Category: diy

Herbal home remedies for dandruff, you can try.

5 Herbal home remedies for dandruff you can try, without spending extra money.

A lot of people irrespective of age or gender suffer from this common hair problem. The symptoms are usually marked by a flaky scalp associated with itching and hair fall. In severe cases, rashes appear on the forehead that cause irritation as well as uncomfortable feeling. The reasons for this skin condition include factors like oily scalp, poor hair hygiene, mental stress, hormonal imbalance etc.

However, you can easily get rid of this problem through proper caring of your hair.

Keeping a clean scalp is the most important thing for this. In addition, remember to brush your hair regularly to maintain proper blood circulation.

Also you can try different types of home remedies, for keeping a healthy dandruff free scalp.

But never forget to consult your dermatologist before starting any kind of home remedies. Because there are a lot of common symptoms for different ailments. Hence, you must take medication if necessary.

Here, I will try to share with you a few herbal remedies for dandruff, that are very popular in Kerala.

1. Coconut milk and lemon juice – one of the best remedies for dandruff.

Usually we use coconut based herbal remedies for a lot of ailments. Likewise, we can use a preparation made with coconut milk and lemon juice as an effective remedy for dandruff. Let us see how to make and use it.

Ingredients needed:

Coconut milk: 2 tablespoons

Lemon juice: taken from half a lemon.

First make a thick milk from grated coconut. For this grind two cups of grated coconut in the mixer jar without adding water. Then squeeze and filter the milk.

Add lemon juice to the coconut milk and mix well. Apply the mixture gently all over your scalp. Leave it for about fifteen to twenty minutes. Then wash it off with a mild shampoo.

Repeat the process twice a week till the condition becomes better.

Continue to use this at regular intervals, to keep your scalp clean and healthy.

2. Hot oil massage and herbal hibiscus shampoo wash.

Definitely you can use pure coconut oil for this. For a better result use virgin coconut oil instead. You can learn the simple steps for making virgin coconut oil here.

For making the hibiscus shampoo, first take two or three handfuls of Hibiscus leaves and flower buds. Grind well in the mixer jar adding a little water. Filter the juice, and you can use it as such for washing your hair. Regular use of this will keep your scalp clean and hair healthy and beautiful.

3. Rice water, an effective remedy for dandruff.

The thick liquid that settles in the bottom from the water drained out after boiling rice, makes a wonderful hair wash. Also keeping it over night for fermenting, gives a better result. Apply the rice water on your scalp, massage gently and keep it for about fifteen minutes. Then wash it off and dry your hair. Repeat the process twice a week for better results.

4. Onion juice – one of the best herbal home remedies for dandruff.

Really, the sulphur content in onion can stimulate the follicles for better growth of hair. Therefore, we can use the juice or pulp of onion as an effective remedy for dandruff.

Apply this evenly all over your scalp and keep for fifteen minutes. Then wash your hair with a mild shampoo.

Repeat applying onion juice on your scalp at least twice a week for positive results.

5. Fenugreek.

Fenugreek is not only a remedy for dandruff but also a good hair conditioner. Certainly you can use it regularly at intervals of three or four days, for a healthy and beautiful hair.

For this, soak about two tablespoons of fenugreek seeds in water overnight. After that, make a fine paste with it and apply all over your scalp. Leave it for about half an hour, wash it off gently massaging your scalp.

Indeed your hair will become soft and silky, even without using a shampoo.

But, fenugreek paste doesn’t smell good, and hence I always suggest a shampoo for washing your hair after applying it.

Mentioned above are a few simple dandruff home remedies. There is nothing to be worried about any kind of allergic reactions, because all these are purely herbal ingredients. However, if you feel any kind of irritation or discomfort, immediately stop using it.

Keeping the above points in mind try any of the simple dandruff home remedies. Especially, with readily available ingredients in your kitchen.

A Simple guide for bonsai beginners – try your own.

A simple guide for bonsai beginners. You too can try it and become a bonsai master easily.

Really the wonderful art from of bonsai was originated in China about 2000 years ago. Also, there are evidences for the existence of bonsai in Japan during the 12th century. Gradually it began to spread to different parts of the world, including India.

Usually, the plants adapted to a particular climate, are suitable for making bonsai in that place. Likewise, in India also we can use a lot of beautiful plants for this.
If you are passionate about gardening, Bonsai is the right choice for you.

My Bonsai experience.

