Introduction to an organic terrace gardening
The education and awareness have brought a new wave of change that worldwide people are turning in for organic products everybody is trying to eat more organic foods, both to reduce the number of pesticides that you and your family consume and to help protect the environment as well. But when you take one look at your grocery store bills and you know that buying organic can get very high-priced, very fast!!.
Luckily, there’s a way to get rid of unhealthy food and pricey vegetables claiming is to be organic. The only way is to grow your own delicious, fresh produce by having fun and learning at the same time: organic gardening!.
A step by step guide to an organic terrace gardening
The terrace garden is an urban attribute and nowadays reality. In modern times, homes with compounds, lawns, and yards are extinguishing with flats gaining popularity. In cities and towns, skyscrapers are substituting such homes. As an effect, the private home gardens are vanishing, and the only places left for gardening are roofs, terraces, and balconies. But this won’t stop you from having fresh and healthy vegetables so today we will be discussing everything about organic terrace gardening.
Organic terrace gardening is basically gardening without using synthetic products like fertilizers and pesticides in your terrace using containers and pots. It involves the use of only natural products to produce plants in your garden. Organic gardening stock up the natural resources as it uses them and cycles them. Everyone needs the food we serve to our families as well as our environment to be safe and healthy. A good organic gardener attempts to make sure that his or her activities are in agreement with the natural ecosystem and aims at minimizing exploitation as well as restock all the resources consumed in the garden. This craving for safety – wanting to do no harm to our families and the world around us– is the central motive people grow organically.
Benefits of organic terrace gardening
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A terrace garden or also called a green roof is an answer to an urban gardener’s dream of having a garden at home for the supply of fresh food. With our changing dwelling habits multi-story buildings and skyscrapers, people with a green thumb are have shifted their kitchen gardens to terrace gardening a passage for their gardening passion. Cultivated on the terrace or balcony, green roofs have their following benefits of organic gardening
Helps in lowering pollution
There is no doubt in the fact that plants add to oxygen production. Having a garden means increasing the flow of oxygen and thereby reducing the ill effects pollution. The plants arrest airborne pollutants and filter toxic gases by adding up the proportion of oxygen. They potentially manage the amount of carbon dioxide and other pollutants constantly released into the air you breathe. Your children will breathe in the fresh air that your garden brings in which in turn assists them to build up a stronger immunity system.
Provides important education in a subtle manner
There is no better practical way to learn than from nature. Not only you yourself learn a lot about nature when growing food, but your kids also get a chance to learn a lot in the garden. They will learn about nature and science that too practically at home. They will learn about qualities like patience, responsibility, and the management of resources. They get to appreciate where their food comes from. They develop an admiration for nature and become better at planning and organizing. And the best thing is that it takes them away from TV and phones and bring closer to nature.
Keeps the temperature cooler
With terrace gardening, the normal dew and evaporation cycle maintain the surface of the roof cool and therefore provides a cool environment within the house. Another fact that keeps heat controlled is that the light that is captivated by all the vegetation on the terrace garden that would otherwise is transformed into heat energy in the absence of the plants. So the terrace garden is your natural AC.
Improves mental health
Nature plays a key role in our mental well being. People who are closer to nature be likely to have much more resistance to various different mental and emotional vulnerabilities. Watching your vegetables germinate, grow, and bear fruits is a healing practice and it calms the mind. In modern life, which is filled with stress, organic terrace gardening is one of the ways to de-stress and rejuvenate yourself.
Fresh and organic produce
Having a terrace garden gives you the shortest way into fresh vegetables and fruits devoid of any chemicals or toxin and this is the greatest importance of the terrace garden. Nothing tastes better than food cooked with vegetables plucked straight off the plant, or fruits are eaten in their freshest form. It is an established fact that vegetables produced organically taste much better. Since they are grown in a natural way they are bound to taste better. Not just they taste better, their texture and structure are also better. Most of the vegetables can also be consumed raw to get the utmost nutritional benefit which is a common practice so you get your reliable pharmacy at home only.
Considerations to be kept in mind for organic terrace gardening
Appropriate knowledge is necessary to learn organic gardening and it needs simple basic lessons to get reliable results. To start with, there are three major areas to focus on to maintain the objectives of organic terrace gardening these include:
Soil management which is dealt with by using organic fertilizer;
Weed management is managed by manual labor and
Use of organic ground coverings (Mulching) and lastly pest control which is handled by encouraging natural remedies, beneficial insects, and companion planting.
Organic garden soil and mulch
For a healthy organic terrace garden, you require to begin with healthy soil. The most significant constituent in the soil is the organic matter, such as manure, peat moss, or compost, which is the best choice because it consists of decayed microorganisms of earlier plant life. Those microorganisms supply plants with the nutrients they need. Manure should be well composted unless you aren’t harvesting or planting anything for two months after application. You can produce your own compost pile by assigning an area or bin where the organic matter will decompose be it plants you harvest or kitchen waste. Or you can obtain it in bulk if you have a large garden, or can use bagged compost easily available at garden centers.
