Friday, July 24, 2009

why is my cilantro not germinating???

What the hell! I am sad to see that my second effort at growing some coriander also didn't bear fruit :( what am i not doing well? dunno.. I think I dont trust the soil we get in dubai. Its nothing but the husk of coconut and some organic components.. but I want to keep trying..

I remember growing coriander, spinach, lady finger, brinjals, tomato, chilli, garlic, onions, corns etc when we had a ground floor house for few years during our stay in a small station "Kalpi' in Ambala.. It was a huge house with even bigger area around it. There was an enclosed backyard with mango tree, a guava tree in the front and so much space to make small beds for all of these veggies. The mango tree helped three gourd climbers bear fruit (Turai, karela and lauki). There were times when we had loads of roases, canna lilies of diff color, yellow and orange daisy, marigold around the walkway.

When dad was alloted that house everbody told him not to take it coz the house had been ignored and deserted by the previous family staying there. With garbage, trash, empty bottles etc scattered just when you step out in the backyard. Now I wonder how can someone like to stay like that. But my dad took the house. We got some repair, cleaning and painting done before moving in. My sister loved doing indoor setting up and I was the opposite. Mom would find me in the garden at 5 or sometimes earlier in mornings, with my gardening tools and many evenings were spent watering it, walking around, weeding or just looking at different plants around.

By the time we left that house, it was green enough to make ppl eye on it during their evening walks.. Coz, not many ppl had their garden arbor covered with a lush green climber of red hibiscus..

I am so attached to those things that inspite of having a tough time parting with my plants while relocating and then deciding not to collect any more here, I have, within 6 months collected quite a few again.. and I want to keep trying to grow our own coriander one day(hopefully)

There are also memories of finding snakes under the spare gas cylinder's trolley or the door handle that led to the kitchen garden on back side.

Of pigeons laying eggs and making noise in the veranda.

Of parrots throwing the sweetest but half eaten guavas down.

It was here that we had our first pet parrot and lured one more into its cage so we had a couple :)

Also, Of spreading our trap to catch squirrels. using a big plate, small pencil, long rope and some nuts..

and of the foggy winters when it used to rain so most of the time was spent sitting around the fireplace eating jaggery and groundnuts.

& many more...

While its good to look forward or making the best of 'now', isn't it wonderful to sit reminiscing at times..

17 comments:

Swaram said...

Off to read the post ;)

mindspace said...

you guys are a bunch of cuteness, i tell you... how do you manage this? :D i thot u wrote off track post :P

Anonymous said...

Wow Wow Wow Tara! U reminded me of my school days when we used to stay in one such place too. Coconut trees, mango, guava we had them all n I had a swing tied b/w two betel-nut trees .. heaven on earth!

So many ppl missed having that house since they thought it ws too much hard work to maintain the garden. How nice if they understood
they will def. reap what they sow n much more ;)

Nostalgic post!!

N were r the others from the bunch :P

Mridula said...

I also grew up in such a house :D I even now have tiny patches of land and would try something new tomorrow after reading your post!

Hope things start growing for you soon!

Prashanti :) said...

Reminiscence is always goooooooooooodddd. I am sure you dont have the right soil, or the season isnt right. Here, in the US, all plants are supposed to be put in by march and removed by october. Check if you need to plant during a specific month.

Indyeah said...

There are also memories of finding snakes under the spare gas cylinder's trolley or the door handle that led to the kitchen garden on back side.

Of pigeons laying eggs and making noise in the veranda.

Of parrots throwing the sweetest but half eaten guavas down.

It was here that we had our first pet parrot and lured one more into its cage so we had a couple :)

Also, Of spreading our trap to catch squirrels. using a big plate, small pencil, long rope and some nuts..

and of the foggy winters when it used to rain so most of the time was spent sitting around the fireplace eating jaggery and groundnuts.

& many more...

This brought back so many memories for me too Tara:)

I too have almost the same memories...

and you have written it so from the heart..you are really missing old days arent you?
(((hugs)))))

about coriander?
LOL! dont ask me! :P
coz I for sure dont have a green thumb!:D:D

I can kill plants by overwatering/underwatering them/any other scenario :D

dad has a green thumb and how! :)))

I envy ppl who can make plants bloom:)
will take tips from you:)

Anonymous said...

Yeah, a verandah and a small garden are such a luxury here...

Dunno when we'll afford a villa!

Passionate Goof said...

Oh wow, why are people so much into gardening, and so damn good at it? I feel like a lowly being compared to you pros. having one flower in one of the pots makes me so happy, and here you guys go growing bloody veggies. God! you talented beings.

hitch writer said...

Hey this is most most most wonderful post... !!!

Your ambala house seems super... !!

