Garlic Vine

Hello friends! We are here with a new plant for you at Paudhayan. Friends, the advent of winter has brought colors everywhere. Thousands of plants like marigold, rose, chrysanthemum, Kachnar are laden with flowers. If your balcony is void of flowers even in this season and there is no creeper hanging on the boundary wall of the house or no creeper peeping in from the side of the window, then your house is still a house. So today we are going to meet one such creeper which will turn your colourless house into a lovely purple home.

Get to Know Me

Yes, you are right! Today we will befriend the Garlic Vine. Its leaves emit a garlicky smell when crushed. if unattended, it does not smell (so don't be afraid thinking that the whole house will be garlicy if you grow it). But yes, if the plant is matured, the creepers are spread out and some branches get disturbed while passing by it, then you will definitely enjoy the garlicky smell.

Its leaves are broad and the plant is bushy which can be spread on the boundary wall or balcony of the house by pruning and guiding it. If there is no support of the wall, it may be climbed on a trellis. It must be strong enough to carry the load of the branches.

Season

Garlic Vine bloom profusely twice a year. Once in the autumn when the temperature is average and the humidity is normal. The second time is in spring when the weather is again favorable for them.

The plant remains full of flowers for about a month and a half. However, a single flower lives only seven to ten days. The flowers are initially dark purple in color. Then after showing many shades of lavender finally be almost white and fall off.

Pruning

Prune the plant when it stops blooming. This will allow many new branches to grow and the plant will be ready for next bloom with all its energy next season.

Sun and Shade

Do not plant this creeper in full shade. The plant likes open sun. In complete shade, it may not flower or will flower less. The plant may dry if exposed to harsh sun for long. So, in desert areas or during harsh summers, keep them in shade.

Food and Water

ये पौधे खाद के बिना भी अपना काम बखूबी चला लेते हैं। लेकिन फूल खिलने के मौसम से ठीक पहले थोड़ी सी खाद देने से पौधे को ताकत मिलेगी। खाद ऐसी चुनें जिसमें फॉसफोरस की मात्रा थोड़ी ज्यादा हो। ख़ास फूलों वाले पौधों के लिए कई तरह की ऑर्गैनिक खाद भी उपलब्ध हैं। उनका प्रयोग भी कर सकते हैं।

These plants love water. Water them daily in the summer and in winter every two or three days .

Soil

Soil with good drainage is ideal for the plant. Use loam for it or just mix clay and sand and the plant will love it.

Pot and Planter

Garlic Vine may be planted in a pot. But the real fun is in growing it in the ground. As the plant grows, its stem will become hard and woody. So, avoid using very small pot for it.

New Babies

It is very easy to propagate Garlic Vine. Just, cut a slightly thick branch and plant it in loose moist soil for about one to two inches. You may leave the branch immersed in water too. In fifteen to twenty days, roots will appear and then in the next two to four days new shoots will start appearing. Thus, with little effort, your new plant is ready.

Many More Uses

The good thing is that the leaves and flowers of this plant are not toxic. They can be eaten. Means, if you run out of garlic at home, you can always use its leaves in chutney, pickles or seasonings. In its native regions, its leaves are added to tea and also consumed as a decoction. These are anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, analgesic and anti-rheumatic and also used in herbal medicines.

So friends, the Garlic Vine will colour your house purple for two-three months a year. Sometimes it will replace garlic in the house and relax you from aches when mixed in your tea or decoction. Its smell keeps mosquitoes and insects away. Then, it also requires almost no maintenance. So give it a thought, ask for a branch of Garlic Vine from any friend or neighbour who has it. Go!!

See you soon with a new plant. Till then keep your Paudhayan happy.