Africa
Rendalli
Usually herbivorous
One of the most preferred species for aquaponics industry
‘Abbassa’ and ‘Akosomb’
Very unique hybrids of Nile Tilapia
Can grow 30% faster
Andersonii
A small-headed Species with the best taste among all tilapias
Grow decently in cold-water culture
Let’s start our guide to properly grow tilapia
Here are all the basic as well as advanced things related to tilapia farming for beginners. If you can understand all these points in a quick time, you can become a very successful tilapia farmer within a couple of years. We have tried to cover “everything” from the beginning to the end, let’s learn the basics first.
Where you can grow tilapia fish
As already discussed, tilapia fish can survive and grow in almost every condition including cages, raceways, fish ponds, and tanks, etc. Residential producers are even using trash cans for raising tilapia!
But if you want to maximize your productivity, you should arrange a set of few ponds or tanks. Depending on your budget, you can start with 8 to 12 tanks, and can of course increase the number with time.
How long tilapia takes to grow
Most of the tilapia species grow in 32 to 34 weeks i.e. about eight months, and the average weight of fully-grown tilapia is 450 to 600 grams. Though, farming of tilapia and hence, growth of tilapia depends on a lot of factors including care, atmospheric conditions, and food, etc.
How to maximize your profit
Securing the profit should be the priority in the beginning. And you also have to identify the challenges related to raising tilapia. Here are some of the most common causes of failures in commercial tilapia farming.
Lack of nutrition: Usually, people either ignore the importance of proper, healthy, and timely feeding or they are unaware of nutrition according to age. We will discuss the proper nutrition for tilapia later.
Too many fingerlings: Female tilapia is known for reproducing a lot of eggs. It is capable of spawning about 200 to 1000 eggs every 4 to 6 weeks, and that can create an unwanted situation for you! Can you afford them to feed or to grow? As a solution, you can opt to raise only male tilapias which are known as the Mono-sex tilapia farming method.
Problems related to marketing – Most of the farmers get affected by this problem. As the growth rate of tilapia is very good, you may suffer from incomplete selling. So, you need to identify the species of tilapias with rather slow growth stages.
Let’s assume that, you are doing tilapia farming backyard. Now, they need enough food and spices. You are feeding them continuously, and they are not growing as they are supposed to. The food you are wasting is obviously being wasted. So, what can you do differently? Here are the answers
Don’t compromise with the quality of nutrients and water – Never!
For any species of fish, water is almost everything. They simply can’t survive without water! And for healthy survival, unlike most of the other species, tilapia can also survive in dirty water. But, as a farmer, you won’t want to grow poisonous fishes in your firm. Dirty water is usually full of bacteria, pathogens, viruses, and other infectious organisms. These organisms can make fishes harmful, even poisonous for humans. So, always try to fill your ponds and tanks with fresh water to ensure proper and healthy growth of tilapia fishes.
Nutrition is another very important aspect of tilapia fish farming at any scale. Here is a general diet chart for tilapia. You can divide the amount of food required with serving time. It will also help you to avoid wasting food.
Assumed fish size
Amount of food per fish/per day
Approximate time after stoking
Times a day
5-40 g
1g
1-2 month
3-4
40-100g
2-3g
2-3 months
3-4
100g-400 g
3-4 g/fish
3-5 months
3
400+
4-5 g/fish
5 months+
3
Designing a pond for tilapia farming (Circular container)
Ideally, you will need eight ponds/circular tanks to start farming of tilapia. There are two different types of aeration generally in the cultivation system – horizontal and vertical. The initial vertical aeration should be from the bottom to the surface. The aeration is usually provided by an apparatus.
You will start seeing the fishes properly once they weight 45 grams. So, at the beginning of tilapia farming in tanks, you can easily store 170 to 200 tilapia fishes in each cubic meter of water. It means, around 15 thousand fishes per pound! In the second stage, you will be able to keep 85 to 100 fishes per cubic meter. And that’s when the horizontal aeration is preferred.
Divide the container properly for better production
If you want to increase the growth of tilapia for commercial cultivation, dividing the container is a good idea. Suppose, you have eight containers for tilapia farming, you can have an uninterrupted production in four of them. So, it won’t be a huge challenge to steer profit almost every month. Start using half of the tanks then add another half in the next month, and so on. If you are aiming to increase the number of tanks/ponds, you should still proceed according to the multiples of four.
In the case of farming of tilapia, feeding is the most important aspect of growth, and ultimately, benefits. Commercial farming of tilapia doesn’t need external aeration systems. It will be enough if you can manage efficient water exchange whenever needed. To avoid uncontrolled reproduction, you should go for monosexual tilapia instead of mixing males and females.
Standard size for ponds and tanks
Whether you are doing tilapia farming in tanks or ponds, you should take care of the standard size. A standard pond for tilapia is 20×40 meters with 1.20 meters of depth. It can easily store 960 cubic meters of water.
But,
If you raise 10 tilapias in each cubic meter of water, the pond will store 9600 fishes at a time. And you need to maintain the balance while feeding! According to an estimation, 1.7 kilograms of food will convert into a harvest of one kilogram of meat. And the average weight of a commercial tilapia is 500 to 600 grams! And a standard pond will produce 4800 kilograms of meat. It means, 9600 tilapia fishes can give you 4800-5500 kilograms of selling product!
NOTE: The average weight of an adult tilapia is 1 kg to 4 kg. And it requires 2 to 3 years to achieve adulthood!
Raising tilapia in bio floc
Tilapia fish farming in bio floc is also a wonderful idea, as they can easily adapt to bio floc systems. In this system, you will have to use minimum water, and add a lot of dense microbial populations to ponds. Adjusting the carbon-nitrogen ratio (C: N) is the key to this system.
