Sandalwood Cultivation Guide

Sandalwood is one of the materials being used from centuries and this tree is ever green and  reaches up to 13 to 16 meter height with girth of 100 cm to 200 cm and is variable in habit, usually upright to sprawling. It has cultural importance and commercial/medicinal uses as well. In India, it is also being called as “Chandan” and “Srigandha”. Due to restrictions of growing sandalwood in many states in India, the demand for sandalwood is very high. However, some states in India have lifted the ban on growing sandalwood. Contact your forest/agriculture/horticulture departments for legality of growing the sandalwood in your region. Sandalwood has special place in Indian tradition where it is being used from cradle to cremation. Read more here.

Isabgol Growing Guide

Isabgol is also known as ispaghula or psyllium. Psyllium seed husks are portions of the seeds of the plant Isabgol (Plantago ovata). Isabgol is a short-stemmed medicinal annual herb that grows up to a height of 35 to 40 cm. Isabgol (Plantago ovate forsk) is mainly grown for its seeds. India is top producer of these seeds and Isabgol husk. Isabgol is commercially important Rabi season medicinal crop grown in India. Apart from its husk (The seed coat is known as “husk”) medicinal properties, it is also being used in food industry especially in ice creams, biscuits and candies. This crop is commercially cultivated mainly in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Isabgol can be used in the form of Psyllium Husk, Seed, Ripe Seeds, and Powder. Isabgol is distributed in India, West Asia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Persia, Mexico, and Mediterranean Regions. For more info click here.

Lettuce Growing Information Guide

Lettuce is one of the salad crops grown commercially across the world. Lettuce was grown for centuries and was originated in Asia continent. The demand for salad crops are increasing day by day due to their diet value and medicinal values. In India, it is yet to gain significance in terms of commercial crop cultivation. Lettuce is a leafy vegetable which can be consumed raw. Among all the lettuce varieties, Romaine lettuce variety is famous for its nutrition values. Lettuce is mainly used in food items like wraps, sandwiches apart from using as leafy vegetable. China is top producer of lettuce in the world. Lettuce plant leaves are mainly in the green and red colour spectrums. Lettuce produces smooth, radical, spirally arranged leaves. There are other improved varieties whose colours are available in yellow, gold or blue leaves. When it comes to shape, they have a wide range of shapes and texture from dense head to iceberg type. Lettuce plants can be spread about 15 to 30 cm. Lettuce can be grown in greenhouse, polyhouse and even hydroponically.  Read more about lettuce growing here.