வள்ளி கிழங்கு

 

இது லைபீரியா நாட்டில் இருக்கும் வெற்றிலை வள்ளி கிழங்கு ( பச்சையாக தெரிவது சர்க்கரைவள்ளி கிழங்கு)..
கிழங்கு முளைத்து வருவதற்காக சர்க்கரைவள்ளிக் கிழங்கின் ஈரத் தன்மை உடைய மூட்டில் போட்டு வைத்தேன். தற்போது மாற்றி நடவு செய்ய வேண்டும்.  வெற்றிலை வள்ளி கிழங்கில் பல ரகங்கள் உள்ளன அதில் இதுவும் ஒன்று.

அருகே காட்டுக்குள் மூடாக்குக்காக அள்ளி வந்த இலை தழைகள் மூலம் நம் உணவு காட்டிற்கு வந்து சேர்ந்தது.
இது இரண்டாம் தலைமுறை.

வள்ளி கிழங்கின் சிறப்பம்சம் என்னவென்றால் பருவத்தில் அறுவடை செய்யவில்லை என்றாலும் அதில் கடினத்தன்மை மாறாது.

குழி எடுத்து பொலபொலப்பான மண் கண்டத்தில் மக்குச்சத்து மற்றும் காய்ந்த இலைகள் கலந்து நடவு செய்தால் அருமையாக வளரும். (இது வழக்கமாக நான் அனைத்து செடிகளுக்கும் பின்பற்றும் முறை தான்) இது கொடிபோல படர்ந்து மரங்கள் வேலி என எதில் வேண்டுமானாலும் படர விடலாம்.
இதற்காக பெரிய இடம் தேவைப்படாது உயிர் சூழல் நிறைந்த உணவு காட்டில் எங்கு வேணாலும் வளர்க்கலாம்.

வெற்றிலை வள்ளி கிழங்கில் பொட்டாசியம், விட்டமின் b6, ரிபோஃப்ளோவின்(B2),  வைட்டமின் K,  மாங்கனீஸ், தயாமின், அமினோ ஆசிட், பீட்டா கரோட்டின், சுண்ணாம்புச்சத்து இரும்புச்சத்து ஜிங்க் சத்து மற்றும் விட்டமின் சி அபரிதமாக உள்ளது. முக்கியமாக பொட்டாஷியம் சத்து இதில் அதிகமாக உள்ளது. மேற்கு ஆப்பிரிக்காவில் மக்களின் உணவுத் தேவையில் முக்கிய பங்கு வகிக்கிறது.

மேற்கு ஆப்பிரிக்க நாடுகளான நைஜீரியா மற்றும் கானாவில் Yam festival என இந்த கிழங்கிற்காக திருவிழா கொண்டாடுகின்றனர். குறிப்பாக நைஜீரியாவில் "இக்போ"  என்ற பழங்குடியினர் கோலாகலமாக கொண்டாடுவார்கள்-The New Yam festival of Igbo people.
ஆம் இத்தனை ஊட்டச்சத்துக்களை அடக்கி வைத்திருந்தால் கொண்டாடப்பட வேண்டியது தானே.  அப்போதுதானே அடுத்த தலைமுறைக்கு எடுத்துச் செல்ல முடியும். இவர்களது சமூக வாழ்க்கையிலும் கலாச்சாரத்திலும் முக்கியமான பங்கு வகிக்கிறது. திருவிழாவின் துவக்கத்தின் பொழுது முன்னோர்களுக்கு படையல் செய்து நன்றி கடன் செலுத்தி பஞ்சத்தில் இருந்தும் காத்து உன்னதமான உணவான இந்த கிழங்கை உண்டு மகிழ்கின்றனர்

இந்தக் கிழங்கை அவித்து காய வைத்து பொடித்து பல பதார்த்தங்கள் செய்யலாம்

நாம் மறந்து விட்ட பாரம்பரிய கிழங்கு வகைகளில் இதுவும் ஒன்று.  உருளைக்கிழங்கு நம் அன்றாட உணவை ஆக்கிரமித்து விட்டது

