Saturday, 14 November 2020
Malabar spinach growing guide | Ceylon spinach | ABCD farming |
Guide to grow Malabar Spinach
Here, Let us discuss on procedure to grow Malabar spinach. Malabar spinach is also known as Indian or ceylon spinach. They are fast growing creepers, which are perennials in nature and they are native to Asia. Most of the people chew the raw leaves of these spinach variety. They are mainly used in salads. The stems of this vine is reddish purple in color. They can grow upto 10 feet height.
It is a fast Growing plant which has twining vine and grows up to 15 feet long. Malabar spinach is a Perennial and grows well in hotter climates. In cold climates, the malabar spinach creepers remains smaller in most of the gardens. The leaves texture is heart shaped.
The edible leaves (and shoots) of Basella alba resemble spinach with a mild, slightly peppery flavor with a hint of citrus and are used in the same way. The young leaves can be eaten raw mixed in a green salad, and steamed or boiled to be used like cooked spinach. Because of the mucilagenous nature, it can also be used to thicken soups and stews. Some people do not like the somewhat slimy texture of the cooked leaves (reminiscent of cooked okra) and others recommend adding a small amount of vinegar to the cooked leaves to make it more palatable. The leaves can be eaten throughout the season, but once plants start flowering, the leaves become bitter.
This warm season vegetable is very frost sensitive and should not be planted outdoors until a few weeks after all danger of frost has passed. Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before last frost. Seeds should germinate in 10 days to 3 weeks. Mechanical scarifi cation to open the tough seed coat (such as with a fi le, sharp knife or sandpaper) will hasten germination, as will soaking them in water overnight before planting. Transplant in the garden once the soil has warmed, placing plants at least a foot apart. Plants will not grow much until the heat of summer, and will not do much when night temperatures are consistently below 60F. This plant roots readily where the stems touch moist soil and is easily propagated from tip cuttings which root readily in water.
Malabar seeds
Seeds of Malabar spinach are small and dark purple in colour.
Wednesday, 11 November 2020
Sun flower cultivation in drylands | Dry Land Farming |
Sun flower crop is known to be the good consumable oil seed crop after seasame. It's parent country is Mexico. However, it is widely grown in India. Growing acreages of sunflower will not only provide oil but also helps in saving foreign exchange in big extent.
sun flower seeds for sale
seedling of sunflower seed
after 20 days of sunflower plantation
There are many health benefits of sun flower oil. Studies says that it has 80% of vitamin E, thus it helps in various heart related diseases. Sunflower seeds are high in antioxidants so that they prevent Cancer and they boost thyroid function. It improves skin health, lowers blood pressure, etc...
Cultivation practices of sun flower
Sun flower crop is quick in maturing depending on the cultivars and growing season. Sun flower crop is resistant to high temperature, dry lands, low water irrigation etc.... It requires very less water and they are grown throughout the year.
Normally, sun flower crop matures between 78 to 90 days depending upon the varities. So choose early cultivars for farming. They are also grown as rainfed region.
Climate and soil
It is grown in almost all type of soils and throughout the year. Extremely lower temperature are not suitable in growing season. For seed formation it requires moderate climate.
How to sow sunflower seeds
Sunflower seeds are sown by dibbling and furrow method. It is said that by dibbling method it requires 2 to 3 kg of sunflower seeds per acre. After two weeks seedlings comes up. We need to thin them. The plant population of sun flower per acre should be between 20,000 to 25,000 plants.
Fertilizer
Farmyard manure two weeks before plantation is needed. After that good ploughing should be undertaken to mix the farm yard manure.
Pests
Sunflower beetle, Seed weevil (red), Banded Sunflower Moth, Cutworms, Seed weevil (gray), Sunflower moth (head moth), Sunflower stem weevil, Wireworms etc...
Diseases
Alternaria, Phoma black stem, Downy mildew, Sclerotinia, Sunflower rust etc...
Harvesting
The sun flower crop takes 90 days for harvesting. It may differ depending on cultivars.
Yeild
For one acre the expected yield is 7 to 9 quintals per acre.
Price
At an average the price per quintals of sunflower seeds is between 3500 to 4000 rupees. If the seeds are processed to oil, there is a chance for higher profits.
Tuesday, 10 November 2020
How to make Grape Wine at home | Red wine recipe | ABCD farming |
Red wine is one of the alcoholic beverage which is made by fermenting dark red coloured grapes. It is said to have high antioxidants.
Today, Let us see on how to make Red Grape wine at home.
Ingredients needed to make Red wine:
1. Red grapes 4 kg
2. Sugar 1.5 kg
3. Spices (cinnamon, cardomom, clove)
4. 10 gram yeast
5. Air tight glass jar
Steps to make Red Wine:
1. Pluck 4 kg of Red Grapes. Wash them with water.
2. Separate the grapes from cob.
3. Then squeeze all the grapes to a fluid form.
4. Then add that liquid juice to a glass jar.
5. Add 1.5 kg of sugar and then mix well.
6. After mixing well add spices (cardomom, cinnamon, clove etc..)
7. Add 200 gram of wheat.
8. Mix 10 gram of yeast to pure water. And add that mixture to glass jar. Mix well.
9. Take the lid to close the jar. The glass jar should be air tight. Kepp it separately for 21 days. Daily mix well.
10. After 21 days the Red wine will be ready.
