In the reference of terrace gardening, Urban life can be daunting and everything adds up to the exhausting lifestyle. Even the cutting down of trees to accommodate commercial and residential buildings. The evolving population and urbanization has their own downsides, and although it is not so rosy, people from rural areas migrate to urban societies for better opportunities. Nonetheless, the loss of greenery leaves us with a void that cannot be filled any time soon. So, how do we come to terms with a better lifestyle with no greenery?
Perhaps, terrace gardening is the answer. Having a terrace garden can allow one to enjoy nature, closely. If you do not own an independent house, but do possess a balcony, you are welcome to try this there as well. Sometimes, terraces and balconies can give you the benefits of growing your very own veggies, apart from those lovely flowers and plants. Also, the goodness of pollution control is right in front of you!
If you are wondering how you can go about terrace gardening, read along for some tips and tricks.
1. Plan a layout for your terrace gardening
Planning can be anything from making a 2D on paper or choosing images from the internet for inspiration. The reason most people dislike having plants on terraces or balconies is water retention on the floor. Sometimes, it also leads to seepage on the ceilings of the floor under it. Therefore, a better drainage plan can go a long way. Installing racks, as one of the solutions, allows enough room for air to pass through and lets the floor stay untouched.
2. Choosing appropriate plant holders
If you are a huge recycling fan, you may as well choose recyclable containers for potting. Looking around the house, we find several unused tins and plastic boxes that can come in handy for that purpose. However, if you like to maintain the look of a garden with fancy pots, no harm is done. Earthen pots for plants are one of the best solutions as they are sustainable, and are easily decomposed back to mother nature.
3. Preparing the potting soil
A home garden, especially ones grown at the terrace or balcony, needs enough nutrients as they stay on the pot for long and also feeds the plants and veggies. There are plenty of vendors that supply good soils, rich in potash, nitrogen, and other particles, that are helpful in nourishing and protecting your plants from bacteria. Also, if you can, it’s a good idea to take advice from recognized nurseries.
4. Choosing the right vegetables and plants
Depending on the area you have chosen, you can pick the right kind of veggies. If your space is not big, you can grow small veggies like chilies, tomatoes, small brinjals, French beans, okra, lime, etc. However, if you own a large space and have no constraints whatsoever, you might as well start with a huge tub to even grow root veggies like onions, potatoes, carrots, radish, etc. The same goes for plants. Again, a professional from the nursery can really help you with a bit of advice.
5. Maintaining plant hygiene
While we refrain from using plants with pesticide protection, growing veggies at home can mean a lot of safety. However, plants do need shielding from pests and bugs, hence, using a natural insecticide is the best way to do that. There are numerous ways of making your own insecticide at home, for example, neem leaf, onion and garlic spray, salt spray, eucalyptus oil, etc.
If you are looking for more reasons to try terrace gardening, let us give you one more. Having a terrace garden can reduce at 6 – 9 degree indoor temperature by insulating the building against heat. Also, you get great stuff at home. What better reason than that?
