Flowers of Sri Lanka:

Different types of media

Manoj DISSANAYEKE

There are two main groups of media related to gardening. One is used in the early stage of the plant. Then after the plant had passed the stage of a seedling, a more stable medium is used.

This is not the final designation of the plant. After a short period, the plant is taken out from the second medium and finally planted on a spot in the garden that would probably remain as its dwelling for many years.

Take note that the plant should be uprooted from the second medium only after the plant had grown to a certain amount, to a stage when you feel that is strong enough to withstand the conditions of its environment.

The primary medium

This medium provides a successful growth to a plant. It is a very sensitive medium and supplies the seedling with all the essential requirements and environment for healthy growth. The plant should remain in this medium until the seed or stem had formed roots.

Each sort of planting material such as stems, seeds or trunk demand their own special kind of primary medium. Annuals such as zinnias, marigolds, asters and petunias are best grown out of seeds.

One portion of outer soil, one portion of leaf mould, one portion of sand and one portion of decayed cow dung would provide a suitable medium for annuals. Coir is not usually used because it absorbs a lot of moisture and thereby provides the ideal conditions for harmful microscopic beings.

A lot of care should be given to plants at their early stage of life as it decides whether the plant will grow out to be a healthy and fruitful tree or not.

When you are hoping to obtain a plant out of a stem the most suitable primary medium for a large number of outdoor plants is one portion of sand and one portion of outer layer soil.

Bougainvilleas and cypresses fall into this group. Four portions of outer layer soil, two portions of leaf mould, one portion of decayed cow dung and one portion of sand is another suitable medium for the primary stage of your houseplants.

Secondary medium

The plants attain a suitable growth through this medium. Blooming and bearing fruits can be seen at this stage. Once you obtain a plant which had passed its period as a seedling it is most likely that you have grown it in this medium.

The secondary medium, much like the primary, differs from plant to plant as well as from one type to the other. Outer layer soil, leaf mould, cow dung and compost are used including coir. All these ingredients in different amounts are provided according to the taste of the plant.

You may not realise it but by including just the correct amount assures a life long growth of a healthy plant for your garden.

(The writer is the Agriculture Instructor of Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya)

Pet Fashion Week offers style tips for pampered pooches

Paola MESSANA

For discriminating pets, it really was the cat’s pyjamas: New York’s second annual Pet Fashion Week offered everything a pampered pooch could ever want, from jewel-encrusted leashes to doggy perfume.

Among the canine clients at the event on Sunday was Chai, a short-haired white American Bulldog with blue eyes, dressed in a pink and bronze satin cape made especially for the weekend event.

“We closed our pet shop in Baltimore for three days to come here. The dress was made for her, for the event,” explained Thomas Berger, Chai’s owner.

Nearby, a male model strutting in just his underpants lead a honey-colored Greyhound dressed in a camouflage outfit up the catwalk.

The show lasted a good hour, featuring dogs modelling designs from 20 or so pet fashion houses to a pounding

 disco soundtrack.

Although it was mostly dogs on show, a black cat in a golden collar did make an appearance on the runway towards the end, carried by a young girl.

On the fifth floor of the Manhattan exhibition center, the energy was at fever pitch. A Chihuahua dressed as a Balinese dancer with a golden tiara and accompanied by a woman in the same outfit drew particularly rapturous applause.

The first and fourth floors were devoted to exhibitors, where everything imaginable was on offer: bags, vitamins, leashes and special pet furniture.

“It’s fantastic, much more than we expected,” said Rie Nishimura, a Japanese buyer from Pet-a-Porter Life, Inc., visiting especially from Tokyo. After watching the show, she put in her orders to be delivered to Japan.

“We bought hundreds of things for dogs, and accessories. It’s a huge industry, and Americans are the leaders,” she said.

At her feet, Oliver, a two-year-old Shih Tzu in a brand-named sweat shirt was asleep on a special pink satin sofa with tassel features.

Stacy Braverman, owner of website “Bitch New York,” a luxury online pet store, had brought her four Chihuahuas, one of whom seemed to have had enough.

“Lola just fell asleep, she was so stressed by the show,” said Braverman. “We try to specialise in very unique and upscale items, spa products, a brand new line of shampoos and conditioners,” she said.

“She is wearing ‘pink sugar souffle’, do you like it?” she asked.

“I had to buy a love seat so they can be with me while I work. Their names are Lola, Havana, Winston and Beckham. Yes, like the football player,” she said.

A passing spectator with a Pomeranian in a kilt shot back: “Oh you have a Beckham? My Pomeranian is called

 Jagger! Yes, like Mick!”

On Braverman’s website, wealthy buyers can find diamond-studded collars at around 3,000 dollars. She had already sold more than one, she said, as a Poodle in green suede performed a waltz on the catwalk.

According to the American Pet Product Manufacturers Association, 63 percent of American households have a pet — amounting to some 88 millions cats, 74 millions dogs and 142 million gold fish.

The pet industry is worth some 40 billion dollars a year, including 16 billion dollars a year in pet food, 20 billion in veterinarian bills and medicine and almost four billion in toys, clothes and dog-sitters.

AFP