Months before, as some of you know, I tried what people said was impossible – germinating strawberries in my area. I got doubtful glances that said, “C’mon! Why waste time?”
But I was determined. My theory was, “Strawberries do well in Sun and don’t need a cold dormant period.” So why can’t I grow them? I told myself that I can and did sow some months ago only to watch weeds growing in that pot – no sign of strawberries.
I took a break and again sowed some two week before when the temperature cooled down. One week – the pot remained dormant. The second week was welcomed by Varsha’s delightful rain. Did that kill the unprotected seeds? [sigh]
Why wouldn’t you come to me, ye’ strawberries?
“I’m here with full of blooms!” replied the Jasmine, but my mind was preoccupied with the images of reddish berries.
“Oh, I can cheer you up with my orange blooms!” said Mexican Sunflower but I simply turned away.
“Look at me! Your favorite blue! I’ve regrown for you!” said the Butterfly Peas but my eyes yearned to see the yellow blooms.
“Here you go! I have yellow blooms too!” said the anonymous visitor, but I wanted to taste the juicy pulp of the ‘berries.
“Here I am, your favorite berry like grapes! I’ve recovered and am healthy now!”
[sigh] I simply poured a mug of water and turned away, disheartened that the strawberries haven’t germinated.
I am still waiting. “Why wouldn’t you come to me, ye’ strawberries?” With that plea to the bare pot, I descended downstairs. So anyone know the trick to get them come to me?
It's the same with my future African Grey too. Seems an AG would never own me, but against all hopes, I keep praying everyday and dreaming of cuddly grey in my hands.
One of my budgies would circle around me as if to say, "I'm here for you," but my ears wanted to hear those words from a parrot.
Moments later, Shuka jumped onto my fingers saying, "Who could be more cuter than me?" but my eyes wanted to see a bigger grey bird.
Oh, well, you could always own an Indian Ringneck! It'd be cool too. Told my twin inside me, but I couldn't just accept it.
Okay, how about the Cockatiel that can whistle and sing to you on your birthday! "Nah!" I dismissed.
Why wouldn't you come to me, AG?
39 comments:
Ohh your bird are so sweet!
And they are sitting on your finger!!!
Ones I hade a bird like that... but she never got tame like yours!
I cross my fingers fore your strawberries!
Linda
Keep trying with the strawbs Chandramouli. Here in Oz we have a major strawberry industry in Queensland, which I am sure gets comparably hot to your part of the world.
And nice to see some Aussie birds (the budgie and the cockatiel) keeping you company!
Keep trying, I think we all have plants that a proof that rules for climate areas are meant to be broken. Although I have never grown a strawberry from seed, always from a runner or seedling. Are there any miraculous strawberry growers nearby where you could get a runner?
I love your photos and the almost poetic way you long for your Strawberries to peek out of the soil and for your gray bird to come to you! It's the challenge of it, don't you think? Wonderful post and I'm so happy your plants are recovering well. Wishing you Strawberries!!! Blessings!!
I've never heard of growing strawberries from seed! Are there any strawberry plants available there? We often grow them in pots with many holes on the sides, appropriately called strawberry pots! Yum. Hope that some day you will have your African Grey.
It is hard not to overlook what's already there when there is something else playing hard to get. I hope your strawberries germinate, but in the meantime you have so many pretty flowers to keep you occupied.
Hello Chandramouli, it´s been a while since my last visit ;O(
Don´t give upp with the strawberries, over here I grow plants from Bali and off course you can make strawberries grow over there in India. It´s a question of patience and knowledge.
I´m sure you will be succsessful.
Have a wonderful sunday, Petra
Awww, the parakeet is so cute. Sorry about your strawberries. Hang tough.
Thank you, Linda. They really are. It takes sometime to tame them. Birds are like individual humans so some might be really difficult and some would be easy. Parrots are always fun to have and African Grey is one such bird that I long for!
