Recently, I noticed that one of our small rudraksha trees had vines growing on it. So I went over to the tree and started to remove the vine. At first I was feeling rushed and anxious to remove the vine and I was just trying to get the job done. But then I remembered that Amma said that each one of the rudraksha trees is her. I slowed down and began to carefully remove each vine, so as not to damage any of the rudraksha leaves in the process.
Suddenly, out of my heart I told the rudraksha, “I am your mother.” And the tree responded back in my heart that she is my mother. And I was very surprised and said, “no I am your mother!” and again the tree answered in my heart saying, “I am your mother.” Then I realized how we are actually mothering each other. And the tree then whispered, “I will always give you rain.” In that moment a soft, gentle rain began to fall. And tears also fell from my eyes and I whispered back that “I will always give you my tears.” If only I could carry this feeling with me in everything that I do.
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“Nature is a mystery to us. Many ayurvedic herbs and plants look to us like useless weeds. Out of ignorance we destroy them. But a knowledgeable ayurvedic physician knows how useful and significant they are.” -Amma
What are weeds and what can they tell us?
We commonly think of weeds as unwanted invaders of our lawn and gardens. They tend to show up where we least want them. In truth, weeds are plants with abundant good qualities and provide us with useful information. By observing weeds, they can help us see the unseen.
Weeds are Nature’s soil protectors, (2).
Weeds are fast plants. They get established fast, grow fast, and put out seeds fast. This speed gives them the ability to cover bare soils with immediacy. They are like band aids. They protect bare soil from water evaporation, erosion and irradiation from the sun, (2). They bring quick repair to damaged soils, initiating regrowth and restoration. So, if you see a bunch of weeds covering the ground you might just wonder what happened there? And what is happening there now? You may want to let them be.
Weeds are hardy and can often survive where other plants cannot. This hardiness imbues weeds with a lot of strength; hence they have qualities that in turn strengthen us when we ingest them or use them on our bodies. Not only Ayurvedic and Naturopathic doctors understand the value of weeds, but gardeners have learned to make use of these sturdy growers as well. By observing both the plant structure and the community of plants growing in an area we can learn many useful things from weeds.
Listen with your eyes.
If you look closely at the shape, texture or appearance of the leaves of weeds, they can indicate how to use the plant. For instance, Mullen has broad, long, fuzzy leaves that look like lungs. A tea made out of the leaves is good for coughs, asthma and congestion. It was also used to treat tuberculosis in the 18th century. If it was given early on in the disease it was known to bring about full recovery, (1). Today it has been found scientifically to have saponins that act as an expectorant. It also has antibacterial properties, (1).
Plantain on the other hand, has a leaf structure that has long veins. Sometimes the leaves even look like the hood of a snake about to bite! Plantain is indicated for immediately addressing snake bites until you are able to get an antivenom. Plantain is in general good for most skin problems such bee stings, small wounds and itching; it pulls poisons out of the skin as these long veins imply. Just make a spit poultice. Pluck a leaf, chew it up for a bit and apply it to the wound or affected area. These visual cues help us remember the medicinal value inherent in these mysterious plants.
Weeds also help us understand soil.
If we observe the species of weeds that grow in an area, it can tell us about the soil conditions. We only see the soil’s surface but there is a vast invisible universe underneath. Weeds give us information about that unseen world. It can tell us about the microbial populations, soil structure and pH underground. For instance, a large population of low-lying weeds indicate a bacterially dominated soil population. Hence, the soil will have a higher pH and be more alkaline due to the bacterial secretions.
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Gardeners have long studied weeds as a means of understanding soil conditions. They take into consideration the underground factors that make it easy for those weeds to grow.
Weeds can point to the structure of the soil; is it compacted, dry or soggy. I remember a patch of horsetail growing on one edge of an ornamental bed where I was working as a gardener. I wondered why it was there. At some point, I saw some more growing in a drainage ditch nearby and then the thought came to me, “of course it would grow there. It likes soggy wet soil, so that patch on the edge of the bed must be soggy too.”
Tall grassy weeds can indicate a mix of bacteria and fungi in the soil and a more neutral pH. Conversely, a lack of weeds can indicate fertile soil with a higher fungal content.
Further investigation into the weed species present can help us make decisions about how to amend the soil, so we can better grow in that area. Soggy areas will need drainage. Dry areas will need creative earthworks such as swales and mulch. For the purposes of determining soil health, close observation over time is needed. Weeds that grow in large numbers over a long period of time are the best indicators of soil conditions.
Below are some examples of weeds and the soil conditions they indicate, (3).
Weeds that indicate dry depleted soils: Plantain can do well in disturbed soil that is dry and lacking in nutrients. Heavy clay may also be present.
Weeds that indicate soil compaction: Foxtail, and fall panicum, which are grassy weeds multiply in soil that is compacted, has poor structure, and is dry.
Weeds that indicate soggy soil: Yellow Dock and goldenrod grow best in wet, poorly drained soil, and near swampy areas. Horsetail, shown way above, also grows in poorly drained acidic soils.
Whether we are a doctor, a gardener or if we just like to walk in nature, learning to read weeds can help us to better understand how to interact with our environment for our mutual benefit.
References
Health benefit Times, 2021, Health Benefits of Great Mullin, accessed Apr. 25, 2021, www.healthbenefitstimes.com
Walker, John, 2016, How Weeds Heal Bare Soil. Nov. 4, 2016, The Guardian, accessed Oct. 16, 2020 https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2016/nov/04/how-weeds-heal-bare-soil
Walters, Charles, 2020, What Weeds Tell Us About Soil, Eco Farming Daily, accessed Aug.12.2020 https://www.ecofarmingdaily.com/eco-farming-index/weeds-and-your-soil/
Medical Disclaimer No Amritaculture article, video, blog, post or comment should be considered health advice. You are responsible for consulting a medical professional before trying any new foods, herbs, weeds mentioned in the course or any related forum. We are educators, not doctors. Plant information is shared to increase your awareness and not to treat, diagnose, or be used as medical advice.
