My Experiments With Farming: May 2022

Mexican sunflower for more mulch

I have been growing mexican sunflower from last year. It is easy to grow, just put the sticks in rainy season, it will start growing in a week's time. Number of plants which I loose is also minimal. It grows quite fast, especially after cutting, it has to be frequently cut since other wise it will snap and fall down.

I also plant them around newly planted saplings so that saplings can be easily identified even after grass takes over

22-Sept-22

Mexican sunflower is growing very well, mulch gets decomposed very fast. Earlier I used to cut very often, but it looks like, should give it some time to grow really well, and then cut and mulch. Cutting schedule has to be worked out, may be twice in an year. One thing I learnt, frequent cutting disturbs them, may be first allow them to grow really well and establish then cut only twice an year or so, may be this has to be tuned further.

03-December-2022

The above was planted at the starting of the rainy season, it grew very well and is cut for mulching. One had flowered, just retained it since flowers are beautiful to see.

Cut and mulched around coconut trees..

Happy hill rice from USDA GRIN

While searching for Happy Hill rice, I had come across United States Department of Agriculture Germplasm Resources Information Network (USDA GRIN) and there I could see that, they keep Happy Hill rice seeds and distribute to people who are interested. They keep germ plasm from different parts of world. I think, it was suggested by some one in permies.com. I ordered it and they said, it would be sent, but in the middle of Corona pandemic, nothing happened. I made request for a second time and they asked me to send seed import license to send seeds. Then I asked them if they can send it to my friend in California and they readily agreed for it.

They sent 10gm seeds of Happy Hill 1 and Happy Hill 2 and my friend in California gave it to my brother-in-law in Boston and they carried it to India when they travelled, there was no issues in bringing it. I kept it in refrigerator so that it could be sown in rainy season. I will be sowing it in a week's time.

Planting of few indigenous mango varieties from Nadan Mavukal facebook group

Collected some indigenous mango varieties from Sakhil Ravi and Dr. Regi George of Nadan Mavukal facebook group. These will be planted this year and their growth will be monitored.