Tulasi care: please help

[Sunanda]

haribol!

My parents in law gave me a Tulasi plant and since She's here, i notice she's loosing some leafs and get dry.

I think maybe i gave Her too much water. I've read soem topics about it on the net, but i'd like to have advice from devotees here.

 

I live in France, and the winter is coming. This evening i'm going to buy a artificial light for plants to give Her a artificial Sun bathing. Can i keep her under this lamp day and night in the beginning to strenghten Her or is it important for Her to follow the natural cycle of day and night ? i have no idea.

 

Also, for 3 days, i didn't gave her water, but i'm thinking to resume soon, with just 3 drops a day from the acamana cup.

 

Any advice to give her more vital force is welcome

 

Thanks !

Sunanda

[Avinash]

Tulsi plant needs natural sunlight; artificial will not work. You must give it water daily. Three drops a day is too little; you must give more.

[stonehearted]

My advice is based on almost 39 years' experience taking care of Tulasi-devi. I started in Honolulu in March of 1970. I was appointed by Goursundar and Govinda dasi to take care of the first Tulasis almost as soon as she sprouted. In other words, I'm the first person to care for Tulasi in ISKCON. This is not to toot my own horn, but to give you some idea of my experience.

 

Unless you're in the south of France, putting Tulasi outside in the winter is not an option. It will be too cold much of the time, and the days will be too short. If you have grow-lights, the kind folks who grow cannabis use, she should get ample light if you give her 12 hours or so a day. (I don't really have a lot of experience taking care of Tulasi in really cold places; I've lived in Hawaii and Southern California almost all my adult life. But this is pretty much what I've heard from those in cold climates.) If she doesn't do well, or if she's just too pale, you could consider giving her more light.

 

If she's potted and indoors, I wouldn't soak her soil every day. Soak it when it get pretty dry, maybe every second (or third) day. (But not longer.) Offer a couple of drops on the other days as part of your worship.

 

This is key: Give her proper nourishment. Replenish the nutrients in the soil regularly (every week or two) with a good all-purpose fertilizer. Organic fertilizers should be your first choice, but if you can only get something like

Miracle-Grow, then do use that.

 

Tulasi-devi has the form of a plant; service to her needs to meet her practical needs.

[suchandra]

 

My advice is based on almost 39 years' experience taking care of Tulasi-devi. I started in Honolulu in March of 1970. I was appointed by Goursundar and Govinda dasi to take care of the first Tulasis almost as soon as she sprouted. In other words, I'm the first person to care for Tulasi in ISKCON. This is not to toot my own horn, but to give you some idea of my experience.

 

Unless you're in the south of France, putting Tulasi outside in the winter is not an option. It will be too cold much of the time, and the days will be too short. If you have grow-lights, the kind folks who grow cannabis use, she should get ample light if you give her 12 hours or so a day. (I don't really have a lot of experience taking care of Tulasi in really cold places; I've lived in Hawaii and Southern California almost all my adult life. But this is pretty much what I've heard from those in cold climates.) If she doesn't do well, or if she's just too pale, you could consider giving her more light.

 

If she's potted and indoors, I wouldn't soak her soil every day. Soak it when it get pretty dry, maybe every second (or third) day. (But not longer.) Offer a couple of drops on the other days as part of your worship.

 

This is key: Give her proper nourishment. Replenish the nutrients in the soil regularly (every week or two) with a good all-purpose fertilizer. Organic fertilizers should be your first choice, but if you can only get something like

Miracle-Grow, then do use that.

 

Tulasi-devi has the form of a plant; service to her needs to meet her practical needs.

The lights must be special indoor full spectrum plant tubes, not just ordinary white fluorescent tube. The plant lights are effective only within a 6" radius, after which they drop to a potency of 0. Because of this, Tulasis that are grown indoors become "leggy", with long stems, thin stalks, only a few leaves, and a clump of leaves at the top, near the light. Because the lights have such a short range of feet, the leaves receive no real juice, and therefore fade and fall off. The result is a weak and top heavy Tulasi. To alleviate the situation, place one set of fixtures over Her (as close as possible as She will not be burnt unless actually touching for a period of time), and then bank two more fixtures, one on each side, giving you a total of 3 fixtures, totaling at least 6 tubes. If done in this way, there will be a complete aura of light around Her. Foil can then be used to provide a hood, catching all the reflected light and focusing it on Her. Set the lights on some sort of pulley or adjustable chain affair, and in this way the lights can be raised as She grows. Please, no sun lamps.

source:

http://www.harekrsna.com/practice/sadhana/morning/tulasi-arati/care.htm#1

[stonehearted]

Advice from Ishanah's booklet. Excellent! I've noticed that here in Alachua, Florida the Tulasis are all under some greenhouse stuff; they aren't allowed any direct sunlight for some reason. I haven't asked the lady in charge of Tulasi about it, but I've heard Mainland devotees worry about how dark Tulasi gets if she's put in the sun. Guess what? That's the way she's supposed to be.

 

When I met my wife almost 35 years ago, she was taking care of Tulasi in San Diego. She had her under grow-lights (it was winter in San Diego), and Tulasi looked fabulous. These were the healthiest Tulasis I had seen since leaving Hawaii. Maybe that's how it all happened . . .

