ANTHURIUM

Anthurium or Tail flower is an exotic flower and rather expensive to buy. This plant I bought and not grew from seeds. But let me jot down all necessary points to evaluate.

HOW TO IDENTIFY
This is an exotic plant with wax feel heart shaped green leaves and heart shaped red petals. there is a tail kind of structure on the red petals. As a misconception the red petals are considered as the flower, but the flower is actually the tail kind of structure. The fruits come as a set of small buds over the tail. As a reference I could get hold of a white flower from the internet. My plant is about to have fruits, and will share the pics once done.

COLORS
Mostly it is found in RED color or shades of red like PINK. They are also available in WHITE color.

HOW TO PLANT and TAKE CARE
First and foremeost this plant requires soil that can retain water and also which has a good drainage. The best medium would be a mix of clay, coconut peat and compost.

The plant should never be positioned in direct sunlight as the leaves may burn. Instead place them in an open space where indirect sunlight comes. Planting indoors can reduce the bloom.

Regarding watering the plants, plant as soon as you bring it home, and/or repot it. This plant has a tendency of rots in the root. So dont overwater it. By overwater I mean that water should never be in puddles around it. Best would be to water the pot to brim every alternate day. make sure the excess water drains off from below the pot. Make sure the soil never dries up, as it is very difficult to wet the rootball again.

They dont require much ferilizer. A phosphorous based ferilizer may be good when used once in a while. I still prefer dried lamb/ cow dung manure as fertilizer alternative.

PRECAUTIONS
Anthurium plants are poisonous because of the calcium oxalate crystals. The sap is irritating to the skin and the eyes.

COST / WHERE TO BUY
This plant can be available in any local nursery for a price range of 300-1600 INR depending on quality and size of plant.
Some links for online buying are
http://www.ebay.in/itm/Anthurium-Healthy-And-Flowering-Plant-Anthurium-White-Set-of-2-Plants-/301128632670?_trksid=p2054897.l5658
http://www.ebay.in/itm/Anthurium-Healthy-And-Flowering-Plant-Anthurium-Red-Set-of-2-Plants-/291106031676?_trksid=p2054897.l5662
http://nurserylive.com/buy-anthurium-plants-online-in-india

The Desire, The Motive

Truth to be told, Gardening was in my blood right from my childhood. I used to assist my father while he took care of the garden. I started by running around bringing him the correct tools from within the home. It slowly matured to learning the art of weeding. Then my father got more busy and watering the plants became my duty on weekdays just before I went for my playtime. By the end of high school days, i was capable of doing almost all the gardening stuff by myself but my dad stood there for supervision.

Plants actually speak to you and if you show them care they flourish and make you smile when they bloom. They become a part of you and you like their parents.

But then my focus changed to Board exams, then engineering entrance examinations and then 4 years of engineering. The day I got a job and I moved to bangalore, gardening was a calling and it was always in my TODO list. But work life and small 1 BHK apartments always left me longing. Finally I shifted to a bigger house in the suburbs, and I could finally have a start of my dream.

The ideas have been big and in the back of mind. I have a desire to have a cozy small beautiful garden. But instead of getting all ready plants, I thought it better to start from the grassroots. By grassroots I dont mean literally but as matter of fact, from seeds and small plants which can be pruned and shaped as per my wish.

In the process I expect to make faults, do something idiotic, but at the end I plan to learn the needs of each plant I grow and give the utmost care to them.

I figured out the information is very scattered over net and nothing typical for Indian tropical weather. Most sites do talk of american and european techniques. So in the process of finding struff myself, I have taken help from internet, the local gardeners in nurseries, some neighbors who share equal passion for gardens and some through my learnings helping my father in his garden.This blog is more of a diary and a reference for others like me.

Your suggestions and inputs are most invaluable and most welcome. Crossing my fingers and off I start. wish me best wishes and luck.