1

BAGEECHA

ANJALI LELE

Plants, trees & flowers are of great significance to all

humans & animals and even birds sing melodiously in
their midst. : Sant Dnyaneshwar

The joy of creativity is boundless and one way of

achieving that pleasure is thru setting up a garden.

 Today in urban life, courtyards have vanished.

Bungalows have been replaced by flats,
apartments, terrace flats & penthouses. Yet, if the
home maker loves gardening, even the small
balcony of a flat or even a window ledge can be
used to create nature in the home.
 Any activity, be it a school/college examination or
conducting a function can be done effectively if
adequate advance thought & planning is invested
in it. Creating a home garden is no different and
calls for similar commitment.
 Plant life is quite different from animal life and if
sufficient knowledge is acquired and the activity
is well planned, one can grow ordinary herbs like
coriander or pudina and even exotic fruits like
strawberries in the terrace or balcony gardens.

NEEDS OF PLANTS

 Plants create their own food for which the basic

ingredient is the carbon di oxide emitted by all animal
life, water and the minerals present in the soil.

1
 2

 All these raw materials have to be converted to food,

i.e. starch sugar which needs solar energy. In short good
plants need air, water, soil & sunlight for proper
growth.

 Of the above four pre requisites, we can easily provide

air, water & soil. However sunlight is not in any one’s
control.
 Can plants grow without adequate sunlight? It is as
impossible as creating a dessert with all ingredients
sugar & milk but no cooking gas.

 Plants do survive in reflected sunlight, but do not grow

healthily and do not produce good flowers or fruit.

 A terrace garden gets abundant sunlight and naturally

the flowers & fruits grow aplenty.

 A balcony getting 4-5 hours of sunlight during the

mornings & afternoons produces healthy flowers &
fruits.

 Plants do get air always, but flowing breeze provides

CO2 consistently, thus leading to healthy plant growth.

 Plants do not grow well in a closed room, with air flow

provided by ceiling fans.

 Air is absorbed through the pores on the leaves and

hence dusty leaves results in inadequate air absorption
and stunts plant growth.

2
 3

 Like animals, plants too need adequate & consistent

water supply, and they will be healthy if such supply is
ensured. A garden will look bright & green.

 Plant roots absorb the minerals from the water.

 Excess water drains away such minerals and hence only

the optimum required water should be provided to the
flower pots.

 Plants & soil have a very intimate relationship.

 But there is a misconception that plants cannot grow

without soil.

 Plants absorb minerals from the soil, but that is not their
most essential feature. What plants do more is to take
soil support for growth. If minerals can be provided
separately, agriculture can run without soil.

 Plants can grow in sand, paddy husk or coconut coir

shards, if minerals can be provided thru water.

 Soil is not essential for gardens, but air, water &

sunlight certainly is.

PARTS OF PLANTS

o We grow plants for the leaves & fruits that they provide. The
plant above the soil is always visible and useful, but the
portion under the soil is not even remembered by us. The
roots under the soil support the plant structure visible above.
If the foundation is not strong the structure can collapse.
Stronger, healthier & numerous the roots, healthier the plant.

3
 4

o The roots below the soil breathe. They need air. More porous
the soil, better the root growth.
o The leaves absorb the energy from the sunlight and more
numerous the leaves more they produce the nourishment and
healthier the plant growth.
o Plants not only give us pleasure, but also attract insects for
producing seeds.
o Seeds of some fruits are edible. More importantly seeds also
produce trees.
o Seeds once created stay dormant for some time. They sprout
at the appropriate time. However there are exceptions to this
rule.

PREPARING FOR A GARDEN

 The most important question while staring a garden on the

terrace, balcony or the window ledge is how & where to plant
the sapling.
 It is presumed that saplings planted in the earth do not
compare well to those planted in pots. But some times potted
plants grow better.
 Clay pots are the most preferred ones for gardening. They do
not heat up in the sun. The roots remain cool, and the pots
absorb the excess water.
 However plastic pots are more convenient for keeping on
window ledges or grills. Since they are very light weight,
moving them is easier. But one has to ensure that water does
not overflow in these pots.

