Photo by Utsman Media on Unsplash Chikoo or sapota is a fruit tree that is native to Mexico and tropical countries of South America. Native plants grow up to 30 m tall and 1.5m in diameter whereas dwarf varieties can grow up to 3 feet tall. It is rich in vitamins A, and C, folate, antioxidants, potassium, copper and iron. Sapotas can be grown from seeds or grafting. It produces…
Photo by Steven Van Elk on Unsplash Have you ever wondered why your chickens lose a lot of feathers at a particular time of the year? This is because of molting, a natural process that happens in chickens. Molting is the process in which chickens drop their old feathers to regrow new ones. Molting generally occurs in chickens when the season changes from warmer to colder periods. Chickens usually start…
Buckwheat is an annual flowering plant that grows up to 60cm. It is a pseudocereal that is related to sorrel, knotweed and rhubarb. Growing buckwheat in your garden can benefit you in many ways. Buckwheat is a short season that grows in 10-12 weeks. It grows best in the spring and fall seasons. It is neither frost-tolerant nor drought-tolerant. Buckwheat needs moist well-draining sandy loam soil to grow well. It…
Photo by Assam Athmane on Unsplash Pomegranate trees are easy to grow and they can grow anywhere between 3 feet to 30 feet tall. They are not affected by any kind of pests and diseases and are easy to maintain. Pomegranate trees take about 3 to 6 years to mature and give fruits. You can grow dwarf varieties in containers. These trees are self-pollinating and help to attract many pollinators. Here is how to grow a…
Photo by C. Nelson Liu on Unsplash Papaya is a tropical fruit tree that is native to Central America. It grows well in tropical and subtropical regions. Consuming papaya has a lot of health benefits such as improved digestion, eyesight and prevents cancer. The native papaya tree can grow up to 30 feet tall and the dwarf variety can grow up to 6 feet tall. You can grow papaya in…
Stunted Cosmos plant Fertilizing your plants can help them to get the nutrients they require for their overall growth. But at the same time over fertilized plants can cause more harm than good. Overfertilizing your plants can reduce their ability to take up water. When too much fertilizer is added the concentration of dissolved salts increases around the roots which in turn reverses the flow of water. Water starts to…
Photo by JJ Badenhorst on Unsplash Coffee grounds have many uses in your garden. They can help in improving overall soil fertility. Although they can improve the soil they must be used in less amounts. You can mix coffee grounds with compost before using it on plants. Benefits of using coffee grounds for plants. Disadvantages of using coffee beans Certain plants don’t like coffee grounds. Some of them include Roses, chrysanthemums, garlic, lemon tree…
Thrips are small microscopic insects that range from 0.5mm to 14mm in size. There are about 6000 types of thrips and most of them feed on plants. These insects feed on plants by puncturing the outer layer and sucking out the cell contents. This leads to silvering, and discolouration of the leaf’s surface which eventually kills the plants. They also leave excrement on the plant’s leaves and this can be…
Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash One of the best ways to increase yields in your tomato plants is by pruning them. When plants spend most of their energy in developing branches and leaves the yield decreases. Pruning regularly can help in more flower and fruit production. Pruning your tomato plants helps to improve air circulation which reduces the risk of the plant getting attacked by disease. There are two…
Okra is one of the vegetables that is widely used for cooking purposes in many countries. It is one of the easiest vegetables to grow for beginner gardeners. This plant belongs to the same family of hibiscus and can be easily attacked by pests and many insects. Practising companion planting is one way to reduce the attack of pests on your okra plants. Best Companion Plants for Okra 1.Cosmos Cosmos flowers help to attract bees, pollinators…
