CHENNAI: A plant grows wherever it is seeded. Ideally, you need a spacious yard with abundant supply of sunshine and water but times are changing. Urban living offers little space and, when we barely have space to park our cars and bikes, how are we to grow plants?
Therefore, people resort to terrace gardening. Big or small, terraces can accommodate any plant that does not have deep roots. Usually, people grow vegetables on terraces because they can be grown in mud pots, in grow bags and on any spread of soil. They are decorative and space-efficient.
“The vegetables available in the market use a lot of pesticides,” says 52-year-old Ramakrishnan, who has a small garden in his backyard. “If you have a terrace garden, you can grow your own veggies. You can use natural fertilisers such as cow dung, kitchen waste and vermicompost.” He has been reaching out to colleges and schools, educating them about the benefits of composting waste.
In his lush garden, Ramakrishnan has creepers, ferns and flowering plants. Added to these, he also grows his own vegetables. “I have been maintaining a terrace garden for five years now,” he says. “You need to water-proof the ceiling to avoid seepage. I advise soil-less cultivation, with minimum soil and more of liquid nutrients, and using cocopeat along with manure.”
Good soil is a must for terrace gardening, then you need mud or plastic pots, cocopeat, vermicompost and seeds. In order to avoid chemical fertilisers and pesticides, Ramakrishnan advises the use of natural pesticides such as neem-leaves’ spray, turmeric-water spray and ginger-garlic water spray to get rid of insects that feed on the plants. He also suggests planting basil at intervals. Gardening is a full-time commitment, he says, and it is not a hobby. With consistent care, Ramakrishnan says that you can even grow hybrid banana trees on the roof.