KACHHI FULWAR

 KACHHI FULWAR

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

17/XI/2022

 

Time has come to start the process of sowing ‘Kachhi Phulwar’ or‘ seasonal flowers’. It would take a few days for seeds to sprout. By mid-December they should be ready to transplant into pots. Thereafter, when winters subside, it would be flowering time in spring. That is the time we intend to have a burst of colours in our garden. Pots & Planters have been purchased already for that.

 

If we type ‘flower seeds,’ Google Aunty throws umpteen options. The choices range from a combo of forty types of seeds and beyond. If one falls for the photographs, clicking ‘buy now’ becomes an impulse. Planning to plant what type of seed and which location starts well before they arrive.

 

Many times, we have tried but not succeeded to grow them from ‘online seeds’. Many companies send coco peat and manure also along, for ease of making a potting mix. With a gardening enthusiast in me, we find a fifty-fifty mix of cocopeat and compost ideal to grow seeds.

 

In my previous location, one used to find seed trays thrown away in garbage by the horticulture department. The ‘Kabari’ inside my genes would pick them up for obvious reasons. We even tried growing them in cardboard egg trays. Thanks to Mr YouTube.

 

We would sit and painstakingly fill the potting mix and pierce a hole in the centre of those small ‘conjoined cups, with a twig or a toothpick, depending on the size of the seed. Within no time one would realise that the number of seeds would far outnumber the number of trays. Then we would start planting two to three seeds in each partition. Paper cups too were. Seeds could not be left for the next season.

 

The atomiser atop a Colin bottle would be taken off, washed, cleaned & dried before fixing it on a big Sprite bottle. Seeds had to be handled and watered sensitively and delicately. Tray by tray the whole ‘jamboree’ would be drenched with water, till water oozed out of the drain holes. Then there used to be a constant dilemma of space and another issue of whether to place them in the sun or shade or both.

 

Finding space to keep forty trays with forty different kinds of seeds was a difficult task. By the time we would finish planting, we would forget what type of seed was planted in which tray. Some of the seeds could be recognised due to their peculiar shape and size but by that time it used to be too late. Invariably, one or two trays would be a total concoction of all left over seed.

 

Then the wait would start. The first sprouts would bring lots of happiness. Depending on the variety, some would sprout within three days and some would go beyond a week. Some trays would not sprout at all. A recheck would be carried out, if we had faltered on something. But then it was left to fate.

 

In the meantime, a visit to the nursery would melt our hearts. These guys have a knack to display flowering and semi-flowering varieties in the show window. With experience of so many failures of growing seeds, we would invariably bring flower saplings.

 

Over the years, our experimentation with sprouting seeds bought online and buying saplings from a nursery has been in the favour of the latter. At least one is sure that chances of survival of  the nursery ones is far more, as they are well treated with all sorts of antifungal sprays and fertilizers.

 

This year too we have bought some seeds online. Only one variety has been planted and tiny sprouts have already emerged. Besides, we bought colourful planters which are adding colour to our balcony. If the effort of sprouting fails, then the option of the nursery is always open.

 

‘Kachhi Fulwar’ has already started arriving here in the Suncity. The temptation to visit them is at its peak. We know we cannot hold on very long before we once again land up buying them from the nursery.

 

Will we be able to enjoy the flowers of our Kachhi Fulwar seeds this season? I wonder!!!!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

© NOEL ELLIS