The bacteria forming bio flocs can assimilate the total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), and can produce microbial proteins for tilapia fishes.
Tilapia can adapt to bio floc systems very quickly, and you can have an amazing production! Using bio flocs for raising tilapia, you will get very high biomass, as the biomass of tilapia can reach to the surprising pace of 200-300 mt/ha! You get higher fish density, but the system also generates a lot of waste! So, this is not the ideal way to start your tilapia fish business.
Primary Cost to start a small-scale business
The production system is the most important aspect of the tilapia farming business on any scale. Floating fish cultivation needs lower investment. “One hectare” is the base of calculation in case if floating cultivation. A 5,000 USD per annum gives you the production capacity of 20 tons of tilapia!
Look, you should opt for a floating cage in case If there are continental water conditions in your area. A floating cage with 20 meters of diameter is should be suitable. And three in-depth floating cages will cost you approx. 4,000 USD, and you can earn 60 tons of biomass per year. You can distribute the whole cost as:
55% for a balanced, nutritious diet, 37% for administrative and
production costs, and 8% for fingerlings.
Homemade organic feed for tilapia
You can buy feeds from the market, as well as can prepare them at home. Tilapia can eat almost everything, and homemade pellets are like a treat for them! These pellets are made with corn, rice barn, oat groats, alfalfa meal, linseed meal, or canola meal, as well as different vegetables.
If you are doing tilapia farming in tanks, homemade feeds are not good for, as they can start damaging them in a quick time. So, for tanks, buying feeds from the market is a better option. You can give homemade pellets to the fishes raising in the ponds.
The best feeding methods for small-scale tilapia fish farming
The average survival rate of most of the tilapia species is 99%! And the average growth per organism is 960 grams. You can achieve this result by modifying the feeding methods. The amount of food required is usually decided by the percentage of biomass. And as already discussed, providing your fishes with a balanced diet is very crucial.
Here is how you can manage feeding throughout the growth period:
With the increase in size, the requirement of protein decreases. If a small-sized tilapia fish requires 38% of protein, the protein required by a large-sized fish is 24%. To achieve maximum success in the tilapia farming business, Lent and Holy Week are the best seasons for harvesting.
Making appropriate food ratio is very important
You have a wide range of options when it comes to balanced foods. Feeding at the initial stage of farming is a bit expensive, 0.93 USD per kg. And the cost was reduced to half with the growth of tilapia. So, prepare balanced food for tilapia by referring to the second table mentioned above.
How to cultivate tilapia
Intensive cultivation
At least four ponds of 20 by 40 meters each should be there for proper intensive cultivation. And the recommended shape of ponds is rectangular. Also, each pond should have a proper slope, with separate entrance and exit. These types of ponds can handle 10 to 15 fishes per cubic meter.
Intensive hyperactive cultivation
It is the second method full of profits. In this method, circular ponds with conical bottoms are recommended. There should be a drainage system in the center of each pond. There are four different sizes of ponds, and the ideal one is 9.40 meters in diameter. It can store about 80 cubic meters of water. And the average cost for each pond is 1250 USD
Proper monitoring is also necessary
The best thing about both intensive and intensive hyperactive systems is, only one person is enough to manage them. And monitoring oxygen levels, and temperature of the water is enough.
Whether you are opting for tilapia farming in tanks or ponds, keeping a check on concentration levels of ammonia is also necessary, and you can easily get basic equipment in the market for this purpose. Executing a hydroponic culture is also a great idea to recover the contained nutrients.
Females can give birth to 200-1000 fingerlings in every 4 to 5 weeks, and they take around six months to attain the maturity! And if you even have 90-100 female tilapias, you will get 2000 to 10,000 fingerlings! How are you going to manage them? Feed them? You will start feeling helpless!
Relax! There is a solution! As discussed earlier, monosex tilapia fish farming is the way to raise only male tilapia fishes. You can cultivate these fishes in two stages i.e. nursery stage and reservoir stage. All you need to do is to keep small-sized and large-sized fishes separately. The feeding and caring method are the same as mentioned above.
When and how of catching
When the fishes attain the weight of 180 to 200 grams, separate them in two different ponds, as they need more space for comfortable movement.
Divide them again in two different ponds/tanks when they weigh about 300 grams.
In short, if you start tilapia farming in tanks with four nos. you will need eight of them in the end.
When the average weight of each fish touches the 400g mark, separate them, again.
You will also have to adjust the diet properly to ensure maximum productivity.
Catching them for sale!
Right then, you are going to earn some great returns for your investment. As the amazing growth rate couples with a very low mortality rate, there are great chances of profit.
Start catching them when they attain the average weight of 400g.
But if you can wait a bit more and harvest them at 500g, you will find it even more profitable.
In this post, we’ve tried our very best to cover every aspect of tilapia fish farming. Hopefully, we’ve guided you correctly to start a new business full of fun, profits, and productivity. Please write back to us, if this guide was helpful for you. Happy fishing!
Sweet potatoes have nothing to do with ordinary potatoes. Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are the most well-known, but sweet potatoes can be white, yellow, or even purple. Sweet potatoes grow slowly and are always planted in spring because they require four months of high temperature to develop.
The tuber is fully grown, but it grows surprisingly easily. Because the roots of vines touch the ground, some plants can produce large amounts of crops. There are also various shrubs in the small garden.
How to planting sweet potatoes?
Sweet potatoes can be grown in poor soil but deformed roots are develops in heavy clay or long or stringy in sandy dirt. For producing 8 to 10 pounds of potatoes in a single 10 foot row create a perfect environment of about long , wide,10-inch-high ridges spaced 3 ½ feet apart.
