PAINT YOUR HOUSE GREEN THIS WINTER
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The glory of gardening:
hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a
garden is to feed not just on the body, but the soul
-Alfred Austin
With space being a rarity these days, it is difficult to
dream of a garden space -more so, if you are staying in a small
apartment. But fear not! For terrace garden -big or small -is a
wonderful way to add colour to your otherwise dull life. You can just
sit there, listen to music, read books or simply pull up a couch to lie
down and soak in the natural beauty . Low space in metros and big cities
has also compelled plant lovers to grow vegetables on their balconies.
It is not only a great stress-buster, but the benefits of consuming
home-grown vegetables also compensate for the time spent e on
pruning it. But wait... Before t you start painting your house
green, a few things should be taken into account, because no matter
a how much you care, your plants g aren't going to thrive
if you are r ignorant of their specific needs. We provide the
basic guidelines to beginners...
KNOW YOUR PLANTS
Before adding a plant to your potted r collection, it is advisable to ask an l o expert at a nursery about the conditions the plant needs. “It's usually much easier to grow plants that do well in your region, temperature and soil. For instance, don't try to grow a flower like a rose -which requires six hours in the sun -on a porch that gets sunlight only for an hour in the morning. While it's important to maintain a steady temperature for indoor plants, a terrace garden needs adequate sunlight. Again, if you notice your plant becoming thin and reaching out toward the light, it needs to be closer to sunshine,“ informs AB Karmakar, exec utive administrator for a plant nursery .
VEGGIES FOR BEGINNERS
Coriander: How many times did you get sad looking at half-dried coriander leaves (dhania) in the market? Coriander is something that is used in everyday cuisine to spice it up. And that makes it a must-grow for every kitchen garden. The seed is technically a fruit containing two seeds in it. When split, it increases the germination rate since it scarifies the seed. Take a tray with potting mix filled up to half inch from the top. Then make rows by drawing a line with your index finger or a stick.Simply sow the split coriander seeds in each row. Once done, water them and wait! It starts germinating between 5-7 days.Potatoes: Plant potatoes during late February and March. When the green shoots begin to appear above the soil, cover them with more compost. You only need remember to water them. After 10 to 20 weeks, dig around in the soil to collect your home-grown potatoes! Peas: It's a trouble free crop that enjoys cooler w e a t h e r. Sow them in the pots between March and June. Erect some sticks or posts for support. You'll be amazed at how good fresh peas taste and the more that you pick them, the more they produce! Tomato: With a little water and a lot of sun, tomato plants are quick to grow. Roots of a tomato plant grow deeper into the soil. So, choose a bush variety like `Cherry Cascade' that can be planted in hanging baskets and window boxes. Just cut a tomato into four pieces and bury it about 12 an inch into the soil. Wait for 3-4 weeks for the seeds to start sprouting.Cucumber: These grow best when the soil is warm. Cucumber plants tend to sprawl all over. Provide your plants with ample space to stretch their roots. Again, since these are climbers, you must get a proper support. Go for smaller varieties if there's less space.Green chilli: These are good companion plants for tomatoes and coriander. Just take two or three dried red chillies. Slit them open and sprinkle the seeds in a pot filled with soil and a little manure, available in the nurseries. Ensure the seeds don't go too deep. Cover it with little soil and water it. It takes about a week or so for the seeds to sprout. If the pot is not large enough, you can replant the sprouts into a bigger pot. You may need to tie up the chili plant to a pole to let it grow and avoid bending.
MAINTENANCE OF INDOOR PLANTS
Most indoor plants do best in partial shade, which works out well since indoor areas don't usually get direct sunlight.Keep this in mind before you decide to put a potted plant in a place where it will get hours of direct sunlight; you may end up exposing it for too long.
One must select the right size of the pots. For indoor plants, go for pots either 4 inches or 6 inches in size. Allow enough space for the roots to grow. Make sure the pots are light and strong, so as to hold the plant for a long time.
Place plastic saucers under the pots to avoid soil and water spillage.
Ficus Elastica, Areca Palm, a variety of philodendron or dracaena are best suited for indoors. These plants can do without sunlight for 7-10 days with minimum requirement of water.
WATER THE PLANTS CAREFULLY “Water the plants as and when required. Many first-time gardeners or potted plant owners water plants more than necessary, believing that the more water the plant gets, the better they grow. While it holds true for certain plants, it can kill others,“ suggests Dr SL Rahman, consultant at AgriHorticultural Society of India.
KITCHEN GARDEN IN POTS
If you thought a kitchen garden only works in bigger houses, you are highly mistaken. Get creative. Don't throw away buckets, containers etc. Use them along with hanging baskets for smaller plants. You can even grow vegetables in the little balcony of your apartment.
Do not use soil from the garden. It can be filled with weed seeds, insects, and fungal diseases. It is better and easier to buy readymade potting soil (a mixture comprising clay, bone dust, vermicompost, neem cake and mustard cake) from the local nursery. You can also go for coco peat, which are made from coconut husks and is a medium for growing plants.
