How I saved a tree
There was a huge mango tree in my grandma’s village that had never yielded any fruit. My uncle had planted the seed and looked after it but, when he went away to college, there was no one to care for it. The few flowers that appeared withered away. Now my grandma planned to cut it down. But I was determined to save it.
I spoke to the owner of a mango farm in the village. He visited our home and found that not only was the soil not fertile but it was also infested with pests. So with my uncle’s help, we added fertilizers and worked to eliminate the pests.
Soon the tree started looking healthier. In the summer, the tree flowered and soon small mangoes began to appear. When they ripened the fruit was very sweet. My grandma said that it was the banganapalli variety. Everyone was very happy that they hadn’t cut the tree.
Ritiyaa BG Std VII
Passion for the neem
My friends often wonder what I do with the neem seeds or fruits that I collect from the streets of Coimbatore. I bring them home and pamper them into saplings.
I will never forget the growth of one particular tree. I had picked up a dozen fruits in my neighborhood and buried most of the seeds in the central park of my apartment.
I brought a few home, as I wanted to see how quickly they would grow and if propagation is possible in small, limited spaces. I planted two seeds in a pot, added some manure and watered them regularly. I kept the pot in sunlight and saplings sprouted within three weeks.
Is it not time to plant a Neem tree in your vicinity or home today? It requires only minimal maintenance and can withstand harsh weather conditions.
Navaneethan, XI D
My own mango tree
I once wanted to watch a seed grow into a tree. So, I decided to plant the seed of the mango, as it is my favourite fruit. I watered it every day and and waited patiently till the seed sprouted and grew into a small plant. Every day I would sit and talk to it. People made fun of me but I didn’t care. I would watch the ants that were attracted by my tree and be happy that my plant was home to so many other organisms. Finally came the big day when my tree started to bear fruits. I still remember the day I had my first fruit from my plant. It was so tasty that I will never forget it.
S Dhanyapriya, XI D
Going bananas
My favourite fruit is banana. One day I told my mother that I wished to grow a banana tree by myself. She agreed to me get a sapling only if I would take good care of it. When I promised to do so, she brought a vazhakannu, as we call it Tamil.
The banana flower and fruit
My dad and I planted it with great care. Every day, I watered the sapling and watched as it grew into a tree. In a few days, I saw a conical flower on the tree. My mother said that it would open up in layers revealing layers of fruits. The ripe fruit was as sweet and flavourful as I dreamt. I now wish to find a sapling next to my tree. Only time will tell if that will happen.
S Shanmuga Kannan Std VII
Buji and I
Two years ago, when I entered our newly constructed house, I felt something was missing. After some thought, I realised what was it and asked my parents to get some seeds. Instead, they bought me a small neem sapling.
While planting it, I visualised how the small sapling would grow into a large tree and give shelter to many birds. I thought of the veppampoo pachadi that my mother made. I named my tree Buji and watered it every day. Initially, the tree didn’t grow and I was a little disappointed but, after six months, it was almost as tall as me. Whenever I want to check if the tree is grown, I compare it with my height.
Whenever, I feel sad or lonely, I sit under Buji and listen to songs. Early in the morning, when I look out of my window, I see a lot of small birds sitting on Buji and chirping. Today, even though, I have many other trees a home, Buji is special. It has grown along with me and I have seen the different stages of its life.
S Nesavalli, XI D
