CHENNAI: For Shailender SG, gardening is not only for food or beauty, but a way to bring life into your home. “In olden days, we were surrounded by trees, our houses were breathable. There was life around us. In modern houses, we hardly find a place to grow even small plants. Also, everyone has his/her own reasons not to grow them. Some cite lack of interest or time, water scarcity, water seepage, and even monkeys. However, I feel that you have a will, there is a way,” he says.
Shailender, who has a terrace garden in Padmarao Nagar in Hyderabad, not only grows various vegetables and flowers, but also makes bio-enzymes from the organic waste. The bio-enzymes have replaced all chemicals at his home including toilet cleaners, floor cleaners, detergents, body wash, car wash etc. He also makes juices from the herbs in his garden. He is also a permaculturist.
“I started my terrace gardening in 2014 after living in my Guruji’s ashram which was surrounded by trees. I, along with my brother Sai Kumar and parents, take care of our garden. Initially, my parents were worried about the building strength and seepage, but they came aboard after water-proofing the terrace,” he says.
Shailender grows vegetables, including ivy gourds, bitter gourds, bottle gourds, ladies’ fingers, tomatoes, cabbages, bell peppers, etc. He also grows herbs like spearmint, brahmi, tulsi, lemongrass and flowers like lily, hibiscus, jasmine, marigold, chrysanthemum, rose etc.
“We don’t use any pesticides. We take care of soil health with the help of the compost made from our kitchen waste and brown matter from the leaves fallen on the streets. We grow nitrogen fixer plants in the pot along with one main plant for sharing nutrients. Pests are managed by the diversity we grow. Our soil mix has less soil and more of dried cowdung and compost. We preserve our own seeds and also exchange them with other terrace gardeners,” he adds.
The man with a green thumb says, “If you have a backyard, terrace or even a balcony, you can bring life into your home. This will increase prana, and bring in insects and birds.”