#வெற்றிலை_வள்ளி_கிழங்கு

ஆரோக்கியமான உணவு நம் தேடலின் மூலம்  தான் கிடைக்கிறது

#வீட்டுத்_தோட்டம்_அமைப்போம்
#பாரம்பரிய_நாட்டு_ரகத்தை_தேர்வு_செய்வோம்
#நஞ்சில்லா_உணவை_உண்டு_மகிழ்வோம்
#நாட்டு_விதைகளை_பரவல்_செய்வோம்
#இனி_விதைகளே_பேராயுதம்
#Pjsgarden

10 years In Liberia

On this day 10 years back (September 17, 2010), I landed  in  Liberia with ray of hopes. I never knew what was in here other than what I read in internet where everything was discouraging. Nothing was convincing enough to travel or to work in Liberia.  

To add fuel to the fire except my better half and my father, everybody else asked the same question ஏண்டா உனக்கு வேற ஊரே கிடைக்கலையா, அமெரிக்கா யூரோப் ஆஸ்ட்ரேலியான்னு போகலாம்.  அட நம்ம ஊர்ல என்னடா இல்ல) (meaning don't you have any other better place to work) 

But I was confident to explore unknown territory.  And I reached here with a open mind and was excited like a kid. And everything here was way better than what I expected and what I read in internet.  I enjoyed my stay here all these days and still enjoying every moment here. 

And time here rolls thick and fast. 10 years has completed in a blink of an 👀 eye. 

I have got so many good memories in Liberia to cherish and few to ignore as well.  The best thing Liberia has taught me is to understand people, the joy of sharing,  learning different culture and to adapt to toughest situations in life.  

And above all it has unearthed the plant lover turned gardener (future farmer) in me and to connect back with mother nature.  Liberia has always made me to feel the warmth of Mother Nature and our connection with the balance of life. Mama  Liberia is truly blessed in many ways.

I would take this moment to thank my company management who gave me this opportunity, all my fellow Liberian brothers and sisters, my well wishers and friends who has helped me to reach this milestone in Liberia 

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Before I came here, I never heard about a country named Liberia ever existed or even noticed in world map.  Thanks to my poor geographical knowledge. And the only consolation is I am not the only odd man out.  

Please see the conversation when I talk to my friends or relatives

Opp: எங்கப்பா வேலை பாக்குற?

Me : லைபீரியா ல ஒரு ரப்பர் கம்பெனி 

Opp: அது எங்க இருக்கு?

Me: ஆப்பிரிக்கா ல

Opp: ஓ சவுத்ஆப்பிரிக்கா வா?

Me: சவுத் ஆப்பிரிக்கா(South Africa)  இல்ல,  ஆப்பிரிக்கா  'ங்கிறது ஒரு கண்டினெண்ட்.  அதுல வெஸ்ட் ஆப்பிரிக்கால லைபீரியா அப்படின்னு ஒரு நாடு

Opp: ஓ நைஜீரியா வா

Me: இல்லப்பா லைபீரியா.. லை! லை!

Opp: ஓ ஓகே,  லிபியா (Libya) தான?

Me: இல்லப்பா லைபீரியா😪

Opp: சைபீரியா தெரியும் நைஜீரியா தெரியும் என்னப்பா புதுசா லைபீரியா.. நீ சொல்லித்தான் தெரிஞ்சுக்கிறேன்😂😂

This is how most of the conversation begin when people ask about my whereabouts until 2014. And then came Ebola to highlight Liberia in world map. 

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 Rain Gods has blessed this place with Flora and fauna. The greenery found here can only be seen in very few places in the globe. 

Mother nature is always the best teacher to strike balance of life and for self realization.. My journey continues here..  And my learning continues every moment during my stay in Liberia and I wake up every morning with full of excitement.  That's the power of nature.. 

(Pic : Clicked in 2010 in our company plantation)

An Accidental Gardener

    I am wondering about myself if I had so much love for plants. Yes, I did have which I never realized until now. The credit goes to my mom who inspired me since my childhood. The way she loved and cared for the plants she grew in - "PUJAS GARDEN" (my house in my native Agasthiarpatti). The moment you step into our house, you will see wide variety of flowers welcoming you with a big smile. Regardless of the season, at least any one of the plants in our house will be flowering all round the year - my mom had collected that many varieties. My Mom loved spending all her energy to create and nurture it 24/7. All are evergreen in my memories.

