My grandfather was a 'plant lover'. From the cactus on the table at
his office, to the age-old trees that line the road in front of Sir
Salimullah Hall- his abode as a student of DU- his passion for plants
was wide and varied. Everyday after returning from the office, he would
put on his gardening gear- lungi and a tee shirt, armed with his
gardening gadgets and head to his garden. It was his respite; even in
his dying days he never gave up visiting the green sanctuary that he had
himself built with his own hands.

But times have changed. The
city is a stifling place. Where there previously used to be lawns and
gardens, are now concrete apartment buildings.

A large proportion
of us city dwellers don't have the luxury of a sprawling garden, but
that should be no impediment to having plants inside our homes. Other
than their environmental benefits, plants also beautify a place and lend
character to an otherwise droll setting.

Gardening in tropical
and humid climates such as ours is an ordeal but once you get the hang
of it you will see it more as an adventure and less as a chore. Not all
plants are suited for indoor cultivation, but you can easily grow
outdoor plants such as Hibiscus, Miscanthus cabaret, New Zealand flax,
Cardinal lobelia, Canary reed-grass (ground-cover), Kalanchoe (annual
plant), Agave (for sandy well-drained soil) in a patch of land
overlooking the patio, if you have one.

However, many tropical
plants require some extra care as they perish quite easily if they do
not find the favourable conditions in your garden. The trick is to
follow some simple, basic rules.

The obvious thing to be careful
about is the quality of soil. Tropical plants need well-soaked soil, so
make sure that the soil in your garden or flowering pot is capable of
retaining moisture for a long time after watering.

Another
consideration is the choice of fertilizers. For instance, tropical
flower plants should not be supplied with too much of nitrogenous
fertilizers; it hampers their normal growth. It increases the growth of
the leaves, but decreases the blooming of the flowers. Also, apart from
nitrogen rich chemicals, fertilizers containing phosphorus and potash
are also recommended for tropical plants. You may use these in minimal
quantity, so that they do not hamper the growth of the plants.

As
mentioned earlier, not many of us have an outdoor space in which to
indulge our gardening aspirations. As a seasoned gardener says, “Plants
in the outdoors get a lot of rainfall in our climate, except in the
winter. But when plants are indoors, it is very important to keep them
hydrated by watering the pots at least once a day. Also important is to
remember that plants should be kept close to a light source, preferably
by a window, because as we all know green plants cannot survive without
sunlight.”

The prevailing temperature is a major factor in
determining whether your plants will thrive or wilt. Generally, it is
useful to keep your plants outside in the summer, and inside during the
winter. Although it is recommended that the plants have some sort of
heating during the winter, as frost is undesirable for their normal
growth, it is not relevant for plants in Bangladesh because of our mild
winters. However, if you live in the northern parts and it gets quite
chilly, use a heating source at your own discretion; by then you should
have developed quite a green thumb.

It is best not to take too
much upon yourself. If you have no prior experience or knowledge of
gardening, it is important that you consult and take the advice of
someone who has done it before. Information on how much fertilizer to
use and what to grow can only be supplied by an experienced gardener who
has a firm grasp of local conditions. With so much information at our
fingertips, it is quite easy to go online and hunt around for tips, but
that must be complemented by sound practical knowledge.

We
automatically think that gardening is for someone else to do and that
it's too much of a hassle. You may be surprised however, at how easily
you grow into the role of gardener once you start doing it. Although it
may seem unlikely now, you may even begin to share a bond with the
plants that you have nurtured from little saplings; it's only natural.

Tips on Home Gardening

If
horticulture is your passion, or you are merely in pursuit to add
greenery both in and outside your home, there are certain thumb rules
that you must follow. Home gardening, though far from a strenuous task,
requires consistent maintenance and nurturing. You must take care of
your plants but always remember that 'too much' care often causes more
harm than good.

“How much to water?” is an age-old question raised
by home gardeners. Too much water floods the plants and cripples them
from absorbing the minerals and nutrients from the soil. Whereas
insufficient watering dehydrates plants, making the branches limp and
lifeless.

The species of your plants plays a role in determining
the right amount of water that it requires. A thorough research should
be conducted before implementing the necessities. If you feel too lazy
to read books and magazines to learn about plant care, at least ask the
vendor of the nursery you buy your plants to inform you about plant
care.

It is pivotal that the appropriate amounts are showered. One
deep watering is much better than watering lightly several times a day.
If the weather pertains to hot and humid conditions, a little more than
usual water should be sprinkled.

Uninvited moss, grass and mould
of various genres take residence in the nearby alleys or on the flower
plants in your outside garden. Instead of bending over to tug at the
roots of these or scrubbing them off, sprinkle sufficient amount of
regular table salt directly on the areas. Salt chokes the life out of
these.

Plants and stagnant water bodies are homes to dengue and
malaria causing mosquitoes. Remove any water deposits in your gardens as
a preliminary precaution to preventing the spread of any disease.
Insecticides and pesticides should be sprayed on a regular basis.

Pruning
limbs and branches is necessary for a healthy growth and a less
disease-prone garden. Air out plants stored within confinements at least
once a week to filter out any germs, which might have been dwelling in
them.

Consider planting insect repelling plants such as but not limited to-

Ants: mint, tansy, pennyroyal;

Aphids: mints, garlic, chives, coriander, anise;

Mice: onion;

Squash Bug: radish, marigolds tansy and nasturtium.

These
plants have their own chemically designed defence systems and when
placed among flowers and vegetables they keep unwanted pests at bay.

By Sanjana Rahman