[NPV]

Originally Posted by condor

Any suggestions for Neem oil as pesticide ? Trying not to use chemicals on the guava plant. Mainly big red ants - the ones that build nests out of leaves.

If they ants are thriving already, neem oil may not be very effective. As an extreme step, we had to chop off some branches from our Mango tree that had huge ant nests.
Another thing to try is to mix ant powder (boric acid/borax) with sugar/honey and some water in a plastic bottle with a hole in it for the ants to enter. Hang this on the tree so that the ants get attracted to it. There are several videos of this on YouTube, I'll also be trying it sometime.

[condor]

Originally Posted by NPV

If they ants are thriving already, neem oil may not be very effective. As an extreme step, we had to chop off some branches from our Mango tree that had huge ant nests.

Thanks, NPV. There are some nests already, and I have to be careful when I go near.

Dont want to chop the branches, but I think I will chop the nested twigs + use Neem oil spray on the branches

[PGA]

Neem oil may not be effective against red ants. Neem oil works best against soft bodied insects, coating their bodies which hampers their bodily functions. At the most it might be mildly repellent for ants but will have to see or experiment with that.

20 gm jaggery mixed with 2 ml of malathion in one litre of water will do the needful.

Red ants normally eat insects and the dead bark and not the fruit, so you may consider simply hosing them off periodically to keep the population under control.

[Shubhendra]

Originally Posted by PGA

Neem oil may not be effective against red ants. Neem oil works best against soft bodied insects, coating their bodies which hampers their bodily functions. At the most it might be mildly repellent for ants but will have to see or experiment with that.
.

Cross posting for your suggestion

I have garden area of around 400sq feet on stilt floor. Gardner appointed by society is does not do anything other than watering plants. As a result almost all plants died.
Now i want to restore entire garden and except two 12 feet trees of Harshringar, rest entire area is devoid of plants. Being on stilt floor, depth of soil would be around 2.5 to 3 feets (except 5 feet depth for area where Harshringars are standing).
Please suggest sturdy plants which can grow upto 8 feets in 3 feets of soil. Also, before plantation, i would like to dig soil for entire area and add organic fertilizers. Any particular fertilizer or any other addition should i make in the soil for long term benefits.

PS: Half of the area dont get direct sunlight throughout the day.

Thank you!

[PGA]

Originally Posted by Shubhendra

Cross posting for your suggestion

I have garden area of around 400sq feet on stilt floor. Gardner appointed by society is does not do anything other than watering plants. As a result almost all plants died.
Now i want to restore entire garden and except two 12 feet trees of Harshringar, rest entire area is devoid of plants. Being on stilt floor, depth of soil would be around 2.5 to 3 feets (except 5 feet depth for area where Harshringars are standing).
Please suggest sturdy plants which can grow upto 8 feets in 3 feets of soil. Also, before plantation, i would like to dig soil for entire area and add organic fertilizers. Any particular fertilizer or any other addition should i make in the soil for long term benefits.

PS: Half of the area dont get direct sunlight throughout the day.

Thank you!

Thanks for asking my opinion. Truthfully its difficult to recommend anything at all without knowing your requirement and preferences. Do you want ornamentals or veges, you want shrubs or trees and that too what type fruiting or flowering, annuals or perennials, availability and quality of water and lastly your budget and amount of effort for care one is able to provide. So you see variables/options are too many. Besides half of the area doesn't get direct sun that complicates a little. I would recommend you approach the KVK or Govt horticulture deptt of your area, my experience is that they are extremely helpful besides Poona has huge private expertise in horticulture.

Some points for your consideration while drafting your plan:-

3 feet of soil is good enough for majority of plants but it will get depleted of nutrients fast so you will need to add them at regular intervals. For fertilisation of flowers farm yard manure/vermicompost is the best, for veges you will need to supplement with some chemical fertilisers.

400 sq ft of area can easily feed 20-25 people with seasonal veges. But this will need much greater care. You may consider growing in pots or bags as this eases the burden of managing weeds.

