Within the bustling district of Thrissur, Kerala, Lathika Suthan has carved a distinct segment for herself on this planet of floral cultivation. She has accrued a surprising selection of just about 100 lotus plant types and 80 water lily species at her house.
Curiously, Lathika grows uncommon and prized lotus specimens, such because the Historic Maple Leaf and the 1,000-petal lotus. Those types are hardy and widely-known. She says those bloomed for the primary time in Kerala in her lawn.
This exceptional feat garnered consideration from magazines and social media, sparking standard hobby in lotuses and attracting a lot of lovers to her doorstep.
“Thru this, many of us got here to find out about lotuses and began contacting me. I began giving tubers to folks concerned about cultivating those beautiful crops. After which I assumed, why no longer make a industry out of it?” stocks Lathika.
Seizing the chance to proportion her hobby with others and recognising the possibility of a flourishing industry, she reworked her interest right into a winning project. Each and every month, the 51-year-old manages to earn as much as Rs 40,000.
We sat down along with her to track her adventure from being a number one faculty trainer to turning into a flourishing lotus entrepreneur and mastering the artwork of propagating those unique plant life.
Blossoming interest right into a industry endeavour
Lathika’s love for gardening dates again to her early life, the place nurturing and witnessing the expansion of crops introduced her immense pleasure. “Ever since I used to be a child, I loved gardening and I used to derive happiness simply by seeing those lotus blossoms,” she provides.
Whilst she went directly to develop into a number one govt faculty trainer in her early 20s, she couldn’t withstand herself from following her hobby.
In 2018, she delved into commercialising her water lilies and lotus crops. Began to start with as a interest, this intrinsic hobby led her to transition from educating to pursuing her green-thumb ambition.
Venturing into uncharted territory, Lathika launched into a quest to discover and analysis the various global of lotus plants and water lilies.
“I discovered that there have been 100 kinds of lotus and water lilies however out of those, just a few types have been to be had in India. The remaining have been imported from nations equivalent to Thailand, Vietnam and Japan,” she provides.
Steadily, Lathika began making an investment extra time in studying easy the way to develop lotus and water lilies at house. “I began purchasing local and imported saplings from nurseries around the nation. Previous, I used to buy new kinds of saplings which have been very pricey. Each and every new selection might be pricey when it’s simply offered to the marketplace. Then again, its value sooner or later drops after a 12 months or so,” she says.
“As an example, at first, I bought lotus tubers as pricey as Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000. Lately, they value handiest Rs 250 every tuber,” she stocks.
To get an in-depth figuring out of cultivating lotus and water lillies at house, Lathika attended a lot of workshops and categories carried out through the rural division within the district. “I additionally took lend a hand from different people who find themselves into lotus cultivation. Then, I began experimenting myself and learnt throughout the method,” she says.
Drawing on her enjoy and information received from workshops, categories, and interactions with business mavens, Lathika sooner or later honed her abilities in rising those crops.
Rising loads of lotus & lilies without difficulty
Lathika’s sustainable option to plant care units her aside. She advocates for the use of herbal fertilisers. At her house lawn, she makes use of dried cow dung, used tea leaves, powdered eggshells, and occasionally DAP (di-ammonium phosphate) to nurture her botanical treasures.
Emphasising the significance of daylight, water, and high quality soil over chemical fertilisers, she demonstrates the simplicity and simplicity of managing lotuses and water lilies, making them obtainable even to newbie gardeners.
But even so her spectacular selection of lotus and water lilies, she additionally grows orchids, begonias, aglaonemas, creepers, and different indoor crops. She says, “In comparison to different crops, managing lotuses and water lilies is far more straightforward. As soon as planted, it’ll get started rising and giving plants with out a lot care.”
Having a look at Lathika’s adventure and the transformative energy of pursuing her hobby and embracing the wonderful thing about nature’s wonders, Suthan Thozhuthumparambil, her husband, says, “I’m deeply impressed through her paintings and I show pride that she is embracing her early life hobby even at this age.”
“I used to be running in Qatar for a few years prior to now however later I determined to retire and lend a hand her run the industry. Each time I’d come again house, I attempted to be a serving to hand to her. She has taught me methods to water these kind of unique crops and repotting ways. We revel in our gardening time in combination,” he stocks with The Higher India.
Lathika manages to promote over 150 lotus seedlings and over 100 water lily seeds each month. She will get bulk orders from hospitals, motels, and inns.
Then again, past the monetary good points, Lathika reveals profound fulfilment and solace in every blooming flower. “Greater than cash, I think very content material and ok with every bloom of plants. Those crops are a respite to me from the day by day tension,” she provides.
Edited through Padmashree Pande. All pictures: Lathika Suthan.