Avoid nitrogen rich fertilizer can produce stunted tubes and lush vines and add plenty of compost to sweet potato field. In north, with the help of black plastics covered the rows of sweet potatoes to keep soil warm and promote strong growth.
It is better to plant root sprouts, known as slips, available in nurseries. Store few roots from your crop for the next year.
Nearly six weeks about to plant sweet potatoes outdoors in your area. Keep the roots in a container with moist sand, saw dust and chopped leaves in a warm spot. Planted sweet potatoes reach 6 to 9 inches long, cut their root. From each slip remove bottom inch and throw away because sometimes that portion harbours disease organisms.
Sweet potatoes extremely frost sensitive and mature in 90 to 170 days. Plant them in full sun after the last frost when the soil has warmed. For planting make the deep hole of 6 inches and 12 inches apart. Conceal all the slips up to top leaves and press the soil down tenderly but firmly and water well.
If black plastics are not used, for smooth weeds mulch the vines nearly two week after planting, conserve moisture, and for the root development keep the soil loose. Hardly lift longer vines to place them from rooting at the joints, or they put their energy into forming several undersized tubers at rooted area rather than mellowing the main crop at base of the plant. Otherwise, handle plants to prevent wounds that vulnerable disease spores.
In dry weather conditions, maintain 1 inch of water per week until two week before harvest, then the soil dry out little bit. Don’t overwater them, plants can withstand better in dry spell than rainy ones.
How to avoid pests?
Northern gardeners are not more likely encounter pest problems than gardeners in southern area.
Sweet potato weevils with dark blue head and wings puncture stems and tubers to lay eggs. Growing larvae tunnel and feed on the fresh roots and the adults are attacks on leaves and vines. It also spread foot rot with that enlarge brown to black areas on stems near the soil and at the stem extreme. From then weevils multiply quickly then hard to eliminate, use certified virus resistant slips and practice a four year crop rotation. With household trash throw away destroy infected plants and their roots.
Black rots are a fungal disease which results in circular, dark depression on tubers. Dispose the infected potatoes and cure the undamaged roots from the same crop cautiously. Don’t be confused about this disease which creates round, small, dark spots on tuber surface but doesn’t change eating quality and taste.
Reduce the chance of disease by planting healthy slips and avoid dark black spot stem rot by planting resistant cultivator and keep the fresh roots between 55 to 60 degree.
Sweet potato tubers can be harvested in about three to four months, depending on the variety; if you prefer to eat the leaves as vegetables, you can eat them in moderation throughout the season; remember to allow enough time to grow plants.
Once the leaves turn yellow, the tubers can be dug out. If the frost hits the leaves, then the tubers are probably fine. Just don’t let them sit on the ground too long after the tips are dry, or they may start to work. Rotting is careful when digging sweet potato tubers near the surface. Their skin is delicate and easily damaged or scratched.
Propagation sweet potatoes
During winter seasons you can save tubers and plant them in spring with these below steps.
Before the first frost fall dig up the tubers.
Store them in a peat, vermiculite or other dry material over the winter.
Place them in a cool, dry place without light.
During spring the tubers will start to sprout. Cut them into pieces as each piece has at least one eye.
After the threat of frost passed away plant them in the garden and maintain the temperature at least 60 degree Fahrenheit.
Don’t interchange sweet potatoes for regular potatoes they two are not related. To get more flavour from these sweet potatoes extend their shelf life, place them in a warm and dry place for about 10 to 15 days before eating.
Are you shocked or not? Sugar can also used for gardening! We have recited 8 common ways to use sugar in garden.
Most people do not know that sugar has amazing benefits and their effective uses in the garden. You can use sugar in your garden in several ways and it is efficient and beneficial. Therefore, from this post, we will learn 8 surprising sugar uses in garden that you should definitely try this. Move ahead scroll down and learn about them.
Uses of Sugar in the Garden
1. Use sugar to clean dirty hands
Probably it’s the best choice to use sugar for hand wash to clean hands after gardening. You know that sugar is one of the natural solutions which can easily clean your hands. You also used it for face wash.
For cleaning use 1 table spoon of sugar and little water then wash the face or hands as normal. This works better for cleaning soiled, greasy and oily hands.
With the addition of sugar in the vase can increase the endurance of cut flowers. Simply mix a tablespoon of sugar in the vase of water and all done. Sugar rejuvenates the blossoms and helps them to live longer, hence the solution can produce bacterial growth and water smells bad and negatively impacts the cut flower. To prevent this frequently add a tablespoon of vinegar to it.
House flies and fruit flies can make a several problems in home and garden. If you are fighting with them in garden, so try this sugar fly trap. This solution works well for those who are attracted for sweet things. To make this solution, boil ¼ cup of sugar, ¼ cup of honey, 2 tablespoons of water in a pan over low heat as far as sugar dissolved. Dip the pieces of brown packaging paper in the mixture and hang them.
4. Get rid of nematodes
If the plants are wilting and dying for no reason in your garden, then check out their roots for knots which are caused by nematode feeding. If you use sugar it encourages the activity of bacteria and micro organism that can create hostile environment for the nematodes. To prevent nematodes you can also grow marigold.
To get rid of it sprinkles 5 pounds of sugar for every 250 square feet of garden.
If you got grass stains on your cloth after working in garden. They can be challenging task for removing those stains, but if you have a sugar and the water you don’t worry about them.
Take ½ cup of sugar in a bowl and add warm water to it for making paste. Apply this paste on the stain and soak it for ½ an hour then wash it normally.