Do consider laying turf grass only as it acts as heat sink and doesn't need much maintenance.

You will also need to keep water drainage issue in mind while drafting your plan, as cement base will not drain excess water and that leads to number of plant diseases.

Since its summers now and we are past the sowing time for majority of plants, you have a month or two to plan as with monsoons the sowing season commences.

[Shubhendra]

Originally Posted by PGA

Thanks for asking my opinion. Do you want ornamentals or veges, you want shrubs or trees and that too what type fruiting or flowering, annuals or perennials, availability and quality of water and lastly your budget and amount of effort for care one is able to provide.

Thank you very much for your response, appreciate!
I would like to avoid fruity plants as this garden is accessible to all and people dont want to wait for fruit to ripe/grow and pluck before that. I would prefer shrubs or flower plants with minimum maintenance, especially plants with dense shrubs as my one of my window faces this side and i need dense shrubs for privacy.
Water is available through out and its drinkable.

Thank you!

[PGA]

Originally Posted by Shubhendra

I would prefer shrubs or flower plants with minimum maintenance, especially plants with dense shrubs as my one of my window faces this side and i need dense shrubs for privacy.

Thank you!

Consider indigenous varieties, such as Lantana which can be pruned into a nice hedge or can be left as a wild shrub. Screening bamboo may also be a good idea.

[condor]

A petrol-head's DIY Fruit-plucker basket:




1. An old Boston Speaker Grill
2. Remnants from a pigeon net.


now to add the extension rod.

[condor]

A regarding grass / similar plants

I have a small sloping section that I want to cover with grass / similar plants. I do not want to use lawn grass mats. What are the alternatives ?

[Vikalp]

Guys can anyone please suggest what plants or trees should be planted that are beneficial for the Sparrows? Anyone having any experience with the same please advice.
The ones that live in couple, they are hardly visible nowadays.



Or a birdhouse would do?

Thanks.

[badboyscad]

Originally Posted by Vikalp

Or a birdhouse would do?

I re-use old pots from my budgie and cockatiel cages, i hang them high under sunshades and covered areas in the house. You can try the same too. IMHO, earthen pots are cost effective and preferred by birds.

Most of my bird boxes have been occupied by squirrels.


If you are really interested in sparrows, spread some foxtail millets and pearl millets around.

[Vikalp]

Originally Posted by badboyscad

I re-use old pots from my budgie and cockatiel cages, i hang them high under sunshades and covered areas in the house. You can try the same too. IMHO, earthen pots are cost effective and preferred by birds.

Most of my bird boxes have been occupied by squirrels.


If you are really interested in sparrows, spread some foxtail millets and pearl millets around.

I think it will take quite some time to attract sparrows since they are hardly spotted nowadays. Sad really. Read some birdbox reviews and they say it took sparrows 6 to 7 months to spot/occupy the birdbox.
I am looking to get one of these - https://www.shopping.natureforever.o...U00020315.aspx
Will use millets too as suggested.
Thanks.

[LonelyPlanet]

Mealy Bugs - is there an assures way of getting rid of them. They have gotten on a few plants and refuse to leave.
Tried neem oil/ garlic spray - nothing helped.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by LonelyPlanet

Mealy Bugs - is there an assures way of getting rid of them. They have gotten on a few plants and refuse to leave.
Tried neem oil/ garlic spray - nothing helped.

Neem oil & garlic spray both worked in our garden but I guess that was because it was a mild infection and caught in the early stages. A friend told me that the other quick remedy is to use Coke/Pepsi and spray using a spray bottle. Due to the sugar content it will attract ants but nothing to worry for flowering plants. I haven't had the chance to test this in my garden though.

[Mortis]

Originally Posted by condor

A regarding grass / similar plants

I have a small sloping section that I want to cover with grass / similar plants. I do not want to use lawn grass mats. What are the alternatives ?

You get grass seeds on Amazon in 1/2-1kg packs. Just turn the soil and sprinkle the seeds. I'm in the process of replacing the junglee grass and weed lawn in the building similarly