Sunday, June 12, 2011

House plants - Ghar Ki Shaan


It feels like I have no green thumb when it comes to house plants. Having mingled mostly with South Indian friends, I observed that at parties the topic of conversation quickly boils down to "mogra and kadi pattha" plants.  It's not easy to get these plants here in the US. You pretty much have to beg for it from a friend who considers herself  an authentic South Indian cook. This lady usually will have a 5 ft. tall, healthy kadi pattha tree in her kitchen. Her house will be filled with the fragrance of the fully bloomed morga flowers. A treat for her carefully selected choice of guests on  the auspicious evening of some religious function. There is no doubt that the deity will be adorned with a garland of fresh mogras that she would have made herself.  So, to fit in, I decided to plant some at my house too. Talk about peer pressure! Fortunately, I did not have to ask a good friend more than once. She was happy to give me one of each. She said she had a bumper crop that year.  As you can see from the pictures, I have not been very successful. These plants are one year old. I was advised to take them indoors during winter and take them back outside during summers. It's been outside on our deck for three weeks now. I see some growth in the kadi pattha plant. Infact, it has laid some babies. I am planning to re-pot the baby plants. The morga plant however, refuses to give any flowers. I did use the fertilizer "miracle grow" on both plants. I give these plants more attention than I give my kids. Let's hope, before the next party these plants give me some fruits for my labor, so I can participate in the conversation with full practical knowledge. Wish me luck friends.

3 comments:

  1. Hi Maya,

    here are some suggestions - make sure you put the water you use for washing rice, dhal etc on the kadi-patta (not the mogra) - also the water from washing out the yoghurt container - there would help the kadi-patta grow.
    The mogra, don't add miracle grow if you want flowers - that just gives more leaves! Use a potash fertiliser, or starve it a bit, that should work.
    Happy growing
    Asha

    ReplyDelete
  2. @Asha

    Great tip Asha. I will try it.

    Regards,
    Maya

    ReplyDelete
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