6. Ant Killer
If you want relieve from ants try this recipe to get rid of it. Combine 1 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of borax powder and pour it in a 2 cup of warm water. Soak cotton balls in this solution and keep them in areas where ants are. So they will surely get these balls because they love sugar and then borax will kill them.
7. Feed the butterflies, bees, and hummingbird
If you found any bee or other nectar feeding creature? You can feed a clean solution of sugar water to help them. In a saucepan 1 cup of boiled water, ¼ cup of sugar stirs it in water until dissolved. Cut the sponges into smaller rectangle shaped and make small hole in sponge.
Cut the 7 inch thread through sponge. Dive the sponge into the solution until fully sucked, allow excess to drip from the sponge then hang it to arms or wings or anywhere else for your winged friends. From this pollination will occur.
8. Feed Plants
If you want to give extra nutrients to your plants with the solution of vinegar, sugar and water. First, combine 1 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of sugar for every 8 ounce of water in container. Then apply of feed it to your plant as they needed!
These are the most surprising sugar uses in gardens. These uses will help you to have a better and more beneficial gardening experience. Don’t pause to try them then you will be impressed by the results.
I have done a too many mistakes killing precious greens because of overwatering, so consider growing plants directly in water.
Growing in water means there is no watering the plants for every next day and no messy soil for it. Don’t need any hydroponic systems for these plants, your never feel guilty about drowning them.
Does it make sound really good to you? Hence, let’s start!
HOW TO GROW PLANTS IN WATER
Firstly take a plant you want to grow in water
After that take a cutting from the existing plant.
Then choose a glass vessel or jar with thinner neck for plant support
Keep it in a room with bright and indirect light. at that site the temperature does not change too often, but slightly warm
At last wait for your plant to grow.
1. Philodendron
Philodendrons are low maintenance plant. It can grow quickly in a tap of water in a jar, it tolerate bright and low light. It can give a more natural and inviting atmosphere with their lush and trailing leaves. If you are see it grown in a pot of soil, usually it can be flourish beautifully in water.
From the existing plant cut off about six inches to propagate philodendron. Afterwards place the cutting in a glass of water and wait for ten days then you will observe roots starting to form.
The spider plant is the best plant in water propagation because it is easy to care without soil. You can easily plant it snip off its spiderettes and root them in water to create new one.
It’s my personal favorite because it give me less stress due to its highly adaptable in nature. It can tolerate lot of misuses, it was excellent for them those who are thinking about they are not blessed by green thumb.
Its sounds may frightened, but believe me spider plant do not have poison glands. It named as due to spiderettes or the spider like plants hanging down from its mother plant.
3. Wandering Jew
Wandering Jew is a zebra stripped variety and bright purple leaves. It will add some life to the room or else add some color to your garden. If you are allergic to pollen from flowers then wandering Jew is good for you.
It can adapt to houseplant life, if you thrive in a room with moderate light. Stat to cut wandering Jew stem to grow in water. If you are cutting about six inches is easier to grow than smaller one. Place the cutted plant in a glass or clear jar with water as like the leaves should be out of the water to avoid rotting.
I recommend you to use glass or a clear jar it always fascinate to see the roots growing under water.
4. Lucky bamboo
Bamboo plants appear in offices, homes, or on desks. It will bring good luck and fortune in your home or office with this houseplant. Lucky bamboo has standing for being virtually immortal. It can survive in a vase full of water and board range of light conditions with its tough stalks. Hence, avoid direct sunlight while it scorches the leaves. If you notice that the green color is fading, it’s better to provide more light on it.
5. Fiddle leaf fig
The fiddle leaf is one of the incredible indoor plant with featuring large, violin shaped leaves. It commonly thrives in warm and wet conditions. It is super easy to grow this plant in water. Propagating in water just after four weeks you will notice roots are appears on cutting stem base. Hence, couple of more weeks you will observe roots growing in water. In a few times you will get a tons of fiddle leaf figs, you can sell for a good price or even share with your friends.
6. Pothos (Devil’s Ivy)
Pothos is an incredible houseplant which can improve indoor air quality, it can be done by removing of carbon dioxide and other contaminants from air around it and provide supplemental oxygen. It sounds really cool right? I know it have an impressive fact that its ability to withstand quite a bit of neglect.
Hence, growing pothos in water can be little bit tricky because of algae build-up. It became natural results of water and sunlight. If you use dark colored vase to minimize sunlight, it can also reduce algae buildup. You can prevent all sorts of problems with enough care and enjoy a healthy, luscious plant.
7. Chinese evergreen
Have you observed plastic Chinese evergreen plant in stores or in some people homes? I know I have.
After this plant they are actually modeled fake houseplant. If you are really exaggerated to grow Chinese evergreen plant, it is relatively easy to grow in water. Cut the six inches of existing Chinese evergreen plant and keep them in a vase filled with water. Be sure about the cutting is long enough is submerged under water and few leaves are above the water line.
Remember that indirect sunlight requires growing the plant in water. So it’s good to keep the container on a window sill. Wait for few weeks and then you will observe the roots come under the submerged parts of the stem.
If you want to grow the plants in water from leaves is a best way to start with new African violet plants. It is good to choose healthy, young leaves cut with about two inches of the stem. Keep them to dry and after a month roots are begin to form on the stem.
9. Baby’s tears
Baby tears are a low growing plant featuring with a mass like appearance with stem that can be quite chubby. It can produce a myriad of small round leaves, create a opaque trailing mat. When adorned decoratively over the edge of the vase it works well with its spreading and creeping forms. Once you keep it in a jar for growing it does not require a lot of horizontal space, it will glow like a heavy head of green hair.
