Organic Gardening ideas, hints and tips - how to start an organic garden | sustainable gardening tips

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"..... You have Vitamin D deficiency. You must sit in the morning sun at least for an hour." My doctor told me three years ago, post my spinal surgery. I would sit on the terrace,with music and newspaper giving me company.Then the empty pots left unused in the terrace started getting filled with little saplings. Whenever a new flower, new saplings in the vendor's cart caught my eye, the temptation was too hard to resist. The collection grew slowly and steadily.

But I had limitations about the strain I can take because of my back problem and with the busy schedule both at home and office. Then one fine day I learnt about growing the plants totally in organic manure. Though earlier I had been growing a random plant in coco peat bought from exhibitions, this method of growing totally in organic manure is entirely different like chalk from cheese.

From mud and cement pots filled with soil, I have switched to paint boxes filled with organic mix and manure from my kitchen scraps and wastes. The result is a beautiful garden with happy plants and smiling flowers. Water is saved by 70%, physical work by 90% and cost by 50% whereas the happiness has increased multifold and now everyday I get a big bowl of flowers of almost 10-15 varieties! There are many medicinal plants, greens and most of the seasonal vegetables. I am waging a battle with monkeys to allow me to have my share of veggies - at times i win and some other times they beat me.



Ours is a small west facing house.There is little space in the front but because of lack of sunlight, plants won't grow. I am crazy about gardening and was hell bent on having Parijatha and Jaaji plants in front of my house.So I grow the plants in the terrace, nurture them and once they grow some 8-10 feet tall, transfer them to the ground floor and repot them at some elevation and bend them outside the compound so that they catch full sunlight. Now my Parijatha is growing healthy at 15 feet, Fragrant Jaaji flowers peep at us through windows at night and Nitya Mallige grown on the terrace, transplanted to the ground is spreading its wings to reach the terrace :-) I haven't left the window planter box and planter box on the compound! I have put cosmos plants there, which keep giving seeds and growing themselves. 

I have stopped purchasing flowers since last two years and hope to do the same for veggies soon - monkeys willing!!!

Look at this video taken by me when I first switched from soil to manure.

Gardening in one of the most fulfilling and rewarding of the hobbies because you don't just get the fruits of your efforts - pun intended - the positive hormones in your brain when you look at the tiny leaf peeping at you or a little colorful bud smiling at you enhances not just your mood but your health and may be even your longevity!

Look at the flowers I have grown in my terrace over the last one and half years.

Would you like to know the tips and tricks of growing your own organic vegetables and fruits? Does it bother you that you don't have a big backyard or ample space in your front yard? Or that you have physical limitations to carry out the gardening work? Don't you have enough time, space or resources at your disposal but still would love to have colourful flowers for your daily pooja?

Then you are at the right spot!!

Now enjoy these visual treats and book mark this site as I would take you through my gardening journey and would share my easy tips and tricks to grow.

You have ample space? Fine. You have just enough space? No problem! Do you have still lesser space? Enough to keep some 10 pots? That's enough. Do you want to grow on terrace? Still better. It's enough for you to grow flowers and veggies even in 10x10 area. Only thing is it must have direct sunlight for the abundant growth like mine.

I would love to share my experience in organic terrace gardening and give you tips about how to take care of your plants and how to grow maximum with minimum efforts and investments.

Keep watching this space for more...
So long...
Till next time.....