4
 5

 Apart from clay or plastic pots, we can use old buckets, tubs,
vehicle tyres, thermacole containers, food containers(dahi,
ice cream, shrikhand etc). Thermacole glasses, thick plastic
bags can also be used innovatively for terrace gardening. The
only precaution to be taken is to ensure that excess water is
properly drained off.
 The next aspect is availability of proper soil. In today’s
concrete jungles you may find gold or currency notes lying
on the streets but not soil. Manure and soil are both available
in nurseries. Soil should be stored in the plastic bags
originally provided by the nursery.
 The soil should be soft, yellowish red and without lumps.
 Gardening enthusiasts also know about composte manure.
Such manure should be fully mature. Sometimes people use
unmatured manure which is not advisable. Such manure may
have worms in them and can be very smelly.
 Manure nowadays freely available is worm free & odour free
and has no earth worms. Such manure is appropriate for
plants kept in the balconies & window grills.
 Soil should be mixed with Stera meal, Bone meal & neem
leaves.
 Soil is sold in multiples of ghamellas or bags. The nursery
attendants can offer you of the exact quantity, based on the
number of your pots.
 Composte manure is available at gardening shows, nurseries
or elsewhere in 1 kg bags. Soil & composte should be used in
the proportion of 2:1, for filling the pots. For every 10”
diameter pot, add one handful each of Stera meal and neem
leaves.
 The pot should have one or two finger size hole at the
bottom. Cover the hole with a broken pot or tile piece and the
pot base with small pieces of bricks. Cover this layer of
bricks with a mixture of soil & composte. Cut open the bag
carrying the sapling. Keep the sapling without disturbing the

5
 6

soil adhering to the roots, in the middle of the pot. Fill the pot
with soil such that the top of the layer is about 1” below the
rim of the pot. Slightly press the soil to make it compact.
 Water the pot slowly so that it does not drain out too rapidly.
Ensure that the soil is uniformly wet all around. Keep the
new sapling in the shade, not exposed to direct sunlight for
the first few days.
 Use the required quantum of composte depending on the pot
size. It helps in the long run, in healthy plant growth. Avoid
disappointment by not economising on the essential inputs.
 Start with one or two saplings so as to learn the gardening
trade and then increase the number as you gain confidence.
Start after the monsoon rains, around the time of Deepawali.
 Get the saplings from the nursery initially. Planting branches
of grown trees takes about 2-3 months for proper growth. An
amateur gardener can loose his enthusiasm during this time.

TERRACE GARDENING

 A terrace garden can develop better than one on the ground,

because it gets abundant sunlight and is not affected by the
shade of neighbouring houses and trees.
 Flowers & fruits are not pilfered away by miscreants.
 Gardening in the open fresh air is good for the health. One
contributes to fighting the growing pollution around us, which is
a very satisfying feeling.
 It is a wrong notion that roots could penetrate the roof and cause
leakage. Roots look for water and if it is freely provided, they
do not look for the dry cracks in the roof.
 Apart from conventional pots, on can plant saplings in sections
of old tyres or by creating a square enclosure with 2-3 bricks
supported by the walls.

6
 7

 Provide a 1” layer of brick pieces or sand at the bottom of such

tyres/enclosures.
 Excess water drains away or evaporates during the day.
 Laying a plastic sheet on the floor does not help since water
accumulates below and above the plastic. Such excess water is
harmful for the roots and can seep into the lower floor.
 The flower pot should not be kept directly on the floor, but
rather placed on raised platform of bricks or tiles such that the
hole at the bottom of the pot is clear, to allow the excess water
to drain off.
 After planting the sapling in the pot, cover the soil surface with
a layer of raw vegetable waste or fruit waste. Produce
recommended are Lal Bhopla, cucumber, gourd, pea nuts,
beans, orange, mosumbi, apple, etc.
 This layer should be about 1 inch thick. It protects the soil from
the harsh sunlight.
 This layer dries up during the day, but keeps the soil below it
moist. Since the plant keeps on getting water & air nourishment
during the day, the plant grows rapidly and healthily.
 Also the vegetable & fruit waste keeps on converting into
manure and helps to maintain the nourishment to the soil.
 While watering, the top layer absorbs the water and moistens
the soil gradually and prevents it from overflowing out of the
pot.
 Harsh sunlight causes the manure to disintegrate, which can be
prevented by the vegetable-fruit waste layer.
 Since the soil remains moist, the frequency of watering can be
reduced.
 During the rainy season the top layer can be covered by a plastic
sheet to prevent damage.

