Pushhpaani

[Guest guest]

Dear Group,

If you're like me and enjoy offering marigolds to Ma Kali, then here is an idea

that you may or may not like to avail yourself of.

You've probably already noticed this, but it took me a long while to find out

myself, so I'll share it just in case any of

you are like I was and haven't yet discovered it.

It's nothing much really. Here it is:

Holding the calyx of a marigold flower firmly with one hand (to prevent the

whole plant being uprooted as you pull), grasp all (or some if you don't want

all) of the petals with your other hand and pull them out. It helps to wiggle

as you pull. You now have loose petals that you can offer.

What is so special about this? Well, by this method, all the seeds stay intact

in the calyx (which remains on the plant) and can mature fully. This result of

this is that you have more viable seeds to use in cultivating more and more

(and more) marigolds.

If you already have access to an enormous abundance of marigolds, then this

advice will seem irrelevant. But for those of you who desire to grow more than

you currently have, I hope that this helps.

I really love marigolds for offering to Ma Kali. I regard them as second only to

red hibiscus and dhatura flowers. Some varieties of marigold have petals that

are nearly all dark red on one side. These are my favoured ones. But I offer

the yellow and the light yellow also. I also offer geranium/pelargonium petals.

These come in some nice red varieties too.

Jai Ma Kali!!!

Loladas