Manathakkali - Black Nightshade

Hey Guys,

Any plant lovers here had luck finding this here? I asked Lowes, home depot and they had no idea..

I love this very much... peechhhh help me

Hi Nandhu,

I remember planting one dry piece of mathakali that I brought back from my India visit. The plants had started growing like weeds all over. Over the years,needed to keep removing them, leaving just one. If you have dry ones, try planting. The plant is very easy to grow.

hello nandu

you can try the manatakkali vathal for seeds
some of them are pretty ripe when made into vathals
they do germinate well
i have tried it...
so if you have vathals
give it a try
good luck

sathya

Hi Nandhu,

Me too..love manathakkali..especially fried in vetra kuzhambu or just fried and mixed with rice and ghee..yummy !!

Being in NJ, I believe, some Indian grocery shops do sell them..right?


Hi Usha and Sathya,

I do have manathakali seeds (dry) that I got from Chennai. So, do you mean if I plant them, they will germinate??

Any special care to be taken while planting?

Cheers
Krithika

Originally Posted by Jithiks

Hi Nandhu,


Hi Usha and Sathya,

I do have manathakali seeds (dry) that I got from Chennai. So, do you mean if I plant them, they will germinate??

Any special care to be taken while planting?

Cheers
Krithika

Hi Krithika

That is how I started mine several years ago and I keep seeing volunteer plants in the yard even after removing them constantly.

It is the easiest plant to grow, no special care needed.

One of my friends who moved here from NJ even said that she used to get these plants like weeds while she was there.

Interesting Usha...sure will try them soon since the weather is hot nowadays...

Thanks for the information !

Cheers
Krithika

Thanks guys..

I thought vathal means all gone, you can just eat it.. and not germinate.. NOw, I will give it a try..



Yes Krithika.. we get these vathals all over the place.. just not the plant

Very interesting ladies.. Thanks for the info..

hello

here in india
it just grows like a weed...
i collect seeds
and tiny plants
and try getting a patch of just manatakkali
(yes it is possible with the vathal that is soaked in curd and salt but use little at a time...why waste if it is the variety that has been plucked early and will not grow?)

my garden has about eight varieties of greens
``green revolution for sure...''

manatakkali
ponnanganni red
ponnanganni white(its not white but they call it white...its just green with large leaves)
drumstick
ceylon pasalai (its longish obovate...sort of egg shaped)
usual pasalai (the trails of heart shaped green leaves)
kuppai keerai (only the name is kuppai the iron content is heavy and once cooked tastes yummy )
kachakatta leaf (also called lajjakattai and is good for gas problems...we had a huge tree but this fell with the rains last season ...a small plant is just coming up)
the usual mulakkeerai or the 6 months thandu keerai does come if i sow the seeds the month of ADI due in a few days to come perhaps the best time to sow the seeds...)

onnu ketta onbathu solreno?

sathya

fuming with poraamai.. Smoke coming out of my ears..

To have one greens, got to find this and that here.. But sathyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa u have so many different types...

(1) ponnanganni red and white- English name please.. may be I will try to find it here
(2) drumstick - I love this plant.. Hope someone finds bonsai type for this then I can enjoy its leaves at least.
(2) All these pasalai, is that called spinach?
(3) Peech this kuppai(meni?) keerai let me know, english name. I have low hemoglobin my doc says.. and may be this might help..
(4) Never heard about this one - kachakatta leaf (also called lajjakattai)
(5) Mulai keerai and Thandu keerai, Is that the one with purple veins? I see one such in indian stores.. I buy and cook them, but dont remember the name though