How to grow curry leaves in India and North America

How to grow curry leaves in India and North America.

Curry leaves plant is a native to Indian subcontinent. It's leaves are aromatic sweet and pungent.

Vancouver - In summer the plant is  kept outside house

Growing conditions.

Curry leaves love warm humid climate. Now it is getting popular in cold countries like UK,USA and Canada. In colder zones it should be planted in containers and taken indoors in winter months.  It is found the plant is very healthy when it is kept outside sunny spots in backyard or front of the house in summer months from May 15 to September 30. Take it indoors when the temperature drops to 10 deg C in the night. If exposed to cold temperature of the night  and frost, the plant may die.

How to grow in India

Take a pit one foot deep one foot diameter. Mix dolomite lime 400 gm with the soil. After one week add cowdung or sheep dung half bucket, quarter bucket coconut peat, 2 handful of neem cake. Neem cake is a fertilizer as well as organic insecticide. Mix all together and plant the curry leaf plant.

If in terrace use big bucket instead of grow bag. The plant has to survive for years.  There are plants which is 35 years old in buckets. Use cowdung or sheep dung half bucket, quarter bucket coconut peat, 2 handful of neem cake. Neem cake is a fertilizer as well as organic insecticide. Half bucket of soil. Mix all together and plant the curry leaf plant.

The most important resource in any garden is the soil, in which the plants grow.  Any soil may support plant, but good soil increase the health, strength and beauty of the plant. Fertile soil is well-drained, aerated and rich in organic matter rich in micro-organisms and bacteria. It should help water retention, nutrient retention; provide plant food, support   and thermal insulation. 

Use diluted panchagavyam, fish manure or amino acid once in two weeks. Make a simple green tea, dilute and apply every two weeks.

How to make green tea

Use peanut cake, neem cake and cowdung in a proportion of 1:1: 10. ie one portion of peanut cake, one portion of neem cake,  and 10 portion of cowdung. Mix together. Add water to dilute. Keep for   4 to 7 days.  Dilute while applying. Apply one foot away from the stem.

Enjoying the summer outside the house in Vancouver

 If you find it difficult to get peanut cake and neem cake, just buy some raw peanut, soak for 6 hours in water and grind it. Add with cow dung and water. Keep for 4 to 7 days. Dilute and apply.

Don’t over water the plant. Too much water will encourage fungal growth.

Some people tried diluted curd, fermented sambar etc on plants on ground and found it promotes better growth. Anyway keep them little away from stem. Monitor daily to avoid fungal growth.

How to grow in North America and Canada.

Use  a  self-watering container  and potting mix to plant the curry leaf plant.

How to make potting mix in Cold countries for container garden.

Self watering pot from Walmart

Use 1:1:1:1 proportion of pre-soaked 1) Coir peat or peat moss, 2) vermiculate or perlite,  3) compost and 4) soil .If you want to be lighter you can use  1:1:2  proportion of 1) Coir peat or peat moss, 2)vermiculate or perlite  and 3) compost  . No soil. Add a handful of slow releasing fertilizer.   If you cannot do this use potting mix from some reputed companies available in garden shops.

The most important resource in any garden is the soil, in which the plants grow.  Any soil may support plant, but good soil increase the health, strength and beauty of the plant. Fertile soil is well-drained, aerated and rich in organic matter rich in micro-organisms and bacteria. It should help water retention, nutrient retention; provide plant food, hold tree and support thermal insulation. 

How to make potting soil video- click here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djY37c-juRk
Caring.

Use nitrogen rich fertilizer occasionally in a month or two. Don’t fertilize in dormant stage of the plant ie in winter.

Don’t over water the plant in winter. Too much water will encourage fungal growth.

Harvesting.

Cut the leaves with a pruning scissor or knife.

Insects

 The self watering pot from Walmart Vancouver.
This is a good container.

During heavy rain you may come across black spots. Apply pseudomonas bio pesticide 10 gram with glue  on the leaves.  Other insect is that eats the leaves. Apply a mixture of neem oil, kandari chilli, and garlic.

Additional Tips

1.       Don’t overwater it especially in winter.

2.       Don’t plant it in windy spots.

3.       Use sunny spots outside the house in summer. Don’t place the container in windy spots.

4.       Plant in small container and upgrade the size as the plant grows.

5.       Place it on window sills inside the house in winter.

Beginning of pest attack. Leaf with water dew like liquid, sticky,  later will become white colour

6.       Apply  compost rich in nitrogen.

Propagation.

The plant can be propagated by root cuttings (sucker plants) and from seeds. Sow the seeds in good quality potting soil.

Dried seed- the black one.

Seed

curry leaves in winter- Spray diluted (with water )buttermilk or fermented kanji vellom (rice water)

See the youtube video  for further knowledge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKyvZHQGrgw

How to make potting soil for container gardening
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djY37c-juRk
Pruning and harvesting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3VxuYl-wAc

How to make DIY potting mix
http://themicrogardener.com/easy-diy-potting-mix-recipe/