Hmmmm... I should and I would. Just that the frustration is sometimes overpowering! Thank you for the kinds words, Jamie :)
Oh, the budgies are such dearies and I don't have a cockatiel - I wish I did, but due to space constraints, I plan to have one more and which definitely and would only be an African Grey! :D
Thank you, Prue :) Unfortunately I haven;t found anyone growing strawberries here. I've checked almost all the nurseries here and they literally laughed at me when I asked for strawberries. :(
Thank you so much, Marion. It definitely is challenging and how wonderful it'd be when my strawberries flower and fruit! Wow! Just the thought thrills me! Thank you again :)
That's exactly the same my sister told me when I asked her to look for Strawberry seeds in Germany, but a really nice woman - a friend of my sister found a company that does sell the seeds! That's more of a reason for me to grow them successfully!
Oh, I too really hope the same!
You're so right, Catherine! You're so true about that Catherine! I do have lovely flowers to delight me!
Hi Petra! Yes, it's been long. How're you keeping?
Oh no, I wouldn't give up on strawberries or my future African Grey parrot! Patience! Wow! That word scares me. LOL!
Aren't they, Tina? Shuka (Yellow parakeet) is especially extra cute. He love kisses and would be content if I keep kissing his stomach and rub his nose with mine all day! LOL! Sweet guy.
Thank you, Tine. I'm not gonna give up! :)
Lovely pictures especially the jasmine shot. Aren't the butterfly peas also known as 'Aparajita' in India?
I'm definitely coming back to check out your blog quite often..
http://theurbanbalcony.blogspot.com/
Yes, Aparâjitâ is Butterfly Pea - especially the blue one.
I'm glad you liked your stay here.
Hi Chandramouli, I love to listen to the conversation, a song really, between you and your plants and pets. The longing for strawberries is understandable, what a succulent and beautiful fruit. I have only grown them from runners as well, but seeds are on the fruits for a reason, right? My grandson has two cockatiels, very intelligent and friendly birds. I do hope you can get the AG your heart desires too. :-)
Frances
What fun to have beautiful birds...The cat would be too preoccupied with them here! Pushing the climate envelope is what many of us do...keep it up...you may get strawberries yet. ps glad you have your blogging energy back. gail
a wonderful reminder to be present with the gifts that are giving to us.
True, Frances. I'm already trying the freeze and sow technique. Something tells me this would work. In a week, the frozen seeds are gonna go into pots. Let's see.
Wow! Cockatiels! I really wanna have them, coz they're the meekest ones among all parrots and notorious for their whistling ability.
Awwww, so nice of you. I too pray that I get my AG soon. Alex - the African Grey was my inspiration (of course I wouldn't love my future AG less even if (s)he doesn't talk well).
Birds are real fun, Gail. Especially for a person like me who's afraid of cats and dogs [don't laugh :D], birds are cool.
Thank you, Gail. I seriously hope my next attempt of freeze and sow works out.
Thank you, Wayne :)
Growing strawberries from seeds sounds challenging to me, and I live where strawberries grow fine. I would start with plants, but you probably don't have access to plants. So, keep trying with the seeds, and maybe you will get them to grow. I imagine I would have to try several times to get them to grow.
As for the birds, yours look like they could keep you busy.
Lucky you, Sue! :D Yea, I don't have access to strawberries in the state I live in, so I gotta try these seeds out. As mentioned, I'm freezing the seeds for 2 wks. and let's see what I come up with.
Oh yea, they keep me pretty busy. Lil' rowdies, that they are!
I wish you luck with the strawberries. I grew up in Burma, practically next door to you, and I have fond childhood memories of strawberries, those rarest of rare fruits in the marketplace...
simply beautifully captured shots...lovely!
hey mo, did u try the recipe for the berries???
lostlandscape: Thank you :) I wish I become fortunate enough to grow those rarest fruits!
Welcome to Plantville, flyingstars. Glad you liked them. Thank you :)
You mean the freeze and sow thingy? Yea, The seeds are in our freezer and would go into pot next week. I seriously pray it works out this time, ve.
I wish you luck on your future attempts at growing these delicious berries.