You have to change the water once a week. Although, remove the leaves that are floating in a water, which are start to rot.
SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
If you are not having enough space or garden in your backyard or hate the messy soil in houseplant is not be the reason for not having greenery at your home. You don’t be afraid about drowning them because they need sunlight and water to survive.
Plants’ growing in water is not only convenient and easy, but it brings lots of benefits to your daily living.
Here you’re introducing flowers to a vegetable garden which comes with perks and the addition of beauty. Usage of flowers in a companion planting, which helps to deter pests and attracts pollinators. Interplantation will also save time and space if you grow many plants in one place.
Without companion benefits, the vegetable garden is more likely to plant flowers that are intended for cuttings. If you’re cut them as you select the vegetables for dinner. Here are the few edible flowers that can be grown in your vegetable garden.
1. Pot marigold calendula officinalis
Calendula or pot marigold is not a family related to the marigold of genus tagetes. It is considered an edible flower and has a bitter flavor. It has an orange color which livens up a plate. In the garden, it repels few pests such as tomato hornworm, and asparagus beetles but attracts a few of them including aphids.
You can use it as a trap crop placing it on another side of the vegetable garden away from the plants that can often attack like peas.
It can be grown in the US development zone from 9 to 11. It has distinct colors such as orange, yellow, pink, and cream. It can face the full sun to part shade. To improve the growth of this flower the potting soil should be rich in nutrients, slightly acidic to neutral, and well-drained.
Few flowers grow as easily and as much as the cosmos flower. And these flowers can be planted in the garden because they attract many beneficial insects. For example, if you want to paint the scarabs green, choose a bright white or orange, such as Space Orange.
Green beetles are voracious, eating all kinds of soft-bodied insects, including aphids, scales, and thrips, so they are considered beneficial insects and make them their home in their garden, which will help to prevent pest problems. It has distinct colors such as pink, yellow, purple, red, and white. It is exposed to full sun with moderate moisture and well-drained soil.
3. Lavender
Lavender flower is difficult to grow from seeds, so buy from the nearest garden center or cut from the growing plant. it loves cool winters and hot dry summers. Several varieties are hardy in zone 5-9 check out your specific variety and it likes well-drained soil and lots of suns. It has a distinct taste like rosemary/mint combo flavor and like all herbs blooms edible. Truthfully, lavender has so many uses at home.
4. Nasturtium
Nasturtium is one of the best edible flowers that will grow in the container. It has upright varieties with distinct colors like a sunset (think oranges, reds, and yellows).
Its seedlings are planted in the warm soil in the spring. Darkness is required for germination so start them indoors. Once the seedlings are sprouted and are ready to transplant outdoor then place at full sun location. In zone 4-8 treated as annuals and in 9-11 treated as hardy and it cannot survive in freezing temperature.
The whole parts of the plant are edible: petals, leaves, and seeds. The flavor of each part is distinct such as leaves are spicy, flowers are sweeter. I use the nasturtium-infused vinegar for salads and dipping bread for making sweets.
5. Sunflower
It is the best flower for the vegetable garden and it makes trellises for climbing plants that have a lot of nectar to attract pollinators.
Ultimately, it has a problem with squirrels because they attract growing seeds but you have to save seeds. Plant the coarse-leaved vegetable squash near the sunflowers can make to deter animals. It is an annual plant with different colors yellow, red, burgundy and chocolate. It is exposed to full sun in well-drained and moist soil.
6. Sweet pea
Sweet pea seeds are poisonous for humans but few creatures find them delicious. If you find difficulty when placing them in your flower garden, plant them in a vegetable garden for protection is an alternative.
Growing sweet peas along with pole beans is a trap to squeeze them into the garden to attract more pollinators to your beans. They cannot cross-pollinate with edible peas due to different genera.
It is also an annual plant with various colors such as red, pink, blue, purple, and white and it is exposed to full sun with medium moisture and well-drained soil.
It is also an annual plant with distinct varieties red, pink, yellow, orange, lilac, purple, green, and white. It is exposed to full sun in the well-drained soil.
Planting zinnia plant in the vegetable garden which allows using them for the filling gaps between the vegetable garden because
Nectar is rich in zinnia flower which acts as a magnet for the bees, popular with the hummingbird and other pollinators.
Pale, pastel varieties appear attractive to Japanese beetles and can be used as traps. On the other hand, you might not want to plant anything that attracts Japanese beetles unless you already have the problem you are trying to solve.
8. Roses
Rose flower is also edible and it offers a sweet flavor with a slight spice. The leaves are good for making tea similarly tastes like black tea. The rosebuds have to dry and use them in different dishes to the addition of flavor and use petals for salads, infuse in honey and garnish desserts, and so on.
The flavor of the flower depends upon the type, color, and soil conditions. The heavy darker petals give more flavor but before consuming remove a white portion of the petals.
The rose hips are tasted like zesty crab apple which has full of antioxidants and rich in vitamin C. The rose hips are harvest when it becomes orange or red, not in green, cut them into halves and scrape out the seeds.
While purchasing roses be sure to choose a disease-resistant variety because roses are very disease-prone. Plant the rose in spring and select the location which is well-drained soil and full sun. In warm climatic conditions protect the plant.
Cilantro is one of the most common herb used in kitchen. Cilantro basically means green leaves and stem of the plant and is also known as coriander. It is used as a common cooking spice in Asian, Middle Eastern, Mexican and African cuisines.
Coriander vs Cilantro
The stalks and leaves of Coriandrum sativum plant are known as cilantro in North America and the dried seeds are called coriander. Whereas in other parts of the world this plant is referred as coriander plant and the seeds as coriander seeds.