From my experience, I can say that you will become more attached to a bonsai, than to any other plants in your garden.

Truly, I never saw a live bonsai plant before starting ours, a few years ago. Our first plant was the sapling of a banyan tree, that we collected from the old compound wall of a temple.
The pic below shows how the plant looks like now.

Ficus benghalensis ( the Banyan tree ) bonsai.

As a beginner, always try to select saplings of native plants. Because plants that thrive in a particular place or climate, can do better at different stages of bonsai training. For example, tropical trees like Tamarind, Ficus, Cassia fistula, Jade tree etc. are ideal in places like India.

Contents

Potting medium.

Before starting, let us see how to prepare a potting medium that we can use commonly at different stages.

Surely you can prepare the medium in the following ratio.

Ingredient Percent
River sand 40%
Garden soil 30%
Vermi compost ( or any other organic fertilizer) 20%
Peat moss 10%

If necessary, make slight variations to this combination according to the nature of your plant. For example succulents like the Jade plant, Adenium etc. need a medium which is more sandy, for better drainage.

Propagation

From stem cuttings

Saplings of Jade tree from stem cuttings.

We can use stem cuttings for the propagation of a lot of bonsai trees. For example different species of ficus, the Fukien tea tree, Schefflera, Jade etc.

For this, collect mature stem cuttings of about ten inches, from healthy mother plants. Dip the lower tip of the stem in a rooting hormone. Then carefully plant it about two inches deep in an ordinary terracotta pot filled 3/4 with potting medium.

Keep the pot in shade for a few days and water regularly. Gradually move it to indirect sunlight when new leaves begin to sprout. Let the plant grow as such in the same pot for one or two years.

Also add any organic liquid fertilizer diluted with water, at intervals of one or two months.

Propagation from seeds

Seedlings of Adenium plant

Definitely we can use seeds for propagation of plants like Tamarind tree, Adenium etc. for making bonsai. Never forget to use good quality seeds from mature ripe pods for this.

It is better to soak the seeds overnight to make the coats soft. Then sow the seeds about half inch deep in a pot filled with medium. Keep the pot in shade free from pests or ants, and water regularly.

Usually the seeds germinate within two or three weeks. When the seedlings grow upto a height of about six to ten inches, transfer each one carefully to separate pots. You can use the potting medium in the same ratio as stated above.

Allow the plant to grow in the same pot, till you start training your bonsai.

Propagation through saplings, directly from sellers.

For example, the sapling of the Ficus jinseng bonsai in the pic below, was bought directly from the nursery.

Ficus ginseng bonsai

Always Remember that the growth rates of plants are based on different factors. Especially like the nature of the plant, climate, the way we care it etc.

Pruning – with the simple guide for bonsai beginners you can do pruning.

Pruning is the process through which you can  remove the unnecessary branches. Before you start pruning, make sure that there are enough branches for your plant. Use a sterilized sharp knife or pruning shears for this. Applying some kind of fungicide on the wound, can prevent decaying of the stem.
Now, it is the time to apply your own artistic creativity for developing the plant.  You must have an idea about the final appearance of your bonsai. Hence observe your plant carefully before removing the branches.
Choose the right bonsai style that suits fine for your plant

Wiring

Using soft and flexible aluminium or copper wires, you can twist the branches of your plant to particular directions. For this, wind the wire gently on the branches and slowly bend it.
You should take care against breaking the branches while bending. Also avoid winding the wire too tightly, because it can leave marks on the stem. Keep your plant in this stage carefully, and water regularly. Also feed the plant occasionally with diluted liquid organic fertilizer.
After a few months, your bonsai will become ready to transfer to an original bonsai pot.

Wiring a Ficus benjamina bonsai.

Re potting – with the simple guide for bonsai beginners.

For re potting, first take the plant out of the pot carefully along with the soil. Then remove the soil and prune 2/3 of the roots using a sharp knife or pruning shears.

Root pruning of a Schefflera bonsai.

Meanwhile prepare the bonsai pot for replanting your bonsai.  You can use the same wire to hold the plant tight in the pot.

Original bonsai pot ready to replant.

Final Steps:

  • Transfer the plant to the bonsai pot and tie the trunk tightly with the wire through the holes of the pot.
  • After that, fill 3/4 of the pot with the potting medium.
  • Keep the pot in shade for a few days, and gradually move to partial sunlight.

Your favourite bonsai is ready, and you can keep it anywhere in your garden.