I have tried to grow several plants which did not 'take' in this garden...so, now I only grow ones which like being with me. It makes my life simpler :)
I like all your plants and your little bird :)
Come and see my butterfly videos...
http://ourlittlecornerofparadise.blogspot.com/2009/09/blog-post.html
Keep trying germinating these elusive strawberry. Who knows what will happen after a couple of attempts. ~bangchik
hi,
If you have any friends/ relatives nearabout Pune , you can try to get them to send you strawberry runners from Mahabaleshwar or Panchgani. Admittedly a tall order but as you are really keen you can try. I have seen the strawberry farms there and they also market their produce through MAPRO.Umm, delicious....
never mind. As an English person living in Italy i also frequently try to grow things which won't come through for me. It's frustrating, but teaches you that nature will always win. Comforting in these times ...
Chandramouli....I hope every thing's fine. Congratulations on your Blotanical nomination! All the best:-)
One of the advantages
of not having groupies
is that all the energy
is placed in the garden,
reading, researching.
Thus avoiding bloggers
block.
Another is to visit blogs
to see if one keeps it original
in terms of the plant collection
and the wider scheme of ecology
environment issues.
A garden means nothing otherwise.
Another month withot
art and life?
Hi Chandramouli...I always enjoy the stories you tell with your lovely writing. Hope you are well!
Hello Chandramouli...I miss you and your stories.
I wish you all well and happy Diwali.
Greating and all the best from Tyra
I wish the bird could talk and say something nice... ~bangchik
If you have been
kidnapped I am willing
to offer some of my
ONE HUNDRED COLLECTION
CLUB, for ransom.
And perhaps, some
of my dispersed
fans in the five continents
will be willing to have
this blog back.
Greetings,
I just found your blog and am enjoying your postings of plants. I visited India in 2000 and was fascinated by the vast variety of plants and the uses of flowers in everyday life. I look forward to reading your postings. And if you want to see my garden, check me out at jimlongsgarden.blogspot.com. It's fun to see what plants catch your eye and I will be happy to hear about your adventures with strawberries. Jim Long
What a delightful post! You have officially written my first "ode to a strawberry"....
What can I say?
After six thousand hits..
Where are you?
I noticed a change in format
but no posts? How much
is the ransom?
Please check my latest post at http://zindagi-traume.blogspot.com/
It would be great if you can be a part of Indian Maali
http://indianmaali.ning.com/
Hi Guys, sorry for the really late reply, but I wanted to just take a pause from blogging and doing it in between somehow wouldn't give me that break and that's why I held myself from even replying. Hope you guys understand. I'm back now and back in full gear, not like last time.
Thank you, Racquel. I'm gonna work on the berries again. They're waiting in the refrigerator to be sown anytime soon.
Wildlife Gardener: Thank you :)
Bangchik and Kakdah: Thanks a ton. I'm definitely gonna try it again. Not gonna give, even if it's until when I gotta garden with a cane in hand.
Arundati: Thank you for the suggestion, but the thing is, the desire to grow them from seed has become strong now. More because my sister got those seeds for me. Hope you like your stay here.
Sue: That's true in a way, but Strawberries do grow well here, I'm trying still.
Kanak: Hi there! Everything's fine. I just needed a vacation and long break. A nomination in BLOTANICAL? Seriously! Damn, I should have read your comment the day you posted it. I'm headed over to blotanical. Damn me for not reading my mails properly!
Antigonum Cajan: You're so totally right man! I'm not gonna let that happen. Thank you so much and it was oh so sweet about the ransom. I was touched. It feels great to know that there's someone out there who cares about your blog and that makes me feel special. I'm not gonna go back into that cocoon again... Thank you once again.
Jim Long: Glad you liked my blog. Sorry for not being a good host by not replying immediately. I'm headed over to yours.
CrazyaboutbeingCrazy: Hi there! I'm back and fresh! I'm doing great. How's your garden comin' along?
Zindagi: I sure will be. Thank you :)
Well, than you Tim. I'm flattered. I'm not poet :D
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