BALCONY GARDEN

7
 8

 The balcony gets lesser sunlight compared to the terrace and

hence growth of flowers & fruits is lesser.
 Since human presence is more in the balcony, the residents
derive more pleasure from the garden.
 Saplings can be planted in plastic containers, cans, tubs etc.
Black plastic bags can also be used. Such bags can be placed
much more closely, thus saving space.
 You can get herbs like curry leaves, gavti chaha, pudina, tulsi
etc fresh from the balcony, since the garden is very easily
accessible.
 You can also get flowers like jaswanda, aboli, mogra, jaee &
juee from such gardens.

WINDOW GRILL GARDEN

 Plastic pots are only suitable for placing on the window

grills. Place a saucer or plate below the pot to collect
waste water.
 Cover the soil with a plastic sheet. Flowers, fruit,
vegetable waste should be dried for a few days to
prevent insect breeding.
 A net of news paper strips can used for covering such
plants.
 Plants placed on the grill or balcony should be watered
judiciously.
 Limited watering prevents the draining away of the soil
with the waste water.
 The balcony remains clean.
 The residents on the lower floor are not adversely
affected.
 The balcony & side walls remain clean.

8
 9

 In the absence of a balcony or window ledge, plants can

be grown indoors. But such plants may have limited
life.
 Pudina leaves can be tied into a bunch and kept
vertically in a glass.
 The water should be enough only to cover the lower
stems of the pudina leaves. Leaves near the water level
should be snipped off to prevent decay.
 This glass can be placed kept near the kitchen window
or sink. Fresh leaf growth can be seen after 4-5 days.
 A potato starts sprouting in the house after a few days.
Keep the sprouted slice in a dish filed with water. New
leaves can be seen after a few days and are a good
teaching aid for children.
 A small branch with a few leaves from the top of a
sweet potato plant can be kept in a pot. Roots & stems
start developing after a few days. Such plants also
remain green much longer.

GARDEN UPKEEP

• Plants placed in the shade should not be moved into

sunlight suddenly. They cannot bear this shock. Such
plants should Pots once planted should not be
frequently moved.
• Plants should be gradually moved towards the sunlight.
• Frequently verify that the hole at the bottom of the pot
is clear.
• Remove the top layer once a week and slowly plough
the soil with a blunt instrument. Replenish the layer
with waste flowers, fruits & vegetables.
• Mix up to one and a half spoonful of Steramil in the soil
once a month.

9
 10

• Do not use Steramil if you have a cat at home. They

have a habit of disturbing the soil.
• The plants should be watered judiciously.
• A little less water causes no harm.
• It is not necessary to water the plants every day.
• Decide when to water, after studying the weather and
the moisture in the soil.
• If the plants are covered, watering on alternate days
even in peak summer is good enough.
• The plants should be watered early in the morning.
• If the plants are watered at night, the surrounding air
remains moist during the night and attracts insects.
• Waste water after washing of wheat or rice is beneficial
to plants.
• Avoid excess water, since it leads to waste of soil
nutrients apart from waste of water itself.
• Old diseased branches should be trimmed periodically
for better plant growth. This can be done twice a year.
Once after the end of the monsoon rains about October
end and the second time before the summer sets in.
• Branches & leaves just near the soil surface shoul be
trimmed first. They are most likely to be diseased.
• Do not hesitate to trim the plants, since they grow better
after the trimming. However plants like Papaya which
has smaller number of branches should not be trimmed.
• Keep on trimming old flowers on a plant or wine
frequently. After the season for the particular variety is
over, the plant can be trimmed.
• Flowering generally occurs on new plants. As such old
plants can be trimmed 2-3 months before the start of the
new flowering season.
• Avoid trimming plants during peak summer.

10
 11

PLANT DISEASES & DECAY

• Protect plants from pests and diseases.

• Insects devouring plant leaves and sucking

the nutrients through the stem cause disease.
• Plants can suffer from decay and fungi.

• Disease can be seen on stems, when their

texture starts crumbling.
• Fungi is visible as white powdery growth on
leaves or as reddish, chocolate coloured
spots on leaves.

11