How to Grow Coriander From Seeds ?
The best time to plant cilantro is spring or early summer. Make sure that the soil is well drained and moist before sowing seeds.
The first and foremost thing to be done before sowing any seed is to prepare the planting area. This can be done by adding compost or other organic matter to the planting area.
Make the area smooth with the help of a rake. Sow the coriander seeds at least 2 inch deep into the soil, spaced about 6-8 inches apart. Provide water soluble fertilizer as well as plenty of moisture to cilantro plant.
The next thing you will be concerned about after sowing seeds is, how long does it take for cilantro to germinate? Well, Cilantro grows very quickly, so you can make successive sowing of seeds every 2-3 weeks and get fresh leaves every time.
How Long Does Coriander Seeds Take To Germinate ?
The usual time of coriander seed germination is 2-3 weeks. Temperature also plays a major role on how long a seed takes to germinate. A moderate temperature of about 20 degree Celsius is required for coriander seeds to germinate.
Make sure to water the plants regularly and do not allow the soil to get dried up. You can get fresh supply of coriander leaves if you sow seeds every 3 weeks. If you notice the plant being suffered then do give organic feed to the plant.
Tips for Harvesting Cilantro
Cilantro gets ready within 2-3 weeks of sowing the seeds. Here are few tips that you need to follow while harvesting cilantro and coriander seeds.
You need to harvest cilantro leaves once they are big enough to cut down.
Don’t be in a hurry to pluck them off.
Snip off the whole stem if you need it or you can just cut the leaves.
If you are growing cilantro for the seeds then wait till the flowers get dried up.
Cut the stems and place it in a paper bag, with the stems facing the opening of the bag.
Tie the stems with the bag in a bunch and hang it in a dry place.
When the flowers get completely dried up, you just need to shake the bag and the seeds will be collected at the bottom of the bag.
This will take about 2-3 weeks.
You can now use the seeds for further germination or you can use it in cooking as well.
If you are growing cilantro for leaves then as soon as the flower develops pluck them off as it will ensure that all the energy is given for the development of the leaves.
This little plant can give you the benefit of its leaves as well as its seeds. If you love cooking then this herb is a must in most of your dishes.
Cilantro can be grown in pots, container, on terrace, in backyard or even in balcony as the process of cilantro germination is very quick and easy.
Are you thinking about the things what not to compost in your backyard? You can compost most of things but you have to avoid 13 things you can’t compost. Find below!
Composting is a best way to prepare your own organic fertilizer which allows you to decompose the wastage of your garden and food wastage of your home, otherwise it will be thrown into the trash. Almost you can compost everything that is organic but there are few things that which you cant compost in large extend to avoid hassle. So find out what not to compost?
What not to compost?
1. Weeds
After cleaning the garden it might be tempted to damp the weeds and other unwanted in the bin in the spring. But keeping weeds in the pile, now that will be popping back up in the finished compost later once spread it in your garden.
In case of your pile gets consistently hot- reaches a minimum of 140 degree Fahrenheit at least 2 weeks. Weed seeds can survive to sprout another day.
And for few invasive plants like as Japanese knotweed, requires only an inch of stem to regret.
It is good to leave them out, especially those weeds that are begun to flower.
2. Diseased Plants
Plant pathogens such as powdery mildew, black spot, rust, verticillium wilt and mosaic virus can survive the composting process and infect new plants in the next season.
Like weeds, diseased plants in compost need high temperatures to kill bacteria like Fungi, viruses and parasites completely. Even so, not all pathogens can be completely eradicated.
Make better use of its safety and keep it away from the packaging.
All parts of Juglans nigra, including branches, leaves, roots, bark, nuts, and shell, contain an organic compound called jugalone.
Jugalone production is an evolutionary characteristic of black walnut, giving it a significant advantage over other nearby plants. Root system inhibits metabolic enzymes and destroys photosynthesis.
Apples, tomatoes, peppers, berries, asparagus and potatoes are few plants that are particularly sensitive to jugalone.
After being removed from the landscape, the jugalone will remain underground for several years.
Prevent any part of the black walnut from entering the compost pile to avoid contamination by walnut chemicals.
Excellent supplements to heap that provide nitrogen (cold) or carbon (dry).
Never put grass clippings that have been treated with insecticides, herbicides or other chemicals in the compost.
Treated grass destroys the composting process of harmful microorganisms.
To make matters worse, using finished compost for edible plants increases the toxins in the food stream.
5. Glossy paper products
Magazines, catalogs, spam, newsprint, brochures, food packaging, and glossy business cards should be included keep away from compost.
These materials are treated with a special coating to form a smooth and shiny surface. The coating is usually composed of clay minerals, but can also contain synthetic additives such as polyethylene.
The shiny products added to the pile will not degrade properly and will immerse the plastic chemicals in the finished compost.
If in doubt, please recycle any shiny materials and choose plain paper to add to the stack.
6. Cat and Dog Poop
The manure from herbivores is the best source of nitrogen and perfectly good addition of heap. Carnivores’ animals and pets poop can be strictly kept away. Omnivores can contain harmful pathogens and parasites which are not eliminate while composting. If the finished compost applied around the food plants, it will contaminate the crop which causes health hazards. Dog and cat wastage keep away from the general compost heap.
Without using landfills eager to dispose this free renewable resource, pet waste can be composted when it placed in a pile away from the vegetable patch. Once it will be cheapen, used for non-edible trees, shrubs and plants.
7. Cooking Oils
In heap don’t add cooking oil, grease and fat
Waste oil can attract rodents into open compost piles and can also disrupt the composting process itself.