You know in Bharuch our old house we had snake in our compound.. once a mongoose came in our dining room when i was watching tV !!! we had a mango tree and a guava tree.. we would grow radish, carrots, brinjals, lemon, setur (berries of a kind very small strawberry kind) coconuts, custard apples, bhindi, tomatoes chillies and waht not...

even our new house.. well its 15 years old now we grow a lot but we dont ahve a mango tree... and no snake ... but we do have a mongoose still... !!!!

even I and my brothers would catch squirrels... !!!!!!!!

exactly the same way as you wrote and sometimes if we would use a plastic tub the squirrel would run with the tub... !!!!!!

u just refreshed so many memories oh lemme read again... and lemme comment again...

hitch writer said...

Geeeeez... I loved this post really really super... Its so so similar to our childhood in our old Bharuch house... really... but we never grew coriander...

that house was huge... !! and huge compound of 10000 sq feet... it was an awesome time playing in our yard 3 bro's filling tanks with fishes and what not...

Monkeys would come to our house and we three bro's would run around shoooing them away to save our garden...

Oh Tara you have written so so beautifully... its so heart touching and heart warming... I am sure you are missing those days... I can give whatever to get those days back... !!!

Crafty Shines said...

HUGS!!!!!!!!!

what a childhood tara! i am envious! really!!!!

:)

its sooper, this post of urs!!!

snakes!!! its happened, of all the places in the world, in our house at mauritius....i was a kid, but my mom was totally freaked! it was in a kitchen cabinet when she opned it, so cooly sitting there!


foggy winters!!!!! me wants!!!!!

sigh! super duper childhood instances n memories!

hugs!!!

coiander???
no clue! only know i love them! so when u grow them, me will borrow! or will come over to eat what u will make of them! :D :D

love you!!!!! muahs!

James David said...

Hi Tara, I had commented on your questions, do check it out when you have the time.

As for coriander, my suggestion.

1) Soak the seeds for 1 day.

2) Remove them from water & place them in a damp soil & Keep it in a dark place for a week.

3) You will see that the seeds will start to germinate & sprout.
It will be yellow, once the first shoots are out, place them in the sun and they will slowly then green.

4) Once they turn green, remove the seedlings from the soggy soil and plant them in a desired place.

5) Try with beans first (green beans) later you can have them as vege as bean sprouts.

As for the replys for the e-mails you asked, you see below on the choose an identity (click check on the e-mail follow-up comments to your e-mail)

Do ask me anything on plants, you are most welcome...

Lyddie said...

The secret is not to wish that coriander germinates but just to throw it on a flower pot with some dust and it will grow! ;-) My mustard is growing so well... without even haved wished for! Follow that advice and it will help....! Nice post! Cheers!

mindspace said...

@thesongoflife:- :) the swing tied b/w betel nut trees must have been the best thing..

@Mridula: You too? wow. but for kids of today, i guess its mostly about concrete jungles.. & I am sure your experiments in the tiny land patch would be fun.. do share.

@Prashanti: :)Ya prashanti, I am not giving up on this. Thanks for the suggestions.

@Indyeah: I am learning myself n there is a long way to go. Your dad has a green thumb- WOW! Does he have a garden.. i think i would love the idea of spending my later stages of life just by the plants :) Is your dad still serving in defence?

@Rakesh: Villa to me makes sense only when you have a huge family living together. & now is the best time to rent or buy a villa here if you are keen... just look at the prices..

@Passionate Goof: 'why are people so much into gardening'- coz its so soothing, relaxing, refreshing.. 'and so damn good at it?' - not all are there, you know. I wish I was good at it. I only have a deep deep desire and will to work on it. am still so far from being able to claim having a green thumb.
Every single flower blooming here brings so much joy to me too.. veggies were grown by mom-dad, lady.. i used to do the digging and watering etc only :)

@Dhiren: Its so evident how much you cherish the memories of your childhood too.. 'a mongoose in the dining room & monkeys!!' That must have been adventurous. ya we also had radish n carrots but they only grew into small thin ones..

you can still plant a mango tree in your new(15 yr old) house :)

Thank you for such lovely words.. i also want those days backkkkkkk...

@Crafty Shines: HUGS!!!!!!!!! to you too honey..

the very fact that you lived in Mauritius is enough for me to stop and sit for an hour with a feeling of J.... you had snakes there.. oh, i love snakes.. but not in the kitchen cabinets ofcourse :p

@James: Thanks so much for the tips James: I have already put the seeds for soaking as I read this. Will follow the rest and I have a feeling that it will grow this time :) Thanks again.

@Lydia: I have tried that twice already and it didn't happen :( you were lucky with your mustard.. i saw the pics.. that was a lovely crop :P

Monika said...

BTW did u check for ants? the seeds of coriander are often eaten away by ants...

aMus said...

oh wow that sounds like a hosue full of memories :)

since you have an evident green thumb, i now know whom to approach :)

Solilo said...

I thought it is about cilantro but it turned out to be nostalgia. Beautiful! how each member makes a house..a place of their own..their home.

You have a green thumb, Tara. Most probably it is the soil. How aoout you add the seeds in water for a day and then press it to the soil?

Also, for bigger plants you can also try keeping an egg (fresh one) at the bottom of the pot and then add the soil. It provides good ground for plants.