Summer is right around the corner. Without a doubt, everyone wants to grow tomatoes. They are a delicious addition to any meal.
Tomatoes are easy to grow, even if you neglect them a bit. They are originally from the Andes Mountains in South America, where they have hundreds of varieties and can even be considered a weed. They are part of the nightshade family, as are peppers and eggplants.
A very important reason to grow them is they are on the list of the Environmental Working Group. This group compiles a list of fruits and vegetables with the highest levels of pesticide residue. Cherry tomatoes are on the top dirty dozen list. Therefore, either you should grow your own or buy organic.
They are easy to grow and, even if neglected, you will still get a harvest, though it may not be the largest harvest crop. But imagine if a little care is given? Well, then you’ll get a bumper crop and delicious-tasting tomatoes.
Growing Requirements
Tomatoes need a lot of sun!
They are a warm season crop that can’t be put outside until the soil has warmed up to at least 55° and the night temperatures don’t fall lower than 45°F; if the temperatures fall below this, they should be protected with cloths, sheets or garden blankets. Otherwise, they can easily get shriveled up and frost burned. Many times, I see the transplants being sold early in the season at nurseries; people quickly snatch them up on a nice warm day, forgetting that at night it could easily drop to high 30°F.
Tomatoes need lots of sun with a minimum of eight hours. They require well-drained soil, ideally with lots of organic matter. They will not tolerate wet feet, as the plant will rot. I have observed that, the richer the soil in organic matter, the larger production they yield and the tastier they are. The highest yields usually come from loam and clay soil. If you have sandy soil receiving southern exposure, these will produce the earliest tomatoes in the season, as they will drain quickly, and the soil will warm up early.
Tomatoes are very tolerant of slightly acid soils and will do fine with a low pH of 5.5. Higher pH will facilitate more minerals and nutrients to be readily available for absorption by the plant, so it is best to keep the pH at 6.5. Tomatoes also do well on slopes, provided they get consistent moisture; otherwise, they will develop blossom end rot.
Types of Tomatoes
Before you plant, it’s important to decide what type of tomato you like. They come in various sizes, shapes and colors.
What are your favorite kinds of tomatoes?
Do you like the large tomatoes, called beefsteak, which tend to be more watery, less meaty and grow round or oblong and are larger? (It’s clear a meat-eating person named them this way). I will call them large juicy tomatoes from now on. Upon slicing them, they can easily spread across your sandwich. These tend to weigh around a pound or more. The larger the fruit gets, the more prone to cracks. These are the varieties that take the longest to ripen.
Do you prefer those that have more pulp, are pear-shaped, have very little seeds and are often used to make sauce? These are called plum tomatoes. Used a lot in sauces, they have less juice and are usually mid-summer producing.
There are also more recent varieties, called grape tomatoes, which are more flavorful than cherry tomatoes.
They come in yellow, pink, red, orange, and various other colors that are definitely worth trying. The advantage for home gardeners is that the many varieties out there can be tried, even if one per season. The best is to grow several varieties that ripen at different times from early to late season.
Or is your preference to use the small cherry tomatoes, with no fuss, and for which you can avoid all those pesticides?
Another factor that will influence your decision is the space available to you. The height of tomatoes can be from two feet to eight or more feet. It all depends on the particular type you grow and how long your growing season is.
Three basic kinds: Determinate, Intermediate and Indeterminate Tomatoes
Tomatoes on a vine
Determinates are those that stop growing at a particular point. These do not need pruning, they usually are no taller than three feet and produce a smaller yield but can be sufficient for small spaces and containers, or varieties that are specially made for sauces. Once they stop growing, they will begin to flower and all the fruit comes in at once. These are ideal for those who want to can tomatoes and don’t want to have the season stretched out over a long period of time. If you plant the small varieties in containers, just be aware they can dry out quickly. Therefore, regular watering is a must.
Intermediate and indeterminate will grow from four to eight or more feet; they need pruning and can be staked or left to grow on the ground.
Staking versus Non-Staking
If staked and pruned, the fruit will be less susceptible to diseases; sometimes they say the yield may be slightly reduced but the fruit will be larger. My experience is that the staking or cages may reduce the yield some, but not the pruning.
The staking or use of cages and pruning may delay the fruiting stage by a week or so. When staked or caged, they are more susceptible to blossom end rot and sunscald. If you allow them to spread on the ground, then you run into disease problems, as the fruit will develop against the soil and is thus more likely to get disease. Therefore, straw mulch is essential to help prevent this problem. Also, animals like slugs can easily reach the fruit on the ground.
They are also more susceptible to other diseases, as air circulation is minimal and funguses can easily develop.
It is almost impossible to prune them on the ground and your overall yields will be less, as more energy will go into the actual plant and leaf production versus fruit production. It will be hard to see or find fruit if the plant is left to spread on the ground.
If allowed to grow, they will continue to do so until frost hits them or the plant gets diseased and dies. Once they start to produce, you will see the various fruits at different stages of development, from flowering to having fully ripe fruit all in the same plant.
Bloom Length
Another decision that has to be made is the length of time to harvest, which is dependent on bloom time. There are early bloomers, – from 40 to 60 days, mid-summer bloomers, – from 60 to 80 days and late summer bloomers, – from 80 days on. These correspond to the dates to harvest that the packages mention. The dates to harvest will range from 50 days to 90 days. This is the necessary time that the temperature must be warm above 45°F but ideally in the 60’s or warmer. The warmer the better, as the fruit will ripen faster on the vine and taste better.
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