Miguel Braganza
The monsoon rains are at the fag-end and it is time to prepare the potted plants to survive with less water and lower humidity in the air. The rain water has to be replaced by irrigation and most people in Goa are dependent of potable water from the PWD pipeline or village water supply scheme, even for watering plants. Coco peat, compost and water-holding gels help the soil to hold water while a mulch prevents evaporation of water from the soil surface. This works for ornamental plants as well as in the kitchen garden.
The Directorate of Agriculture, under the able leadership of Chandrahas Naik Desai, has raised tomato seedlings for sale to the farmers and home gardeners and is in the process of raising chili and cabbage seedlings. It is hoped that brinjal, knol-kohl and marigold seedlings will be added to the list. We have already discussed earlier this month why marigold plants are important while growing tomato, chili and brinjal plants. Those who live in apartment blocks far removed from the ground often crave to have some fruit plants of their own. The good news is that one can actually grow fruit plants in pots and make them to bear fruits, too.
For the last three decades, my former neighbour named Almira Rodrigues grows fruit plants in bonsai trays and has been eating the fruits of her labour besides enjoying their view in her little balcony. We have exhibited her plants in bonsai pots at the ‘Festival of Plants and Flowers’ at SFX School, Siolim. We hope to exhibit them at ‘Britto Flora 2.0’ at the end of October this year along with a range of potted fruit plants from Daniel D’Souza of Assagao; Ashok Dande of Nagali-Taleigao; Oscar Silveira of Borda de Margao; along with my own collection of potted fruit plants with fruits. We exhibited them at the ‘Konkan Fruit Fest’ 2021 and 2022 at Panaji.
Just last week, I suggested to the deacons that they could grow a grapevine in a half metre (two feet) diameter pot with two pieces of TOR Steel, each of a metre length, welded like a T as a support for the vine trained in a two-arm system. It would make the parables and metaphors in the Gospel come alive to them as they do the back- and fore-pruning to make the grapevine fruitful. Grape and passion fruit vines can be trailed on the parapet or grill in the balcony or on the terrace. Yes, there are people in Goa growing grapes and Rahul Samant is doing it on the terrace of his apartment above the post office in Curchorem.
There are quite a few fruit plants that one can grow in pots. These include guavas, chickoo or sapota, star fruit, custard apple, limes, lemons, West Indian cherry (Malphigia species), coffee plums (Chaferam) and hog plums (Amaddo). It is not rocket science. Just do it.
