Having a terrace garden gives you immense satisfaction. When you see tomatoes, chilies, coriander, etc. growing from the small pots in your garden, you naturally feel like doing it (the gardening) more and more.People who have been doing this for a while are seasoned people. But let’s talk about what the
newcomers need to do to get a nicely developed kitchen garden. The first and the foremost requirement is that there should be sufficient space on your terrace for the plants to breathe. Then it needs to get sufficient sunlight. If you qualify here, then you must read further.
1. Some general things first
- Don’t expect to learn everything at once. The knowledge takes time to seep in. Don’t hesitate to try because it is very important that you get first-hand experience.
- Do not be scared of disgusting insects and bugs- they are inevitable.
- Try reading about terrace gardening from different sources. It will keep you updated about things that you must know.
- Use gloves if you are not too comfortable with putting your bare hands in the soil.
- If possible, try to write down your daily gardening activities.
2. Where to start from?
Finding the right space
- If you have multiple balconies or terrace, you should choose the one that gets the right amount of sunlight.
- If it’s a small balcony, then it should have the capacity to hold some heavy containers. Make sure that you take adequate waterproofing and water drainage outlet into serious consideration.
Buying right sized containers
- The size of the container should depend up on what you are planning to sow.
The container should have the capacity to hold the soil, water and a grown-up plant. Since you are just starting out, you may very well use anything that is easily available at your home- even an oil can will do!
- If you can, try avoiding plastic because in the long-run, it may interfere with the growth and the quality of your plant.
Watering
- This is the trickiest part of growing a kitchen or terrace garden. Many people think that consistently watering will make their plants healthier. But that’ a myth. Over-watering can actually ruin your shrubs.
- So is the case with under-watering. Too less water will keep them deprived of many things that are needed to flourish.
- Generally watering the plants every second day is perfect, but you can judge the situation for yourself. Observe the speed at which the water dries up from each container and plan your watering schedule accordingly.
Sunlight requirement
- There are some types of plants that don’t need too much of sunlight and there are others that require sufficient amount of it. According to the type, place your plants in or away from the sunlight/ shade.
- If you are not sure about what your plant requires, try to find it on the internet. You should get enough information on it.
All these steps will help you to initiate your gardening project. So if terrace gardening is on your mind, then don’t waste any more time. Get started with it right away!