[Sunanda]

thank you very much for your kind replies.

i'm finally getting a lamp this evening, because though some tells to avoid this kind of light, i just have no choice as there is not too much sun in winter here and my Tulasi is getting dry.

 

I just hope she will survive !!

LOVE

[Kulapavana]

 

My parents in law gave me a Tulasi plant and since She's here, i notice she's loosing some leafs and get dry.

I think maybe i gave Her too much water.

 

Tulasi roots must dry out once in a while. Maybe once a week. Too much water is not good.

 

What color are the dying leaves? If you see white color on the underside of Her leaves this means you have a pest problem - microscopic white mites will suck the leaves out and leaves will first turn yellow, shrivel and turn brown. They are quite common. You MUST spray some potent natural insecticide to kill these pests - neem oil solution is good but there are other options as well (pyrethrins, nicotine, etc).

[Sunanda]

Haribol,

i've asked some questions about Tulasi care recently.

 

As i live in Bordeaux, France, the winter is coming and there is almost no sunlight. I've both some grow lights, full spectrum and Tulasi is getting light non-stop until 2 days.

 

As the leaves are getting really dry, the ones that as still green seem to be about to fall, sadly hanging from the branchs. I don't know if i should water her or not. The soil is a little wet. I think i watered her too much, giving her 2 glasses of water 2 times in a week. She about 40 centimeters high.

 

So how to know if she need water or if i should wait ? i've both some organic fertilizer that you mix with 1 liter of water but i dn't know if i should use it or not yet.

 

Any advice ?

 

thank you in advance

Sunanda

[suchandra]

 

Haribol,

i've asked some questions about Tulasi care recently.

 

As i live in Bordeaux, France, the winter is coming and there is almost no sunlight. I've both some grow lights, full spectrum and Tulasi is getting light non-stop until 2 days.

 

As the leaves are getting really dry, the ones that as still green seem to be about to fall, sadly hanging from the branchs. I don't know if i should water her or not. The soil is a little wet. I think i watered her too much, giving her 2 glasses of water 2 times in a week. She about 40 centimeters high.

 

So how to know if she need water or if i should wait ? i've both some organic fertilizer that you mix with 1 liter of water but i dn't know if i should use it or not yet.

 

Any advice ?

 

thank you in advance

Sunanda

 

Could you post a photograph of this Tulasi?

[Avinash]

Tulsi needs natural sunlight. Place her in warm, sunny area. Make sure that whenever there is Sun in the sky, Tulsi gets sunlight.

Water her daily. When she grows, she will develop manjaries. When the manjaries dry and become brown, then clip them off with scissors. Do it everytime a manjari dries.

In hot areas, Tulsi can be put outside. But, since you live in cold area, do not put her outside. Therefore, keep her inside and near some window from where she can get sunlight.

If possible, do not put her in a flower pot. But plant her in ground itself. If you need to plant her in a flower pot, then use the flower pot, which has a hole in the bottom to drain excess water.

 

You should water her everyday. Do not put too much of water. Water just enough to make the soil soft. But make sure that you water her daily. To find out how much water to give, you should give her a little water and wait for a few seconds. If you find that the water has been absorbed, then give some more water and again wait a little. When you find that some water puddle is formed at the top of the soil, then do not give any more water. If you are using a water pot, then you can use the same method. Once a week, give her so much water that water starts draining out of the hole in the flower pot. But make sure that there should not be too much of water draining out of the hole. When you find that water has just started coming out of the hole, then stop watering.

 

It will be best if sunlight and water are provided at the same time. You have written that it is winter and there is almost no sunlight. But make sure that Tulsi gets sunlight whenever there is sunlight. Water her at that time. Also water her in the morning before nine.

 

When she is not getting sunlight, then give her light from fluorescent tubes and bulbs. Place some light source above her, close to her but without touching her. Put some light sources around her also. Use specially made full spectrum plant tubes. These are not as good as sunlight, but this is the best you can do in absence of sunlight.

[suchandra]

[Avinash]

Forgot to add.

Tulsi requires less water in cold climate because it does not dry as fast as in hot climate.

[Sunanda]

Thank you all for your answers.

I'm praying Sri Guru and Krsna to please protect my Tulasi Maharani. She getting full spectrum light 24/24 for one week now and i gave her organic fertilizers. I'm looking for this Miracle Gro product that someone kindly adviced me and i will probably try.

 

What is funny is that i bought the lamp and the product in grow shop, the lamp was 100 euros and the product was 6. I said the guy: "well, i take the lamp and this product" he replied:"Actually this one is better and only 2 euros more (so 8 euros)"

I said ok as i understood it was a positive omen because it brought the amount to 108 euros !

 

On a more scientific level, Tulasi is half dry but i have hope she'll get better. Small sprouts are coming of the earth, bringing new Tulasi maharanis here and i carefully put them in another pot.

 

I think i cannot cut the dry branches, because it is an offence and causes her great pain, is that true ?

[Avinash]

You must cut the dry manjaries. But cut only when they have become really completely dried.

If you do not cut dry manjaries, then rest of tulsi plant will dry faster. This will be far worse for her.