Get various seedlings from the nursery. Remove the plants from its nursery container. Never pull a plant out by its stem.If it is stuck, tap the sides of the pot to loosen it. Gently tease the ends of the roots free before planting it in the bigger pot.
For the proper growth of vegetables in your balcony, the pot size should be between 8-10 inches.
Make one or more drain holes in the pot. Place small chips right over them so that they don't clog.
Do not pile soil on top of the plant; make sure the stem is completely above the surface. Leave about an inch between the soil surface and the rim of the pot.
KNOW YOUR PLANTS
Before adding a plant to your potted r collection, it is advisable to ask an l o expert at a nursery about the conditions the plant needs. “It's usually much easier to grow plants that do well in your region, temperature and soil. For instance, don't try to grow a flower like a rose -which requires six hours in the sun -on a porch that gets sunlight only for an hour in the morning. While it's important to maintain a steady temperature for indoor plants, a terrace garden needs adequate sunlight. Again, if you notice your plant becoming thin and reaching out toward the light, it needs to be closer to sunshine,“ informs AB Karmakar, exec utive administrator for a plant nursery .
VEGGIES FOR BEGINNERS
Coriander: How many times did you get sad looking at half-dried coriander leaves (dhania) in the market? Coriander is something that is used in everyday cuisine to spice it up. And that makes it a must-grow for every kitchen garden. The seed is technically a fruit containing two seeds in it. When split, it increases the germination rate since it scarifies the seed. Take a tray with potting mix filled up to half inch from the top. Then make rows by drawing a line with your index finger or a stick.Simply sow the split coriander seeds in each row. Once done, water them and wait! It starts germinating between 5-7 days.Potatoes: Plant potatoes during late February and March. When the green shoots begin to appear above the soil, cover them with more compost. You only need remember to water them. After 10 to 20 weeks, dig around in the soil to collect your home-grown potatoes! Peas: It's a trouble free crop that enjoys cooler w e a t h e r. Sow them in the pots between March and June. Erect some sticks or posts for support. You'll be amazed at how good fresh peas taste and the more that you pick them, the more they produce! Tomato: With a little water and a lot of sun, tomato plants are quick to grow. Roots of a tomato plant grow deeper into the soil. So, choose a bush variety like `Cherry Cascade' that can be planted in hanging baskets and window boxes. Just cut a tomato into four pieces and bury it about 12 an inch into the soil. Wait for 3-4 weeks for the seeds to start sprouting.Cucumber: These grow best when the soil is warm. Cucumber plants tend to sprawl all over. Provide your plants with ample space to stretch their roots. Again, since these are climbers, you must get a proper support. Go for smaller varieties if there's less space.Green chilli: These are good companion plants for tomatoes and coriander. Just take two or three dried red chillies. Slit them open and sprinkle the seeds in a pot filled with soil and a little manure, available in the nurseries. Ensure the seeds don't go too deep. Cover it with little soil and water it. It takes about a week or so for the seeds to sprout. If the pot is not large enough, you can replant the sprouts into a bigger pot. You may need to tie up the chili plant to a pole to let it grow and avoid bending.
MAINTENANCE OF INDOOR PLANTS
Most indoor plants do best in partial shade, which works out well since indoor areas don't usually get direct sunlight.Keep this in mind before you decide to put a potted plant in a place where it will get hours of direct sunlight; you may end up exposing it for too long.
One must select the right size of the pots. For indoor plants, go for pots either 4 inches or 6 inches in size. Allow enough space for the roots to grow. Make sure the pots are light and strong, so as to hold the plant for a long time.
Place plastic saucers under the pots to avoid soil and water spillage.
Ficus Elastica, Areca Palm, a variety of philodendron or dracaena are best suited for indoors. These plants can do without sunlight for 7-10 days with minimum requirement of water.
WATER THE PLANTS CAREFULLY “Water the plants as and when required. Many first-time gardeners or potted plant owners water plants more than necessary, believing that the more water the plant gets, the better they grow. While it holds true for certain plants, it can kill others,“ suggests Dr SL Rahman, consultant at AgriHorticultural Society of India.
KITCHEN GARDEN IN POTS
If you thought a kitchen garden only works in bigger houses, you are highly mistaken. Get creative. Don't throw away buckets, containers etc. Use them along with hanging baskets for smaller plants. You can even grow vegetables in the little balcony of your apartment.
Do not use soil from the garden. It can be filled with weed seeds, insects, and fungal diseases. It is better and easier to buy readymade potting soil (a mixture comprising clay, bone dust, vermicompost, neem cake and mustard cake) from the local nursery. You can also go for coco peat, which are made from coconut husks and is a medium for growing plants.
Get various seedlings from the nursery. Remove the plants from its nursery container. Never pull a plant out by its stem.If it is stuck, tap the sides of the pot to loosen it. Gently tease the ends of the roots free before planting it in the bigger pot.
For the proper growth of vegetables in your balcony, the pot size should be between 8-10 inches.
Make one or more drain holes in the pot. Place small chips right over them so that they don't clog.
Do not pile soil on top of the plant; make sure the stem is completely above the surface. Leave about an inch between the soil surface and the rim of the pot.
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