Recently I started a liking for flowers, thought that would be useful for farm and that would increase the pollinators and also would add an attraction. Some time back I had got a sapling of 'Krishna Kireedam' which started flowering and now it is spread in that area. I never saw the seeds of it, but it is spreading in that area.
Some more flowers in the farm...
'Kani konna' in malayalam, this is unseasonal flowering, supposed to flower in April, during the festival vishu
When the last summer was very intense noticed that some trees like Glyrecedia, Teak, Athachakka etc shed their leaves completely and sunlight is reaching the ground. But some trees like mango, jackfruit, mahagony etc retains the leaves and shade the ground. To some extend coconut trees which are surrounded by mango and jackfruit trees were less affected in the summer. Grasses are completely dried out, cover crop Pureria also is dried out. Looking for options which can shade ground in peak summer also, so has to plan more evergreen trees and perennial grasses which can survive summer
Sakhil of Nadan Mavukal facebook group gave a few seedlings advised to grow it in pots to bigger size and then plant. When small seedlings are planted they struggle to grow and also some time they are lost in the summer.
Moved them to bigger plastic bags and put some mulch in the top portion of the bags and also put some seeds of green gram. These will be planted in the farm in next rainy season.
The varieties are
1) Golden Ponnus
2) Blue Ponnus
3) Red Ponnus
4) Ivory Kolumb
5) Jaan Priyoor
6) Kunji Chelan
7) Kanimangalam
8) Sakhi
9) Karthikeyan
The above were given by Sakhil. Some varieties which I had also is planted in plastic bags
1) IMCP Kilichundan
2) Karutha Moovandan
3) Cheriya Priyoor
4) Chelan
5) Dukran
6) Ayyanthole
7) Nattika
Sown some green gram and mustard in the plastic bag
27-Oct-2023
30-Nov-2023
Cleaned the base of each sapling and sown fenugreek for covering the base
Last time when happy hill planted in an area, germination was not good, only a few survived. In fact I had waken up that land using a mix of cover crops but still since the land has stones, it does not look that fertile. So in order to conserve the seeds thought of cultivating it in garden pots.
Soaked seeds were put a week back, it started germinating. Seeds are kept in refrigerator for retaining their germination capability that works out well.
04-Sept-2023
Also sowed methi and mustard seeds under, wanted to see how the rice grows with understory
This year so far rain is very less, paddy field has gone dry and no moisture in the ground to plant. I had lost 6 coconut trees in last summer, so wanted to have some cover throughout the farm. Earlier was thinking of Mucuna Bractecta but it is quite invasive, hence dropped it from time being. Some fodder grass coming in some area of farm looks to be growing well, they are perennial too, but not sure if they remain green in summer. Idea is that we should have a green cover in summer also, wanted to retain all the grasses in the farm as it is, only pathway will be cut this time. Mexican sunflower is another plant which grows quickly and covers large areas, they are also perennial and remains some what green in summer. Also planting super napier fodder grass also.
So basically these are the plans for dealing with drought
1). After October no cutting of grass/trees except for the pathway. Hence moisture retention is maximum
2). Till october plant as many fodder grass,mexican sunflower,glyrecedia and other flowering plants