A large amount of oil leakage forms a watertight barrier around the carbon and nitrogen materials in the stack, preventing water absorption and reducing airflow.
The microorganisms that destroy it need water and oxygen, so soaking a pile with edible oil will only slow down or stop the activity of microorganisms.
However, you can compost very small amounts of vegetable oil. Spilled or leftover vegetable oil should be moistened with a paper towel or newspaper before discarding.
8. Meat
Meat and fish, whether cooked or raw, will attract scavengers when they start to deteriorate. Meat can also be very uncomfortable.
Although the meat is organic and adds valuable nutrients to this pile of meat, budding composers are not allowed to throw it away.
If you tend to add a small amount of leftover meat, bury it deep in the pile and cover it with more carbon material to avoid odours in the empty pile.
You can also prevent scavenger leakage by using a compost bin with a sealed lid or using a fully insulated system such as bokashi.
Adding a small amount of milk, yogurt, ice cream and cheese is not a big problem, but adding sour or expired dairy products to the entire container will completely change the look, feel and taste of the composting environment.
10. Latex Products
Opinions seem to be divided on whether latex products such as condoms and balloons can be added.
In theory, natural latex is completely biodegradable. Latex is obtained from flowering plants. It is a milky liquid composed of starch, sugars, resins and gums. It will coagulate when it comes in contact with air.
Balloons and condoms are a problem with composting because they are not 100% rubber. Latex and contains synthetic additives to give the final product tear resistance. Condoms may also contain other additives, such as lubricants and spermicides.
Experiments have shown that backyard balloons can last for several years. Even if you grind the latex product before adding it to the compost, you may inadvertently introduce unnatural elements into the organic compost.
11. Paraffin Wax
Animal and vegetable waxes such as beeswax and soybean wax can be added to homemade compost. Cut them into small pieces, as they may take a long time to fall apart.
Anything made of paraffin—candles, wax paper, cheese wax, etc.—should not be composted.
Because paraffin is a by-product of fossil fuels. When petroleum, coal or shale oil is refined, a waxy substance is produced. It is separated from the oil with a solvent and distilled.
You really don’t want to pile petrochemical products on your pile, so always throw paraffin-containing products in the trash.
12. Treated and Engineered Wood
The use of sawdust, shavings and chips for processing wood products is prohibited. Treated wood contains chemical preservatives or synthetic binders, which can contaminate soil and food when composted in the garden.
This includes pressurized wood and construction wood such as plywood, fiber board, particleboard and medium density fiber board. Varnished, stained, or painted wood should not be added to compost.
13. Bio-plastics
As an alternative to typical petrochemical plastics, bio-plastics made from plant materials and other renewable biomass materials are processed.
In the past decade, bio-plastics have become more common and can take many forms, from thin and flexible bio bags, envelopes, food packaging, etc., to rigid applications such as tableware, straws, water bottles and containers Packaging materials.
Bio-plastics must be compostable on paper, because they are processed from plants.
Large-scale systems can generate high temperatures for a long time, and at the same time have a perfectly balanced moisture and oxygen environment: for example, compared with traditional plastics, bio-plastics thrown into the sea take decades to decompose!
Unless bio-plastics are specifically designed and labelled for home composting, don’t pile them in a pile.
As the name sounds a bit weird, the appearance of Snake Gourd is not. The veggie appears to be elongated and wavy like a snake and tastes like a cucumber. It is a creeper plant. Snake Gourd farming rules the South and Asian market.
India Grows it in abundance and exports it to other corners of the world. In, other words, we can say India is a proprietary market for snake gourd farming.
Though it finds a place in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, China and, Malaysia. It can be consumed in a multifarious way, whether pickled, sauté with herbs, cooked with typical Indian spices, tastes good.
How to grow snake gourd from seed?
The growing pattern throws light on the type of climate required for snake gourd farming. Being enormously grown in a tropical area, the veggie thrives well in the tropical climate. To grow snake gourd from seeds, you need to follow certain steps, for better results.
As it is a creeper veggie it needs a chain, fence, or kind of support to grow on but it has to be built to last. There are a variety of seeds available. We have chalked down a few for you:
White Glory
Baby
Extra Long Dancer
The seeds are hard as coconut shells which hinders the germination process and can even take a month or more to germinate. To cope up with this issue, you need to crack the seeds with the help of pliers ensuring the safety of the endosperm inside.
If the endosperm is hurt or crushed it won’t allow the seed to sprout. Now, to start with the germination process, you need to soak these seeds extracted from the shells for 12 hours at least.
For growing snake gourd from seeds, it should be allowed to rest in warm water resting on the refrigerator top or any other place that is warm enough to let the water get embedded in the seeds.
Then seeds need to be planted in weed mix soil in large flower pots covered with a cling film or plastic wrap. The vision behind is to hold the moisture to allow sprouting. In about 10 days these seeds start sprouting and now it’s time to uncover them and allow some fresh air to reach them.
Once the germination process gets a swing, a regular water supply should be maintained to ensure moisture. Now, these young seedlings find their wings in the garden.
After planting them in the garden, 15 days’ is ideal to water them. Or when you find it necessary like the soil is dry, it needs to be nourished immediately. In about three weeks, these seedlings start’s maturing and demand some additional nutrients in the soil to be added.
This acts as a catalyst to shape these beautiful gourd vines. But always remember a strong back should be there to render a stiffen to the 6 feet (approx.) fruit.
To attract the insects a light or fluorescent cloth needs to be placed next to the blooming flowers to speed up the pollination process.
Growing and harvesting period for snake gourd
Due to the new agro technologies, flushing in the market no vegetable is restricted to a particular point of time. Though it is still advisable to grow snake gourd in January and July.
