Date:11/10/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/10/11/stories/2005101112080100.htm

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Sowing begins in Udhagamandalam garden

D. Radhakrishnan

FIRST STEP: At a green house in the Government Botanical Garden. - Photo: D. Radhakrishnan

UDHAGAMANDALAM: Being one of the biggest tourist attractions south of the Vindhyas, anything associated with the Government Botanical Garden makes news.

Controlled conditions

History of sorts was created on Monday when sowing operations for the summer of 2006 were set in motion in controlled conditions for the first time. It coincided with the inauguration of a 250-sq.m. green house set up at a cost of Rs. 2.50 lakhs under a Central sector scheme at the nursery located in the garden.

Normally sowing of seeds for long duration flowering plants was done early in October, the Assistant Director of Horticulture, K.N. Shanmugam told The Hindu .

This year wet conditions had delayed the operation. However, with a decision having been taken to raise the seedlings inside a green house, weather would no longer have a bearing on the activity, he said. Hitherto the seeds were sown on open beds.

It would take about six months for the seeds to reach the full bloom stage, Mr. Shanmugam said.

Thanks to the advantages provided by green houses the seeds would become six inch `super seedlings' free of pests and diseases akin to `healthy babies' by the third week of December when they would be transferred to another bed.

Uniform blooming

In the green house, about 25 varieties of flowers numbering around 2.50 lakhs would be raised.

The Manager of the garden, N. Mani, said that among the long duration varieties were Salvia, Delphinium, Penstemon, Nigella, Cleome and Holly Hock.

Workers were told to attune themselves to the new system, he said and added that in a staggered manner sowing of medium and short-term varieties would be completed by February 10, 2006.

It would ensure uniform blooming of all the flowers by April.