War, pestilence, even climate change, are trifles by comparison.
Destroy the soil and we all starve. – George Monbiot.
This is the International Year of Soils. What better way to help the soil heal than going organic and shunning chemical fertilisers and pesticides?
Soil Recipes is a useful how-to-do-it manual of soil nutrition and maintenance authored by Goa-based organic farmer ISA ALVARES and published by The Organic Farming Association of India (OFAI). Endlessly Green is happy to republish these recipes.
The recipes, as the author says, have been “vetted and verified by experienced organic farmers” belonging to OFAI. They not only “enable the soil to re-stock its populations of beneficial soil microbes”, but also help “control disease…”
Soil recipe 1: Amudham solution
This solution acts as a catalyst for plant growth. With very little work we can create this solution within twenty four hours.
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Instead of using jaggery (gur), you may use waste fruit in this manner: Tie one kilogram waste fruit into a nylon mesh and immerse this in the above solution. Let it soak for five days. This helps the fruit ferment well.
Applications:
For one acre, add 10 – 50 lts. of the solution in irrigation water. According to growth of the crop and convenience one can use it once at an interval of 7 – 15 days.
Benefits: This solution helps growth promotion activity in leaves directly. It also repels insects.
CONCENTRATED AMUDHAM SOLUTION
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Usage: Use 20-30 lts. per acre of this solution.
Note: In this method, the use of jaggery (gur), an external input, is avoided. This mixture can only be used for irrigation and not for spraying. Ordinary Amudham solution used in irrigation requires 50-100 litres per acre. To reduce the quantity and work we developed this combination. It ensures excellent growth.
If you have queries, please write to: Soil Vasu (P Srinivas Vasu), soilvasu@gmail.com or endlesslygreen360@gmail.com.
ENDLESSLY GREEN 
Wow this is great. And seems simple and easily doable. Thanks.
For some reason, too many pests attack pl. ants in our compound whereas many plants in the neighbourhood are perfectly healthy.
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Jay,
There are some more excellent recipes listed in the manual. Liked the way they have illustrated the process and also written it in such simple language. Please do give feedback if you find this or any other recipe useful.
Thanks.
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Normal amudham is kept for 24 hrs for preparation,but how much days concentrated amudham should be kept for preparation?
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Dear Ms Savita,
First, let me first congratulate you for maintaining such a wonderful blog.
Second, let me say that there are many bloggers but almost all of them NEVER EVER respond to various questions. Yours is a refreshing change, where you almost ALWAYS respond to queries posted by interested readers – however silly they may be/appear to be.
Third, I have been breaking my head all along to find some solution as to how to grow Tulasi plants nicely and have always failed to have a fully grown, healthy Tulasi plant in my home. I am NOW going to try out this Amudham and will keep you posted. If I succeed, then, anybody can succeed for I consider myself to be the one with the least chance of any success in growing plants.
I must not forget to thank my dear friend Ram Prasad (Friends of Lake) who introduced me to your super excellent blog.
Thanks and may your tribe increase.
Chandrasekharan Sivakumar.
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Dear Mr Sivakumar, what you have written here is the most coveted reward that keeps my blog going. Much thanks for your compliments. 🙂
My 2 cents on growing tulsi: most people kill the plant by pouring water mixed with poor quality and adulterated haldi and kumkum as both of them carry harmful chemicals. If you prepare a growth mix using soil, coco peat and compost in equal measure and give it just enough moisture, it will grow.
Most of us go wrong with these techniques and blame ourselves for it. Nature never discriminates. There are no so-called brown fingers. Only green fingers which need to be put to some work. 🙂
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Dear Ms Savita,
Thank you for your encouraging words that gives me great confidence: “There are no so-called brown fingers.”
As regards haldi and kumkum, yes I am aware and we do not use it at all. But as far as preparing the soil, I have erred. What I have used is just mud and nothing else. I hope to correct this by planting a fresh tulasi plant with the growth mix you have advised.
As regards Amudam, yes I have prepared it and after 48 hours (not 24!) it was smelling heavenly; I mean the smell of urine and dung had disappeared and we had a wonderful, sweet smelling potion which I filtered and have sprayed it on to the tulasi. And poured a little to the soil as well. Now I am going to keep my fingers crossed. Lets see what happens next.
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Wow! Nice to know that the recipe worked well. Please add a portion of vermicomposting to your growth media. For instant release of energy and nutrients. 🙂
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Dear Ms Savita,
Sorry to bother you again! Regarding preparing the growth mix, you recommend equal portions of soil, coco peat and compost. As I understand, coco peat is like a brick or block. Should I cut into small pieces and then “mix” it up with the other two?
Thanks for your time.
Csk.
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You get ready-to-use coco peat in nurseries. Add soil, coco, compost and vermicompost in equal measures.
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