As it needs a temperature of 25 degrees to 38 degrees. The harvest time of snake gourd depends on the variety of seeds sown. On average it takes 45 to 60 days from the time it is sown.
Getting the soil ready for snake gourd farming
Snake gourd farming is a non-fussy task, as it goes with all types of soil. For getting good results it is recommended to use loam sandy soil with a spice of organic content.
A minimum of 3-4 plowing is needed to be done, to get a PH value equal to 6. Snake gourd cultivation demands a good soil drainage system. On adding good manure to the soil, a higher yield is obtained.
10 grams of fluorescens and 4 grams of viride should be added to the seeds to accelerate the production cycle. This will surely give better and high yields. And snake gourd farming would be more profitable then.
The cropping season of snake gourd is in July and January. Cropping season is just a medium to enhance productivity.
Production techniques of snake gourd
The production techniques of snake gourd is a bit lengthy. Let’s grab a look at the following:
Sowing and spacing pattern: The sowing pattern should be in multiples of 5, that too in a grid-like structure. After 15 days of germination, pick any 2 healthy seedlings. An alternative method can be used, you can sow the seeds in plastic bags until they germinate. Later can be shifted to pits in 4.
Fertilizer and manure: At the time of soil preparation heaps of compost should be mixed in the soil. Then after 30 days of sowing and the rest just before the plowing time.
Water intake for snake gourd farming should be maintained. One a week of watering is good for the plantation.
Weeding is done twice and not more than that.
Types of Snake Gourd
There are different varieties of snake gourd available in the Indian Market. Let’s take a glimpse:
The significant story of this green thumb relates long back to the ayurvedic culture. With an enormous number of highs, this green veggie finds a place in medicine as well.
Even in today’s time as people are becoming aware of health benefits, the snake gourd has made its root in a portion of day-to-day dietary food. Tendrils, the delicate stem part is also used in some of the medicines.
Let’s have an overview of the benefits that can be extracted from this simple vegetable:
Losing Weight: Being a possessor of an ample amount of nutrients is a complete food. Keeps the stomach full, free from any sort of unwanted cravings. Thereby, vanishing fat from the body.
Supplement to Heart: Cholesterol free food is always a good choice for the better functioning of the heart. Apart from typically cooked in Indian spices, it can be consumed in boiled form or with negligible oil. And yes, it tastes yum. At the same time a relaxing food for the heart muscles.
A Kidney Detox: A snake gourd sweeps out all the toxic material from the excretory system of your body. It triggers the secretion of fluids responsible for the process of excretion in the kidney. Thereby maintaining the water in the body content ensuring proper hydration.
Speed up the digestion process: Snake gourd is high in fiber quantity, so helps to keep the stomach light and happy. Chances of acidity and bloating are reduced so the process of digestion becomes fast and easy.
Cleans the respiratory tract: Another amazing perk of consuming this veggie is curbing the mucous secretion and clearing the respiratory tracts. This also controls the infections in the lungs.
Ideal for the keto diet: Being low in carbohydrate and sugar content, it can be easily added to the keto diet as well.
Threats to snake gourd farming
The basic enemies of snake gourd farming are leaf beetles, caterpillar, and flies. To demolish leaf beetles and caterpillars you need to apply pesticides to snake gourd production.
For fruit flies, you have to pluck the infected veggies and throw them away from the rest of the production. These are the best possible ways to save the snake gourds.
Snake gourd diseases
Yes, you heard it right. Even plants get affected by diseases, like humans. The 2 major diseases targeting the veggie are Downy mildew and powdery mildew.
These are controllable, the mere spread of pesticides can make you get rid of these diseases. All you have is healthy snake gourd farming.
Snake Gourd is a tropical veggie, it loves a warm climate to grow. Like warmer days and cool nights. For snake gourd farming sandy loam soil ideal. Which has the benefit of keeping the temperature high for a high yield.
Tresilling snake gourd is adapted to grow erect, this can keep this veggie away from pathogens and flies.
Snake gourd is touchy to excess water and could not bear dry soil as well. There needs to a perfect balance between both.
Basic tips to stimulate snake gourd production
With an increasing urge to compete with one another, farmers face a low yield problem with snake gourd farming.
To boost production, we have thrown light on the following tips:
A perfect base fertilizer: To make a perfect fertilizer base cow dung in powdered form or an organic fertilizer should be added to the soil to trigger production rate.
Quality of seeds: To get good results, hybrid or local seeds should be used. Either they can be allowed to soak in water for 6 hours or sowed in cow dung.
Water passage: Choose a place that ensures a continuous and proper water supply. To prevent seeds from drying.
Saplings should be healthy to ensure a good production rate.
As soon as the seeds begin to sprout, the additional underneath growth should be copped off to instigate high yield.
The market for snake gourd farming
With an increase in awareness among the people, the demand for snake gourd has also risen. People tend to switch their eating habits to a healthy delight. This has resulted in huge demand for snake gourd farming.
The farmers are growing this veggie on a large scale as it is low in investment. No extra care is demanded just proper management can work wonders. Being a less perishable item, it can be transported easily.
Conclusion
The ending note on snake gourd farming is a bag full of knowledge. Infused with lots of health and nutritional benefits this simple veggie is a good deal for your family.
With tips on how to grow snake gourd, types of snake gourd, how to increase production, and the prolonged benefits of the vegetable we have penned down all the relevant and required information regarding snake gourd farming.
We hope, the article was informative. So, go ahead with your snake gourd farming. Do share your experience of snake gourd farming with us. Stay connected for more updates.
