I grow peanuts. Do you?

It’s that time of the year when we all love to cuddle up in warm comforters and give ourselves a treat of roasted peanuts. Have you ever thought of growing your own peanuts?
Pick your peanut
There are four types of peanuts; Runner, Spanish, Virginia and Valencia. Runner is famous for making peanut butter. Spanish peanuts are known for their small size which is ideal for use as roasted snacks. Virginia has the biggest kernels while Valencia kernels are covered with bright red skin and are known for its sweetness. Simply select the one you like the most. Keep in mind the size, texture, flavor and also the use.
Perfect conditions
Peanuts are warm season crops and need four to five months of warm weather. In Karachi, the most suitable months to plant peanuts are from April to June. They can be planted directly into the ground as soon as the winter ends. Peanut plants need sandy and well-drained soil. If your city doesn’t get sufficient rainfall, provide your peanut plants with regular irrigation.
Tip: Save your favorite peanuts this winter for growing in the summers.
Peanut plant
Peanuts belong to the bean family. After two to seven days of sowing the seeds, bright green pinnate leaves sprout. The plant grows fast and its buds open up into yellow pea-like flowers with orange stripes. As the flower dries out and withers away, a stalk which is called the pedicel grows from it and goes down a few inches into the ground. This is where the peanut pods will grow and mature. The whole plant is pulled out when it is time to harvest.
Plot or pot?
Peanuts grow well in the ground or on a plot but growing them in a pot is almost the same. If you are using a piece of land to grow peanuts, plant a peanut kernel with a space of 12 inches between the plants and of 18inches between the rows. The plant spreads as it grows. For growing peanuts in pots, select a container 12-18 inch deep, with almost the same diameter.
Plant your peanuts
Once you have decided which type of peanut you want to grow and where you want to plant it, make holes one-and-a-half to two inches deep and put a peanut inside and cover it with soil. Make sure that the red or brown skin is not disturbed. Water it gently and keep it in the sun. Plant as many as you want.
I planted mine last May and the second batch in August. My peanuts did brilliantly in the ground as well as in the pots. It was a great learning experience for me and my students. They are saving some peanuts this season. Why don’t you save some peanuts as well this winter, for growing in the next season? You might end up saying the same, “I grow peanuts. Do you?”
Happy winters!
Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd, 2011.

Grow your own food the ancient way

There are always some valuable lessons to learn form the past. The ancient way of farming is one of those. When I say ancient way of farming, I simply mean “Organic Farming”.

Organic farming is practicing environmental friendly ways of growing crops. It is learning how everything present is nature is interlinked and how it compliments and serves each other.  In short, it is experiencing the divine ways of how nature works around us while being a part of it. 

Why grow organic food?        Many gardeners appreciate organic gardening as it is free from man-made chemicals used in form of fertilizers and pesticides in the fields which can cause an imbalance in ecological system.   

Organic gardening is not only beneficial for you and the wild life but also the organically-grown crops are healthier, tastier and guarantee freshness.

Five ways to get started

Take your farming practices back to the basics by following these 5 simple steps.

1.    Give it back to the Earth

Start off by making your own compost. Fruit and vegetable peelings, eggshells, teabags, shredded paper, pruning and even fallen leafs can turn into a rich compost that will improve your soil quality. Make a compost bin in which you can collect a balanced mixture of organic waste and let it decay.

2.   Welcome Wildlife in your garden

Pesticides sprays done on crops that we eat, not only devastate our health and environment, but they also kill beneficial insects that are less tolerant to these deadly chemicals.

These friendly bugs are nature's way of pest control. Attracting beneficial insects and wildlife to your garden will control many pests for you such as snails, slugs and greenflies. These friendly bugs are very sensitive and less tolerant to pesticide sprays.

3. Encourage Companion plantation

Crops with strong fragrance are grown along side to avoid pest growth such as carrots and leeks are advised to be planted together because they drive each other's pests away.

 Dill attracts aphid eating hoverflies. Strong scented flowers not only attract bees and other beneficial insects but also discourage pest attacks on your crops. Garlic plants keep away aphids. Planting marigolds with tomatoes also ward off aphids.

4.    Practice Crop rotation

Grow crops on alternate plots each year to avoid disease built-up in soil. Take care of your plants so that they stay healthy and pest free.

