Container and Roots

Roots of plants varies in its size and and shape. Some roots penetrate deep into the soil and some spread across the container. Study on roots is essential as it gives us an idea that what type of a container will be suitable for specific plants.There are two types of roots; fibrous and taproots. 
Fibrous roots are small and thin, vegetables that create fibrous roots are cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, squash and eggplants. 
Taproots are large and fat, vegetables that create taproots are carrots, beets, radishes, rutabagas and turnips.

Roots of Tomato plant

Roots of Tomato plant is categorized as fibrous roots.
Container should have enough space for the roots to spread. This root will not go deep, as shown in this image.

Roots of Tomato Plant

In my previous post on Soil Preparation, explanation on soil and mixes are specified. Since in Urban India the limitation is soil and the available soil is not fit for farming or gardening. Container was filled with combination of Compost, vegetable wastes and cow dung. Here in this image if you notice the roots had to divert, probably the reason would be the soil at the bottom level of the container, which was more of clay than compost.

Roots of  broad beans pierced through the plastic sack. In this image the roots got protruded out from the bottom of the sack, I understand that the beans category plants needs a bigger container compared to all other plants since it is  a fibrous roots.

In this image it is quite clear that the roots spread almost all through the sack

Roots of Bitter gourd , twirled from bottom part of the root.

Roots of Pumpkin Plant, again a fibrous root.

Root Nodules in Beans Plant

The broad bean that I planted in sack grew in size and could fetch beans out of it. Now since it is almost saturated, I plucked it out from the sack. Since I am aware that the leguminous plant's roots has root nodules, nothing but the Nitrogen fixing bacteria, I would prefer to plant another verity or may be okra or brijal but not Bean plant. In a symbiotic relationship the bacteria convert nitrogen for the plants and in return receive nourishment for themselves. This could help the new plant to grow in much better fertile soil.

Another image on root nodule,these nitrogen fixing bacteria found on root nodes are good source in improving the quality of soil for the next plant. One of the reasons of crop rotation  is to improve the yield while planting a different variety.

Leguminous Plant : Beans

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Snake Gourd (Padavalam)

Most of the seeds in guard family look alike. In my first batch plantation I was mistaken while growing a bottle gourd, thinking that it would be a Snake gourd. This time I am sure this is a Snake gourd plant.

Latest Post on Snake gourd

Seed germinated in 4-5 days. Plant requires at least 60% of compost, since the roots are not that strong enough to penetrate through hard soil.

Two plants were grown, and the sack is placed near to the support provided for the vines to climb.

This plant required continuous water supply and so preferred to sprinkle water at least twice in a day.

This image is taken  25 days after planting it.

Plant started climbing with the support of it's vine and
the coir net.

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Flowers started appearing , but along-with lots of
worms, stringent control measure is required to control
these worms, curently applying garlic sprays,

Long Broad Beans (Vaalari Payar)

Long beans which I have never seen in vegetable markets, since I could collect this among other common vegetables, I thought this might be another common beans of its kind. The same plant and it's snaps was posted in my previous post, but now I feel this is some thing special so thought of having it in separate post.

                                                                                       



Seeds looks like Raajma, but white in color.

Two plants were grown in a single sack. since
I am not sure how the plant look like or any vines that
 needs to be supported with climbers,
 so I planted very next to the bitter gourd. 

Plant started producing buds almost 2 months since planted.

Lavender color flower appeared with expectations.

In this image you can find the Broad bean.



In Malayalam it is known as Vaalari Payar.

'Vaal', means 'Sword' in English. since the shape and the length of this bean is almost like a sword.

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Since I heard that this particular bean can grow in good length, so I left the bean to grow the maximum.
Almost took 20 days of time to grow in this shape.

To prepare a curry minimum 2 beans required so i plucked one another which is smaller in size.


We prepared Beans Thoran. Main ingredient for this curry was grated coconut.