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The soil cover is to ensure anaerobic decomposition of vegetable waste, which does not stink. It is only aerobic decomposition that stinks. In our back yard we keep digging pits for compost, which fill up in a week, so that in two or three years the whole garden is full of compost.

The metal cover batteries have zinc jackets. Burying these gives the plants trace quantities of zinc, which is beneficial for some plants. Galvanised iron fencing plays the same role!

I recently started with potted plants in my 3rd floor balcony. I would like to share some photos of the fruits of my (not so):uncontrol hard work.

maddy, what about other toxic materials like Lithium?

@t18, thanks for sharing the pics. I am getting jealous! I grew some too, but they were attacked by white pests. I am seeing this is becoming a menace and see them in many other places too! Tried neem, turmeric powder etc, but don't see it reducing:Frustrati

I have a very small house but we have filled every available space with potted plants running around 200!

Hi Gany,
Even my tomatoe plant is attacked by red ants, I have no idea what they do all over it. They come on the plant curl up and go off to sleep.

Any idea if these ants are harmful to the plant.

The hibiscus plant is overrun with some white stuff all over. None of the things (turmeric, tobacco etc) helped in removing it. Any ideas?

I think we are talking of the non rechargeable "old style" torch batteries which are Zinc Manganese, and not modern rechargeable ones. Rechargeable batteries pose a lot of pollution threat, hence should not be disposed off casually.

carboy - looks like some fungus. Try copper sulphate with lime solution. (called bordeaux solution).

Most likely, it is mealy bugs if it appears like the stuff on Seethaphal.
If it looks like white dust, it could be whiteflies.

I am not so sure if any home remedies can cure them, but try spraying some soap solution.

It's not dust. It's looks like tiny tiny chikoo seed, but only white & really tiny.

If not home remedies, what else can be done?

Ok, I can't make out what it is unless you post a pic - but it seems to be some insects - try soap solution. I would be a little wary to recommend chemicals for home use.

Soap Solution & Milk seems to have helped a lot. The plants are looking a lot healthier now, though not fully normal yet.

The ants come on to the plants for secretions of other small insects, that you can find if you look closely. Of course, the other insects suck the plant sap.

Saw this in the garden, but not sure what plant this is!


Cheers,

I was googling around on how to water my plants when I am away on a vacation etc & came across a method which works surprisingly well.

I took 1/2 litre pepsi bottle & filled it with water & closed the cap. Then made a hole in the cap. Then inverted the filled bottle, covered the hole in the cap with my fingers & cut a huge hole in the bottom of the bottle. Once this was done, I carried the inverted bottle to the pot & inserted it into the mud, so that 2 odd inches of the inverted bottle are inside the mud. It's been more than a week & the pot still seems wet. And even more surprisingly, the water level in the bottle hasn't decreased at all - I am assuming this is because of the moisture in the air (I am in Bombay) is condensing & replenishing the water level in the bottle. I am continuing this experiment to see how long this works.