Flowers of Sri Lanka:

Start off with your first plant

Manoj DISSANAYEKE

Last week’s discussion was on starting a flower garden. This article is based on some ideas on planting.

Proper planting is done when the wetness of soil and environment is high. The planting area should attract the plant, not you. One important thing is that you should not be in a hurry to do all things at once. First the plant should be kept under shelter for at least two weeks; then only you can go ahead with planting.
 

The pit also should be double the size of the polythene cover. You can adopt this method especially when you cannot find the recommended depth and width.

But be careful when you remove the polythene cover, because sometimes it damages the root system. Most of weed cropping is equipped with capillary roots. Chances are more for damage when potting and removing the polythene. So make sure you remove only the lid of polythene pot with the polythene part left behind.

Good if you can do planting in morning. But avoid higher soil heat and rains. When you plant sick plants, these climatic conditions worsen it by spreading the disease into other plants in the field. Once planting is done, keep it under shelter for 1 or 2 weeks. Then take it out and keep it under sunlight. Also remember about watering, something you have to do frequently once planted.

The period of planting is not very important as ‘seasons’ are unheard of in Sri Lanka. Then again, places like Nuwara Eliya, you have to be a bit careful.

Many plants can be potted as you wish. The pot size can be made bigger according to growth rate of root system. But pots don’t grow like those in plant field. Cemented pots are quite alright for heat-loving plants such as Bougainvillaea, Euphobia and Ixora. Anthurium, Orchid, Begonia and African violet love shelter very much and clay pots are best suitable for planting. Whatever the pot is, the medium should fill the holes otherwise they will cause drain and aeration.

Make sure the holes on the bottom of the pot are not covered when the pot is placed on earth. The planting medium should fill an inch down the opening of the pot.

So these are the basic things you should know when planting. Always remember to avoid higher soil heat and rains and about keeping plants in shelter.

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

Free Sterilising / Neutering Clinic

Animal Welfare and Protection Association (AWPA) urges all pet owners to make use of this opportunity to sterilize and neuter female as well as male cats and dogs. People express surprise when asked to neuter their male dog/cat.

It is a very much simpler operation ot the sterilizing of the female and the AWPA advocates both to reduce the number of stray animals on our roads. The aim of holding these free clinics is to prevent unwanted puppies and kittens being dumped on the roadside, temples and market places and thereby eradicate rabies.

AWPA together with the tour operator from German/UK/Hollan TUI will conduct a free sterilising neutering clinic at “Sathva Sevana” Transit Home for Animals, 16D ½ Diyagama Road, Kahtuduwa tomorrow from 8.30 to 12.00 noon on a first come first served basis.

Dogs and cats over 6 months can be sterilised/neutered. The animals must not be given any food and water for 12 hours prior to the operation and must NOT be sick.

Cats to be brought in a box or cage and dogs on a chain.

If readers wish to organise a sterilizing clinic in their area or have more information please contact Iromi on 2324152 (after 7pm)

A new botanical garden in Hambantota

Department of National Botanical Gardens is set to cultivate a dry zone botanic garden in Mirijjawila, Hambantota. According to Deputy Director of National Botanical Gardens Department K. Nanayakkara, the main purpose is to set up and ex-situ conservation of dry zone, arid zone flora.
 

Ex-situ conservation or “off-site conservation” is the process of protecting an endangered species of plant or animal by removing part of the population from a threatened habitat and placing it in a new location, which may be a wild area or within the care of humans. While ex-situ conservation comprises some of the oldest and best known conservation methods, it also involves newer, sometimes controversial laboratory methods.

The proposed garden will enable studies on lesser known and under-utilized plants in the dry zone, development of dry zone landscape features and other education and training programs on botany and floriculture. The garden will become a centre for the development of Herbal industry. It will also boost Eco tourism. The nearby Baragama Lake and the three other tanks within the premises will be used to store water and attracts visitors to the garden.

Manoj Dissanayeke, an instructor in Peradeniya Botanical Gardens said that this is a timely need.

“Peradeniya Botanical Garden itself has over 4000 plant species. But there are plants that grow in dry zone. We can’t get most of them planted in the Kandy zone. So the proposed garden in Hambanthota is a must.” Dissanayeke said.

Sri Lanka is one of the 25 Bio Diversity hotspots in the world. Dry zone forest vegetation is one of the fastest disappearing habitats in Sri Lanka and 98% of dry zone forest vegetation has been lost within the Hambantota area in the last 20 years.

The Mirijjawila Botanic Garden with an area of 300 acres situated in the South of Sri Lanka is part of the “Mahinda Chinthana” program.

It protects our environment with sustainable development.

Peradeniya Botanical Garden has a stall in Deyata Kirula exhibition.

Squirrel love

Nimal Wijayatunga, Eheliyagoda Special Correspondent

15-year old Sajith Gayan Deepal of Thibbotuwa very close to Eheliyagoda town adopts four orphans, young squirrels with brotherly care.

Deepal, a student of Eheliyagoda Dharmapala Vidyalaya found these pets lying inside a fallen nest by the side of the road while he was returning home from school about a month ago.

They are tamed at present to such an extent that when released from the cage they go to nearby jungle and return home after tasting fruit etc.