5.    Adopt Natural Weed Control

Hoe your plot to get rid of the weeds before they could disperse their seeds. A layer of mulch can also prevent weeds from taking over your vegetable patch.

Adopt some if not all of the practices of organic farming and play your part in preserving nature.

Happy Gardening

( published in t2extra pages: ExpressTribune on 31st Oct,2010)

A night out...with plants

Lime in the moon light.

It was a very pleasant night with beautiful moonlight glittering on my terrace when I decided to do all the garden jobs that had been pending for a week.

Transplanting vegetable seedlings

The seeds that I had sown earlier were ready to be transplanted. During the week, I had bought large containers and filled them with a good mixture of soil and manure for my vegetable plants. I spent some time marking the pots and transplanting the tomato and bell-pepper plants into the large pots. It had to be done quickly and correctly.

Pumpkin seedling being transplanted.

Seedlings must have moist soil  and two sets of true leaves prior to transplantation. The roots are pushed up gently by a stick while you hold the top of the plant in your hands. The roots of the seedlings should not be exposed to air for long. They are to be quickly planted in the bigger pots or the plot. Then they should be watered with a soft shower. Transplantation is done in the evening when its cool.

Getting in touch with plants

Next, I wanted to know how my plants were doing. The lime tree is producing lots of juicy limes, the orchids are blooming, the chiko has some new flowers and bright green leaves, Allamanda looks stunning even in the night, and the grafted cactus has two beautiful flowers. Flower seeds need transplantation as well, the pumpkin plants are about to bloom, Bonsai needs some attention, button roses survived trimming,  potatoes and garlic look happy too but china rose has had an aphid attack.

Appreciating the night

When I was done with a round of the garden, I sat down, looked around at the plants and thought about how much they had grown. It felt good to see the seeds that I had sown were growing, trees that I planted were fruiting, and all together the garden created a beautiful blend of shades of green and contrast of colours. Thank you, God!

I looked up in the sky and got lost in the brilliance of the moon that shone right above my terrace and the bright star that shined beside it.


Published on Express Tribune Blogs on 28th Oct, 2010

One morning in my garden

Exotic yellow flowers that makes the day even brighter.

No matter how small is the flower, it can make you stop and appreciate its beauty.

Sun rises behind this beautiful Allamanda vine making the flowers even more beautiful.

Another Allamanda that makes me smile. Its right next to the door.



They are caged but at least they are a part of my garden. Their chirping creates a wild ambiance.



It does nothing. Usually people think its a stuffed bird.

I planted the a very thick cutting of the scared fig tree for bonsai making. It has sprouted!!

All the seeds of the flowers that I planted few days back have sprouted.

United Against Hunger

Poster for World Food Day 2010 by FAO of UNO

One billion people are hungry and I am so angry! Next time you are having your favorite meal at a restaurant, remember that 1 billion people around the world are facing chronic hunger. When we eat more than we need, we are making someone, somewhere starve.

The plate is half empty

It is extremely heart rending to know that more than 18 million out of 1 billion figure belong to our own country. Half of our country’s population is facing food insecurity. Can we even imagine how that feels?
I felt sorry for such people before, but the recent flood has bought who live below the poverty line closer to us. It makes my heart ache to learn what life is like for people who do not know when they will get their next meal.

The eating day
Sadly, a large percentage of people suffering from poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition are living near us in the cities. There are families in Karachi who have days fixed for their meals. Each day one member eats and all the others wait for their turn.
We all know it is the responsibility of the government to end hunger, but I think that we, as a nation are more powerful. It’s time we take charge and be the change that our country needs.
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations) is observing World Food Day . The purpose of which is to shake up politicians around the globe to end the food crisis. But we are not going to wait for the government to take action.

What can we do
Lets sign the petition and make a resolution today that we will act to end hunger. How do we do that?
Here are some ideas.

• Adopt an area and encourage community farming by provide the residents with gardening tools, seeds and basic knowledge.
• Plant a fruit tree for the poor
• Present some vegetable plants to such families
• If you have your own restaurant, why not have a share for the poor?
• There are some NGOs working to provide free meals to the poor. Help them.
• If you are growing crops on a large scale, share your crops with needy families.

Do whatever you can in your own capacity. But act to end food crisis.

( published :Express Tribune blogs- 16th Oct, 2010)