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Home > Sunday Mid Day News > What are your plants having for lunch

What are your plants having for lunch?

Updated on: 02 February,2020 05:00 AM IST  | 

If you are an urban gardener and donu2019t have time to spend copious hours tending to your plants, an entrepreneur has a solution for you

What are your plants having for lunch?

When Sana Shakoor and Divya Batra launched Nomada in 2014, they were clear that theyu2019d focus on accessories. u201c There were enough players in the clothing segment.


The bags draw inspiration from cultures, and elements of folklore. Parrots and toucans are prominent motifs. Bags with the cobalt- blue evil eye, inspired by the bazaars of Istanbul, are a hit. Meanwhile, the entrepreneurs are now working with artisans from Dharavi, and hold workshops for underprivileged women as a way of giving back. u201c As a primarily women- led organisation, we think itu2019s essential to help women support,u201d Shakoor says.



BORN into a family of avid gardeners, entrepreneur- blogger- TEDx speaker Vinayak Garg cherished memories around plants. But, with his parents ageing and him being caught up with the daily hustle, his greens seemed to miss the care they required. Delhi- based Garg decided he would provide a simple solution that would keep the plants healthy without his parents labouring over them. After research that lasted two years, he launched The Plant Food Stick in June 2019.


The ventureu2019s plant food sticks are an innovative approach to feed plants. The correct nutrition, using natural minerals, are packed in what looks like a green pet treat. u201c The sticks, when inserted into pots, release a blend of macro and micronutrients to augment a host of plant growth processes like photosynthesis, pigment production, growth of lush foliage and vivid flowers and fruits. This is done gradually over two months, following which the sticks can be replaced,u201d Garg claims. Green- Stix, he says, are for lush green foliage and BloomStix for fruits and flowers. The sticks need to be inserted into pots with moist soil, evenly in a circle around the plant. Garg suggests one stick for a four- inch pot, two for six- inches and so on.

COST: R 550 ( GreenStix), R 600 ( BloomStix) lazygardener. in prutha. bhosle@ mid- day. com Ikattha stays true to its name for being a collective space for artists to examine their processes, and for audiences to engage with artwork intimately. Illesha Khandelwal, 24, an interdisciplinary artist and founder of the Apollo Bunder studio, says, u201c We can create better when we collaborate rather than compete. We built the space togetheru2014 painters, writers, musicians, and a bunch of incredible people.

We donu2019t have rigid notions about what should be considered art.u201d Ikattha has hosted music gigs, art exhibitions, screenings, and their flagship Full Moon Gatherings.

u201c Weu2019ve done a couple of interactive projects too, including a life drawing session, which is a rare event outside of a college setting. A nude model posed for the participating artists. It was a new experience for a lot of people who donu2019t get the chance to draw the human body,u201d said Khandelwal. Ikattha wants to shift the conversation by providing upcoming artists with a platform to display their art. It works on a membership model to sustain itself where you pay to access the studio and its facilities.

Come together for art Prutha Bhosle www. ikattha.

space; collective@ ikattha. space FRE Vinayak Garg PIC/ JESSICA KILBANE

Hell hath no fury like a woman informed A video platform is reshaping and prioritising content according to what the young, Indian woman wants to, and needs to, know sex, menstrual cups, the # MeToo movement, PCOD , and abortion laws. Difficult subjects, all addressed by Vitamin Stree through its videos. Launched in 2019, the Mumbai- based venture wants to increase access to information for young, urban Indian women.

u201c We must better their access to information,u201d says Padmini Vaidyanathan, editor and creative head. You can look forward to a mix of objective analysis, detailed research, and inspirational storytelling.

We liked Birth Control & Chill, a video that lists the contraception options available to a young, sexually active woman in India today.

Bollywood with the firangi twist American musical sensation Beyoncu00e9 moving to Shava shava from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, and Maroon 5 lead Adam Levine crooning Ae dil hai mushkilu2019s title track are just two of the several, hilarious mashups on Qualitea Postsu2019 Instagram page. The bio reads u201c twerking the shit out of patriarchyu201d and it sets the right tone for the year- old page. It has been created by 20- year- old Semi F. He is a high school graduate and an editor by passion. He started editing at age 12 and hasnu2019t looked back and has 120k followers. The Macedonian native, who now lives in Germany, is a self- confessed Bollywood enthusiast. u201c I wasnu2019t expecting my work to reach such a huge audience and to receive the kind of positive feedback I have.

The fact is that I am a big fan of Bollywood and Hollywood. Juxtaposing both is always a delight to watch and fun to do because you suddenly realise that they have a lot in common,u201d gushes Semi.

When decades of training is tested in two secondsu2014 on a basketball court on the NBA stage, with thousands of fans of the opposite side waiting for you to miss; a good player standing between you and the rim; journalists waiting for you to make history in either your victory or failure; an entire teamu2019s season depending on youu2014 your ace lies not ( only) in what your body can do, but how your mind responds to the pressure. And, while we may not all have the high stakes life of LeBron James, we have our own championship matches and high- pressure moments.

As you enter 2020 with a new set of goals, arm yourself with mental toolsu2014 how to remain focused, control your emotions and think like a championu2014 that LeBron shares in a special five- episode masterclass on the Calm meditation app. He doesnu2019t make you meditate, but by listening to him, you understand how you can best prepare for your goals.

Android and iStore COST: R 790 ( per month) Because Le Bronu2019s got your back Curated by Gitanjali Chandrasekharan, Anju Maskeri and P Vatsalya PIC/ GETTY IMAGES PLUG IN PLUG OUT

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