       

Before I moved in

During my stay in Liberia, my belly started challenging myself in terms of growth and started protruding. Even if I wish to resist, I couldn't stop eating above the critical limit at least twice a day (Lunch & dinner) apart from the occasional munching of snacks. I had little time after office hours to give myself a good work out. Basically, I got passion to play any game rather than jogging or spending hours out in gym. In Liberia, I had opportunity to play badminton. Big thanks to my enthusiastic colleagues. But assembling them at the right time was a challenge and playing 2 days a week was itself a big achievement considering the workload at office. So I was searching for an alternative option to sweat out - accidentally I chose Gardening! 

Rear view of my house

Side view of my house

My company has provided me an accommodation within the plantation. It is a  beautiful house surrounded by rubber trees with a mud pavement leading to it.
The mud pavement looks reddish against the lush green environment. When I moved in to the house, the yard was blank with left over of the construction materials, broken stones, hardened cement wastes, broken sheets of asbestos & tin sheets and lots of weeds etc..

I had to clear the construction debris to give my house a better look. I kept clearing & cleaning the yard, but still the house was missing something. So I planned to create a garden around the house to give it a better look. But the real challenges were

Growing the plants in the poor soil (usually the soil in rain forest will be void of nutrients)

The sloppier landscape and the gravel soil 

Protecting the plants against plant eating bugs, grass hoppers, ants, slugs & other insects. Thank God there are no cattle around my area :-) 

God has showered all blessings on Liberia - here it would rain heavily, sorry it will pour heavily, which has both good and bad effects on the plants. The disadvantage being removal of all left over nutrients in topsoil. 

Scorching heat of the sun 

White (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

Pink (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

So I need to find the right plant that suits best for this kind of soil. It was July when I begun the gardening, which is rainy season in Liberia. So I began testing with few varieties of ornamental plants like Sloppy painter, Snow mountain, Green Bush Stock and flowering plants like marigold, Rose, Hibiscus, Balsam, Madagascar Rosy (நித்யகல்யாணி) etc.
I collected four different varieties of hibiscus stem cuttings. All started flowering at the same time.

Common Red (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

Adukku Sembaruthi

The Madagascar rosy (நித்யகல்யாணி பூ) is an easy plant to grow with zero maintenance, which flowers all round the year.

நித்யகல்யாணி பூ (Catharanthus roseus)

நித்யகல்யாணி பூ (Catharanthus roseus)

I planted the "green bush stock" stem cuttings around the house like a fencing. The leaves of this plant is bright yellowish green in colour. It is an easy plant to grow from stem cuttings.There were few traces of carpet grass in patches. I spread it all over the place by plucking it with roots and replanting it in the vacant area. I got red rose cuttings and planted it in a gravelly area with plastic wastes. I didn't know that it needs some better soil, I just planted it there. I also planted wandering Jew - a bright purple coloured succulent plant with pink flowers. They were looking gorgeous against the white wall.

Green bush stock Fencing 

Wandering Jew (Tradescantia Pallida)

Butter cups are another easy plant to grow with zero maintenance. This plant produces hundreds of flowers every day & it does not stop flowering. 

dark-eyed Butter cup  (Turnera subulata)

Butter cups blooms everyday 

Yellow butter cup (Sci Name : Turnera Ulmifolia)

The Rambling rose is another awesome plant which flowers in clusters. It requires zero maintenance for Liberian climate. I used stem cuttings in two different spots and both started growing vigorously. It requires proper pruning and we can train it to climb as we desire.

Climbing rose

Climbing rose bloom

I didn't have a garden hose to water the plants, but thanks to the nonstop heavy rain between May to September, which took care of watering. The rains helped the carpet grass to spread its wings. The red rose which refused to grow initially started its progress with reddish tender leaves, which was heartening to watch. Within 3 weeks, it started flowering which looked like velvet against the lush green grass.

