People long for that patch of green, but few get around to creating one… It's easy, and you don't need wide expanses.
Get The Timing Right
Don't start on your garden if it's too hot or cold - ideally, choose spring or autumn months. (Mid February is a good time in most parts of the country.) Here are other things you need to keep in mind…
Check The Soil Type
There are broadly three kinds of soil - clayey, sandy and loamy. Clayey soil is fine and does not allow water to "travel" easily to the plant roots. It also cracks easily. To improve it, mix it with lime and manure. Sandy soil is the opposite - water flows through, and does not stay long enough to nourish plant roots. Loamy soil combines the good qualities of both, and is perfect for gardening. You also need to check the pH level of your garden soil. A pH level of 6.5 to 7.5 will work. To find out the exact level, get your gardener to dig three 1ft deep pits from different areas around your patch and send the dugout soil to a testing laboratory.
Ask a local maali to add the required manure and fertiliser to make the soil fit for planting. Some thumb rules to better the soil: Every square metre of your garden requires 3-4kg of organic manure. To protect plants from pests, add 150-200gm of neem khali to each square metre of garden space. If you're planning a balcony or terrace garden, you'll need to get the soil up to the location. Best is to procure the soil from a construction site where the soil's just been dug up.
Choose Your Plants
Observe your garden space - how much of it receives direct sunlight, how much is in the shade. Choose your plants accordingly - visit the nursery and find out which plants would grow in the sunshine; which ones in the shade. You must draw out a plan. Tip: If you're planning to have rows of flowers, keep the ones that grow tallest at the back, and the shorter ones in front. And get your gardener to help with the "landscaping" - adding soil where required and making the beds. Create beds of different shapes to add variety. Once in a while, add some pots - rearrange to bring an all-new look to your garden. Once ready, your garden also needs to be "fenced in" - either with a hedge, or if you need to keep out rodents, with a wire mesh.
In a terrace or balcony, apart from regular pots and planters, you may want to install a wooden lattice for creepers. Or add hanging baskets and place pots (earthenware pots work best since they allow plants to breathe and maintain an even temperature) at different heights - looks interesting. For your garden, make sure you choose a few "annuals" - otherwise, once the "seasonals" die out, you'll be left with a bare patch. Try ficus, ferns and f lowers such as hibiscus and bougainvillea.
Must-Have Backups
Keep some compost at hand. Try organic options such as cow dung manure, vermicompost and leaf mould (available in most nurseries). Although they're slow acting, they don't harm the soil or the plants in the long run. For pest-control, you will need to mix neem khali with the soil. Apart from that, stock a neem leaf solution (boil neem leaves in water, cool, dilute further with water, and spray on plants - it should be the colour of light tea), a solution of mild soap, or a mix of tobacco in water, to get rid of common pests such as ants.
Get The Timing Right
Don't start on your garden if it's too hot or cold - ideally, choose spring or autumn months. (Mid February is a good time in most parts of the country.) Here are other things you need to keep in mind…
Check The Soil Type
There are broadly three kinds of soil - clayey, sandy and loamy. Clayey soil is fine and does not allow water to "travel" easily to the plant roots. It also cracks easily. To improve it, mix it with lime and manure. Sandy soil is the opposite - water flows through, and does not stay long enough to nourish plant roots. Loamy soil combines the good qualities of both, and is perfect for gardening. You also need to check the pH level of your garden soil. A pH level of 6.5 to 7.5 will work. To find out the exact level, get your gardener to dig three 1ft deep pits from different areas around your patch and send the dugout soil to a testing laboratory.
Ask a local maali to add the required manure and fertiliser to make the soil fit for planting. Some thumb rules to better the soil: Every square metre of your garden requires 3-4kg of organic manure. To protect plants from pests, add 150-200gm of neem khali to each square metre of garden space. If you're planning a balcony or terrace garden, you'll need to get the soil up to the location. Best is to procure the soil from a construction site where the soil's just been dug up.
Choose Your Plants
Observe your garden space - how much of it receives direct sunlight, how much is in the shade. Choose your plants accordingly - visit the nursery and find out which plants would grow in the sunshine; which ones in the shade. You must draw out a plan. Tip: If you're planning to have rows of flowers, keep the ones that grow tallest at the back, and the shorter ones in front. And get your gardener to help with the "landscaping" - adding soil where required and making the beds. Create beds of different shapes to add variety. Once in a while, add some pots - rearrange to bring an all-new look to your garden. Once ready, your garden also needs to be "fenced in" - either with a hedge, or if you need to keep out rodents, with a wire mesh.
In a terrace or balcony, apart from regular pots and planters, you may want to install a wooden lattice for creepers. Or add hanging baskets and place pots (earthenware pots work best since they allow plants to breathe and maintain an even temperature) at different heights - looks interesting. For your garden, make sure you choose a few "annuals" - otherwise, once the "seasonals" die out, you'll be left with a bare patch. Try ficus, ferns and f lowers such as hibiscus and bougainvillea.
Must-Have Backups
Keep some compost at hand. Try organic options such as cow dung manure, vermicompost and leaf mould (available in most nurseries). Although they're slow acting, they don't harm the soil or the plants in the long run. For pest-control, you will need to mix neem khali with the soil. Apart from that, stock a neem leaf solution (boil neem leaves in water, cool, dilute further with water, and spray on plants - it should be the colour of light tea), a solution of mild soap, or a mix of tobacco in water, to get rid of common pests such as ants.
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