Horticulture expo in Hyderabad a haven for plant enthusiasts

The ninth edition of the popular expo has 120 stalls offering a wide range of indoor and outdoor plants for gardening enthusiasts

Hyderabad: If you are planning some beautiful flowering plants in your nursery, or to set up a small kitchen garden, or looking for some eco-friendly gardening products, the All India Horticulture Agriculture and Nursery Expo at People’s Plaza is the place to be.

Inaugurated on Thursday by Finance Minister T Harish Rao, the five-day expo has everything a garden needs. The ninth edition of the popular expo has 120 stalls offering a wide range of indoor and outdoor plants for gardening enthusiasts. From bonsai costing up to lakhs and ornamental flowering plants to vegetable seeds for farming, succulents, cacti, medicinal plants and various bulbs, the list goes on.

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Nurseries taking part in the expo are not just from Telangana, but include many from Kadiam, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Haryana and Faridabad. Exotic plants from mountainous regions are also available.

Effortless and classy succulents

Succulent plants have gained much popularity over the last few years. Not only are these easy to maintain, but are also effortless to propagate and are not affected by seasonal changes. Promoting succulents as gifts, Shell Jhanb from Faridabad, the owner of PotsNmore, says succulents are ‘brilliant’.

“They need zero maintenance and can be made simply by cutting leaves or branches and planting them in some soil. So, we are selling ‘succulents bouquet’, planted in pots that we design ourselves. Rather than giving flowers to a loved one, give these,” he says.

The pots in the stall, however, are not your usual cup-like designs. “As we want more people to gift the plants, we don’t want them to be in the usual, boring pots. Thus we have pots in the shape of a car, or small Smiling Buddhas and even dolls,” he adds.

Go organic

Organic products are always in much demand. Supporting the cause, Sameera and Numan, owners of Mitraa Organics, are selling organic sesame seeds, groundnuts, cashew nuts, rice and other products at the expo. “My father has a farm in East Godavari and all the products are from there,” shares Sameera. She adds, “We use nothing but natural fertilizers in our farm.”

But what is attracting several people to the stall is their vermicompost. “Many people don’t know which and how much fertilizer to use while planting a tree. The various components, such as coco peat and cow dung should be used in a certain quantity to help the plant grow. Hence, we came up with our own vermicompost, which has the right quantity of everything you need,” shares Sameera.

Eco-friendly gardens

Several people use plastic pots while setting up small terrace or balcony gardens. Giving people an alternative, Oncorp Agro Solution is selling ecofriendly coil pots and baskets made from coconut fiber.

You can find pots in several shapes and sizes in their stall. “Compared to normal pots, these coco pots and baskets have greater water retention capacity when used with coco peat. Each pot can last for about three years. Unlike plastic, these are eco-friendly and can be disposed of easily,” says B. Pradeep Varma.

They also have a range of seeds, plant growth supplements, soil application and pest control. “All our products are organic. We ensure that garden owners in urban markets and farmers in rural segments, both, get the best organic products,” adds Varma.

A unique Plantbox

To ensure your plants stay well hydrated when you are away on vacation, Rahul, Director of Green Now, has designed a ‘Plantbox’.

“The Plantbox is a round 20-inch-wide container crafted from polypropylene. Rainwater and condensation collect in the chamber where water gets trapped. A wick goes into the ground beneath the box, slowly dripping water to the plant’s root system every day. So, you don’t have to worry about your plants while you are on the vacation,” explains Rahul.

The box can take up to 10 litres of water at a time and last for around 25-30 days. It can be used in farms as well. “In farms the box can be planted next to the sapling. As the plant grows, its roots reach deeper and deeper in the ground, eventually finding their own water source. Once this happens, the box can be removed and reused.”

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