Common Red Rose (Rosaceae)

Common Red Rose (Rosaceae)

Balsam which are basically fast growers, started flowering in short period- all were in dazzling white, pink and red. The snow mountain started showing its tender pinkish white leaves, just like a new born baby's palm. The Pagoda flower commonly called "Hanuman kreedam" added special beauty to the garden. I would award it as "The crown of my garden". The crotons started with bright foliage brought kaleidoscope effect to the garden.  

Impatiens balsamina (Red)

Impatiens balsamina (White)

Impatiens balsamina  (Pink)

Pagoda Flower (Clerodendron  paniculatum )

Snow Mountain

Crotons

Sloppy Painter (crotons)

Crotons 

Angel wings (Caladium Bicolor)

November marks the start of summer season here. In Liberia, the day time is extremely hot and humid. If you stand in the sun for 5 minutes, you will feel getting baked in a oven. The land was drying out fast. Now, the plants which I didn't water for around 5 months demanded water every alternate day if not everyday. So I bought a garden hose and gave the responsibility for my yard boy to water all the plants. Within an half an hour he would complete watering the whole yard. In other words he just sprinkled water over the plants. If I had watered, it would have taken at least 2 hours to completely soak the place considering the scorching heat of the sun. When I asked him to water sufficiently, his claim was that too much of water can kill the plants. But in spite of repeated instructions he kept on just sprinkling the water. Also he never had the habit of removing the weeds, and it kept on spreading. When I went for a vacation and came back, I was shocked to see that the entire yard has been taken over by the weeds. Now I am taking care of the plants myself, which in-turn it has gives me a good work out and I depend on my helper. Now am researching on plants that can sustain itself without my intervention. 

Other flowers in my garden can be seen in the pictures below - I have tried to provide the scientific names for most the flowers as much as I can.

Cone Flower - Echinacea 

Pink Cone Flower - Echinacea 

                      

Barberton Daisy-Red (Gerbera jamesonii)

Barberton Daisy-Orange (Gerbera jamesonii)

Blood Lily

                                 

Common Marigold (Tagetes Erecta)

   

Bush Lily (Clivia miniata)

Minni Root (Sci Name : Ruellia tuberosa)

Mustard Flower (Brassica)

A variety of croton

Episcia cupriata

Flame violet : Episcia cupriata

Idly Poo (Ixora coccinea)

Adukku Nandhiyavattai

Nandhiyavattai (Ervatamia coronaria)

My memories started rewinding...

The days when I had zero interest for the plants...

The days when my mom asked me to water the plants... (I just did it  for name sake 😀)

Whenever my parents travel outside hometown, it was my  responsibility to water the plants. But I preferred playing with my  friends. On returning she will end up seeing the plants dying for water and eventually I will get nice thrashings from her 😔 Whenever she returns home after a break, the very first thing she does is (before even stepping into the house) inspecting all the plants. She knew that I wouldn't have cared for it. My mom will take a bucket and start watering each and every plant. Only on seeing the plants smiling back at her she will be satisfied and step into the house. The love she had for plants is astonishing. She cared the plants as if it were her own children. No wonder she was a "Botany teacher".

Now the same Jenil who loves playing and hanging around with friends has started caring for the plants. He has started watering the plants himself. On top of it, he had started to feel the vibration of the plants. If he sees a plant drying, he is upset (வாடிய பயிரைக் கண்ட போதெல்லாம் வாடினேன்) whereas a healthy plant brings up a smile in his face.  Whenever he plants a stem cutting or sapling, he takes sincere efforts to ensure it grows well. Every morning as soon as he wakes up, first thing he looks out is the progress of the plants. He feels that it is refreshing and exciting to follow its growth every day. The happiness or sadness experienced with plants can only be felt and words cannot explain that. In the process, my Mom has inspired me to create a beautiful garden with my own efforts - Thanks a million Amma!!

Now the garden has given my house the much needed decorative outfit and my better half is impressed. Will share my experience about growing vegetables in home Garden in my next blog - PJ's Garden.