Barbados cherries

Growing  Cherries in Mumbai!

Growing cherries on the terrace!

Been there and done that...

Barbados cherry/ West Indian cherry/ Acerola cherry

This plant really taxed my patience to the limit. 

I had planted this as a small sapling in a 12 inch container some 5-7 years back. Every 2 years, after a lot of leafy growth it was pruned, somewhat harshly ( because, no yield yet) and planted back into same container. 

About three years back, I planted it into a 25 litre plastic drum, where it languished for another year. Last year it decided to reward my pain with a few , ie only 3, cherries which the birds promptly polished off before ripening.

Then came along the September of 2021. The plant decided to make up for lost time. It was in full glory and literally raining cherries on the terrace.

I tasted a few, very sour; they went into making of a somewhat unique jam. This variety definitely cannot be eaten plucked from the tree. 

The bunches of cherries sure look exotic against the rich green backdrop.

Some harvest

What was my learning from this plant.... patience pays, never fails... also cherries can be grown in Mumbai and that too on terrace. It's after all a matter of having enough patience...

Happy gardening and keep growing!

 

Rain lilies

It was not my intention to post about rain lilies in December, which being winter in India is more suited to roses and mums.

But if seasons can't differentiate between July and December and it rains in December, rain lilies are sure to get confused too. Hence the post...

The flowers are a marked harbinger of the rains. I have seen these plants throw up flower stalks with not a cloud in sight in the morning, and it starts pouring in the evening! Is it that the rains humor the flower or the plant feels the humidity before humans do....?? Either ways, it is a wonder of nature..

This is a beautiful flower of Genus Zephyranthes of the Amaryllis family. The derivation of the botanical name  is very interesting- from Zephyrus, the Greek God of the west wind and anthos meaning flower.

There are many color varieties in this flower, of which I have three- pink, yellow and white, but what a show they put on!!

One would expect that with such a showy flower, there would be butterflies hovering about, but no, these flowers are attractive for humans only.

A cause for concern for these plants are the larvae of the Lily moth, a single caterpillar can put paid to all the efforts (which are none are the gardeners actually)! I have lost an entire pot of these plants, being too lazy or as I justify myself- live and let live; after all the lily moth is also a beautiful species, but never having seen one in my garden, I will let the subject slide.

Come larvae, rains or flowers, these plants are always welcome in my garden. 

Only I hope these unseasonal rains pass soon, other plants are not so accommodating with rains...

Till my next post, Happy Gardening!