Kathiresan Ramachanderam

At the end of week 9 we find that our marigold plants are growing much faster than before. The stems are a lot thicker, and the leaves are longer and rather ferny see image 1 below.  image 1 The plants look healthy but they look like they’re somewhat on the drier side of things but that’s only to be expected given the prolonged dry spell that we’ve been having. Apart from that, everything looks normal and the only thing left to do is to make sure that they get plenty of sunshine and water and that the soil remains fertile. Copyright © 2020 by Dyarne Jessica Ward

At the end of the 2nd week we find that our sunflowers are growing well, see image 1 below. They appear, at this stage anyway, to require very little attention.    image 1 I’ve added little twigs around the pot to help the plants grow upright and with the exception of that, I’ve done very little much else, and the plants are growing well on their own. Image 2 shows you what the plants look like at the end of the 2nd week.  image 2   Copyright © 2020 by Dyarne Jessica Ward

At the end of the 2nd week we find that out garden nasturtiums have grown somewhat but not by much see image 1 below. They’ve sprouted new leaves, all 4 plants, (there are 4 in total from a batch of 15 seeds that were sown in the soil), and all four of them have sprouted a third leave which is a good sign.  image 1 The leaves are still yellow and it might take them another couple of weeks to turn green. I’ve added little twigs to the pots to help the plants grow upright; it makes care and watering easier. Image 2 shows you what the plants look like at the end of the 2nd week.  image 2   Copyright © 2020 by Dyarne Jessica Ward

At the end of the 8th week we find that our eggplants are growing well see image 1 below.  image 1 They’ve grown slightly higher than the week before, maybe an inch or two but nothing more than that see image 2 .  image 2 The leaves are broader and they’d be greener if it wasn’t for repeated attacks by pests, but I’m content to let them grow naturally without resorting to pesticides or fertilizers but I do use manure and part of the reason that they’ve grown is because I sowed the seeds in manure rich soil. Image 3 shows you what the plants look like at the end of the 3rd week.  image 3   Copyright © 2020 by Dyarne Jessica Ward

Dhindo is a staple Nepali meal and it is regarded as traditional Nepali food. It was previously considered to be a poor man’s meal or just the staple food of those living in the Himalayan regions of Nepal but with the rise in interest in Nepali tradition and culture, and the inclusion of dhindo in most urban restaurants, it is now a popular meal, with a high-demand, and a loyal following in Nepal. It can be had as an early meal, lunch or even dinner. It is a common Nepali dish that one can find in all traditional Nepali restaurants, and diners, with the exception of fast-food outlets. The dish is popular among tourists and trekkers and it is served with locally prepared chicken curry, soup, pickles, and vegetables. The meal is believed to have high nutritional content. Its key ingredients are wheat flour, salt and water. Instead of wheat, some restaurants also use corn/maize flour, and depending on the type of flour that’s used, it’s sometimes yellow or light black in color.

At the end of the 8th week, we find that our marigolds finally look like they are going to make it and have grown out of the pot. We’ve had plenty of sunshine the last couple of weeks and that has helped the cause somewhat, see image 1 below. image 1   The stems or trunks are a lot thicker, and the three remaining plants have all grown branches, and new leaves and are growing upright or straight up which makes care and watering a lot easier see image 2 . image 2 Image 3 shows you what the plants look like after the 3rd week.  image 3 Copyright © 2020 by Dyarne Jessica Ward