Where to Start From

Make a very simple start in case of gardening; do start from the very beginning. Plants are also like our family members. They do have their own likes and dislikes, their particular needs and requirements, and their quirks and tantrums too, just like anyone else in the home. The more time you spend with them, the more you will learn about their nature and needs. It is a lifelong process. You will constantly experience and learn something new. Therefore, at the initial phase of gardening do not bother yourself in making a sophisticated bonsai or grafting like an expert or growing a 15 kg radish or 25 kg cabbage. Gardening needs patience. Watching a couple of videos on Youtube or Googling for half an hour is not going to make you an expert. And there is a reason for this. Survival and growth of plants depend on too many factors. Weather and climatic conditions, air flow, level of humidity, quality and amount of water, sunlight, placement of plant, nature of soil or potting medium, type and size of planter so on and so forth. So… have some patience, do not spend profusely in buying unnecessary things and most of all keep growing your passion for gardening.

Start your Paudhayan with a cute little but resilient plant which is very very hard to kill, makes no fuss, and can stay happy and healthy in almost all kinds of weathers and climates.

There exists a range of temperature and other growth factors which a particular plant can tolerate. So, at first we choose such a plant for which this range is quite wide. Means, the plant that can grow in almost any kind of soil, that can live in sun and shade alike, has little water needs and can manage with small amount of minerals present in water without having any special requirement for fertilisers. Luckily, many such plants exist in nature, one of which we are going to befriend now and that is——

Our First Fellow - The Snake Plant

How to Identify

Snake plant can be found easily in any kind of nursery. Most varieties of this plant have snake-like pattern on their leaves, hence the name Snake Plant. They have hard, sword-like leaves, hence another common name; Saint George’s Sword. Their long, stiff and needle-sharp leaves may have reminded people of their mother-in-law’s tongue, so they called it as Mother-in-Law’s Tongue. Its scientific name is Dracaena trifasciata.

There are as many as about 70 varieties of this plant exist in nature, 20-25 of which you may see in the nurseries or gardens around you (others have very slow growth and not fit for commercial use). These include plants of various sizes, shapes and textures. Therefore, a whole house or garden may be decorated only with these plants with negligible maintenance and effort.

Why to Plant Them Around You

Snake plant is a must for every home not only because it is easy to care for but also due to its air purifying quality. These plants reduce many harmful chemicals like benzene, formaldehyde, xylene etc. from the air, according to a research conducted by NASA. Also, they produce oxygen at night too, so keep in your bedroom for a good night sleep.

Snake plants with their smooth and shiny sharp leaves are a delight for the eyes too. They don’t create a mess by shedding their leaves, live happily from scorching sun to almost dark, so may be kept practically anywhere from indoors to outdoors.

How to Plant

The only thing you need to grow a snake plant is the snake plant itself. Without any kind of soil and planter, they may be very easily kept in a water filled bottle or jar. You may also plant them in any kind of planters almost any type of soil. But they love sandy soil with water draining capacity.

Water Needs

Snake plants have little water needs. When the soil is completely dry and starts making cracks, water them thoroughly i.e., until it comes out of drainage holes at the bottom of the pot or until the soil is completely soaked in water. If planted in water, the water should be changed at least once in a fortnight for effective growth.

Sun and Shade

Snake plants are sun-loving succulents. They prefer to be kept outside but can manage in shade too. In case of their placement in a place with too little direct sunlight, always remember to take them outside for 4 to 5 days every month. It will help them grow well and save their leaves from drooping.

That is all you have to know at first about these fellows. So, if you are about to start Paudhayan with no experience at all or have little time to spare for them or you are a working nomad and have to stay out of the home frequently, this is your plant. It will never fail you.

To know them better, stay with us in Phudayan. In our next conversation we will learn about them in more detail and make them close friend of ours.

Till then Happy Paudhayan and Good Bye!