Viji Abi, a passionate gardener from Thrissur, Kerala, grows plenty of water lilies, incomes over Rs 1 lakh per month. Studying from the Global Waterlily and Water Gardening Society, she created a hybrid selection.
After completing her family chores, what Viji Abi eagerly anticipates in her day by day regimen is taking care of her house lawn and attractive together with her gardening pals international.
Upon getting into her lawn in Thrissur, Kerala, you’ll be welcomed through a colourful show of blooming plant life. Then again, the standout characteristic of the lawn is her water lily pots containing exotic-coloured lilies. As one in all India’s few water lily hybridisers, Viji’s lawn proudly showcases a hybrid selection she cultivated known as Nymphaea Sree.
“Gardening began as a recreational task however remodeled into my hobby. I used to be enthusiastic about how lily vegetation are grown and which selection survives. Now, I earn greater than Rs 1 lakh a month through promoting lilies all the way through a just right season,” she says.
Viji stocks the secrets and techniques at the back of her wholesome and inexperienced lawn, and the way you can even develop water lilies at house.
Adventure to her magic lawn
Raised with an affinity for vegetation and greenery, Viji has been keen on gardening for many of her existence. “It should had been a long time since I’ve been tending to a lawn. It’s my favorite factor to do,” she says.
Earlier than changing into a full-time gardener, she used to be an accountant. “It seems like two other worlds, however for me, gardening used to be all the time part of who I used to be. When my first kid used to be born, my husband and I lived on our personal. So one in all us needed to hand over our activity to boost the youngsters. That’s after I made up our minds to depart my activity,” she provides.
However after hanging down her papers, Viji’s thoughts used to be now not relaxed. “I had all the time sought after to create and depart again one thing of my very own on the earth. However, I didn’t have the path,” she says.
In 2008, with the beginning of her new child, the younger mom began to spend a large number of time in her lawn. “Tending the child and the lawn gave me solace,” she says.
Viji’s gardening adventure began with rising bougainvillaeas, orchids and roses. She provides that she had a large number of plant life in her lawn, and he or she even shared its seeds with other folks. “I went directly to Fb and located a large number of other folks occupied with purchasing other vegetation. I additionally discovered many rising water vegetation. I made up our minds to take a look at my hand at that too,” she stocks.
In 2018, Viji purchased her first water plant. “Whilst it bred plant life, I didn’t understand how to offer protection to the plant from dormancy, and I used to be additionally undecided re-pot them,” she says. So she grew to become to the web and joined quite a lot of social media teams of planters and gardeners.
As a member of the Global Waterlily and Water Gardening Society, she says, “It felt as although I had came upon my other folks. Individuals of Fb teams from other international locations around the oceans have stayed in contact with me ever since. They would provide steering via video calls, advising me on whether or not my movements have been proper or improper.”
Recalling the early days when she began rising water plant life, she says, “I purchased hardy water lilies, which used to be a mistake. The type used to be now not in a position to live to tell the tale within the climate of Kerala, and all of the vegetation died. However the entire procedure motivated me to take a look at once more as I used to be now curious and sought after to be informed how they develop.”
Viji now not best realized the best approach of rising lilies, she mastered it. At the moment, she grows greater than 100 types of lilies in her house lawn. However that used to be additionally now not sufficient for her; she sought after to hybridise her personal selection! This, she idea, used to be an effective way to fulfil her dream of contributing one thing ingenious to the sector.
“With the assistance of the Global Waterlily and Water Gardening Society and my fellow water lily planters on Fb, I used to be in a position to hybridise my very own selection. It’s colourful orange in color and has the very best selection of petals. Nymphaea Sree meets the factors of the professionals, and therefore the popularity,” she says.
Viji additionally learnt concerning the marketplace call for for lilies. “To begin with, I didn’t know that lily vegetation fetch excellent costs out there. Later I began to promote my lilies via Fb to other folks the world over,” she says.
All through a a hit season, Viji mentions that she will earn as much as Rs 1 lakh per thirty days through promoting lilies. “I used to be sitting at house taking good care of my youngsters, and I had a supply of source of revenue — best possible for a homemaker!” she remarks.
The right way to develop lilies at house?
1. Make a selection the best selection
“It is important to select the best number of water lilies according to the native prerequisites and your explicit surroundings. For example, in Kerala, tropical types are most popular, whilst in spaces just like the western aspect, hardy types too can thrive,” stocks Viji.
“It’s vital to notice that water lilies require at least six hours of direct daylight day by day, which might pose demanding situations in chillier areas,” she provides.
2. Glad Pot, Glad Plant
The collection of pot is dependent upon the aim of your planting the seeds. “If you wish to bloom them for private functions, then giant pots with a large number of area for plant life to develop could be best possible. The vegetation don’t pass dormant simply and bloom for a very long time. Then again, if you’re planting for industrial functions, then smaller pots could be ultimate for you as they’re more uncomplicated to promote,” she advises.
Lilies can bloom in pots as small as 6 inches and as massive as 18 inches.
3. They love the solar!
Viji says that lilies love daylight and so they want daylight. “Ensure that they get a minimum of six hours of daylight on a daily basis. This is without doubt one of the explanation why many lily vegetation turn out to be dormant. Position your pots in a sunny position and notice your lilies bloom,” she says.
4. Herbal fertilisers can pass some distance
But even so offering the vegetation with daylight and just right soil, Viji recommends feeding them with herbal fertilisers. “Vermicompost can do wonders to your lilies. You’ll be able to additionally use cow dung to present extra vitamins to the soil. When you could be tempted to make use of chemical fertilisers, there is not any want. Those in the neighborhood sourced, herbal substances can pass some distance,” she says.
5. To find your gardening pals
“This recommendation is for all of the new gardeners,” she says. “Don’t hesitate to hook up with other folks and ask for assist. The primary time I attempted my hand at rising water vegetation, it used to be a whole crisis. If I had now not long gone to Fb teams and requested for assist, I’d now not be right here.”
She provides, “There’s a probability that your first try would possibly result in useless vegetation or they could pass dormant. There could be some losses however requesting assist will all the time come as a aid to you.”
(Edited through Pranita Bhat; All footage credit score: Viji)