More changes, new plants!

It is just six days since the last post and quite a few things happened.  Pink Star Morning Glory is growing wild.  It happens so when the first time the seeds from the US friends germinate.  When it reseeds here and that is sown the next time, it does show a slightly less vigour.  Have to wait and see what happens to this one.  My assumption is from a few past experiences.  Some varieties do not go to seed as well, but the MG does. 

The old Gerbera bed today found new plants.  The Evening Primrose I had planted in the other bed came here.  I thought this was the right place now because it is near the entry point and that this Primrose in my expectation would grow only to a short height. It should have pink flowers [Pink Ladies, is the variety]. Why did I move them?  It was because I suddenly went to a nursery yesterday.  And I found my favourite Jaquemontia vine in one nursery.  Also there, I bought two packets of rain lily with striking pink flowers.  The one I have already is the different variety. 

I had taken the bag if I found something.  It was useful!

Jaquemontia on the left, four of them and the pink lilies.  I also bought a hand tool, two flower packets and two bulb packets. Flower seeds are of Zinnia and Tithonia, the former is a butterfly 'attractor' and the latter has a beautiful red flower. Zinnia is where I sowed today after moving the Evening Primrose to another bed. Two of the four plants of Jaquemontias were planted where I had already planned - I had been looking for it since 2-3 years but never did the nurserymen got them.  They are loved by the bees. 

Sowed the tithonia seeds in broken shallow pots for replanting later. All beds are full now!  So I have to think of more pots! :(   The bulbs were of Amaryllis and Tuber Rose [Sugandharaja].  Put the 3 bulbs of Amaryllis in a big pot as it grows large bulbs and wants space.  Tuber rose went in to the Gladioli bed where 3 bulbs had not sprouted.  When I dug, the bulbs had only rooted but no leaves.  I moved them to the foot of Pink Star MG, next to one plant of Texas Star Hibiscus I removed from the cover.  

The Pink Rain Lilies were housed in two pots.  They should remain there for at least two years and multiply nicely. 

The new hand tool has already become my favourite and it is a great find that I made for Eighty rupees at 'Lal Bagh Nursery' where the seed and bulb packets were bought. 

I still have to find places for Nicotiana mutabilis and Asclepias tuberosa which are showing signs of good growth.  

Yesterday evening I decided to visit the Pinjrapole Society here at the foot of Chamundi Hill.  They sell Vermicompost.  I bought 50 kgs for Rs.250/-. The Society is taking care of stray cattle, some hundreds! So they also earn some revenue with this compost using earthwoms and dung.  There is no dearth for dung there!  See a mountain of it here:

A section of cattle.

See where the wooden poles are a the bottom.  Those are the vermicompost pits/bins.

The compost is stored in an old room. They are filling two sacs for me.  Just some measures from that yellow thing.  It should weigh around 50 kgs! 

I'm already seeing the results of using compost in just 4-5 weeks.  Tomatoes and beans and even Coriander have been doing very well.  We had a good June-rain too. And it continued that way.  

The KRS dam got full yesterday and I must make a mention of it because water is all important.

The next project would be a proper trellis/cage for tomatoes. Now I know how they really grow!

Second harvest in one week. Bed is just 4x2ft. I ate most of them raw in 2-3 installments! 

This is the colourful moth that is just 1cm.  A good rainy season means proliferation of the hairy caterpillars which have turned into these creatures. Important to nature, but a pest in old houses especially tiled ones like ours.  They were in very small numbers because of scanty rains last year.

Another pest is the mosquito.  See larvae here in water I emptied from one of the 4 rain barrels.  I empty them once every 4-5 days to prevent mosquito multiplication.   

Leucas aspera attracts a lot of bees and the other one here attracts my feet!