Reduce weeds and moisture by spreading a 1- to 2-inch-thick layer of mulch on the soil. It generates a barrier that prevents weeds from getting sunlight and from germinating. This mulch layer also avoids fungal disease spores from drifting onto plant leaves. Use an organic material (such as coco coir, legumes, weed-free straw, or newspaper) as mulch so as it decomposes it adds on beneficial organic matter to the soil.
Using an organic garden fertilizer
Fertilizing your plants will assist them to grow faster and yield larger crops. Types of organic fertilizer comprise of well-rotted manure from vegetable eating animals (rabbits, horses, sheep, chickens), pre-packaged organic fertilizer can also be bought online, or at your local garden center. Though if your garden already has rich soil, consider skipping more fertilizer. Too much of a good thing can make your plants put on lots of lush, soft growth is appreciated by pests.
Practice crop rotation
Since many closely related plants are affected by the same diseases, keep away from planting them where their relatives grew the year or two before. Two of the biggest families to watch out for are the tomato family (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant) and the squash family (squash, pumpkin, cucumber, watermelon). Rotating crops to diverse parts of the garden helps limit disease development and depleting the soil of nutrients.
Gardeners should stick to almost daily weeding. Pulling weeds by hand is easier after a rain or watering. (If the soil is very wet and muddy, wait until it dries out a bit.) There are a couple of ways to pull a weed manually. First is to draw the root out while gently pinching the base of the stem. Or use a weeding trowel to lever out the root system. You can also make use of a hoe to scrape the top of the weed off, being careful to not injure any vegetables. Remember that weeds can grow back if the root isn’t removed.
Opt for vertical gardening
On a terrace, the space accessible for gardening is limited; thus it is a good idea to promote terrace vertical gardening. This is the reason why a terrace garden lover must use more climbers and trailers in his garden. A number of of which can climber over a supporting pillar, or an ornamental arch whereas others can wildly spill over the top of the boundary wall Attractive creepers like Railway creeper, Passionflower, Thunbergia, Bougainvillea, Climbing Roses, etc will also add flush of colors to your terrace. Hanging plant pot made up of light material plays a significant role in the terrace garden and is one of the best terrace gardening ideas.
Getting rid of weeds
Weeds do not just fight with your plants for water and nutrients but they also attract pests. Many insects spread disease as they move from one plant to the next while feeding. The most organic and simplest method to control weeds in your garden is to uproot them off by hand. If you’re allergic wear gloves.
Be clear about terrace capacity
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The first thing to make sure of before preparing the floor for terrace gardening is whether the roof surface can bear the weight of the soil and plants. Soil, particularly wet soil is much heavier than one can typically consider. Consider buying a lightweight garden soil mix online. Keep away from developing a terrace garden on structures that have revealed signs of weakness and structural damage. A terrace garden should be constructed on the rooftop of a considerable building or a house constructed with load-bearing floors.
Waterproofing and drainage
The terrace should be made waterproof to put off the seepage of water into the rooms below. The civil work necessary for complete waterproofing cannot be neglected. The terrace should have adequate drainage so that rain and irrigation water drains off quickly. If the plantation is to be prepared directly on the terrace floor, it is sensible to install drainage cells and protecting the membrane before putting the single layer of soil. It is also suggested to install a drip irrigation system, rather than watering by conventional methods.
Container gardening on the terrace
Installing a drainage system and waterproofing can be an expensive affair. It is preferable to arrange a series of containers of your choice such as pots, boxes, troughs, tubs, drums, etc. These containers should be placed over wedges or bricks to leave a clear gap between them and the roof for proper drainage and means of access to air. Prune your plants regularly to permit proper aeration and effective use of nutrients including light and better yield.
Plants desirable for organic terrace gardeningÂ
Choose plants that will adjust well to each spot of the terrace in terms of light, moisture, drainage, and soil quality. If you’re buying seedlings, go for healthy plants raised without chemical fertilizers and pesticides this is the essence of organic gardening.ypu can grow possibly everything it just has to meet the right climate and the right growing conditions you can try growing following terrace garden plants.
Vegetables need more care then herbs, so if you’re growing them for the first time, start by salads, herbs and then move on to the mainstream.
- Tomatoes particularly cherry tomatoes
- Radishes
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant
- Peppers
- Okras (ladyfinger)
- Chilies
- Strawberries
- Watermelon
- Bitter gourd
- Pole beans
- Zucchini
- Green leafy vegetables like spinach and mustard
- Any kind of herbs: coriander, basil, chives, rosemary, and mint
Terrace flowers to add colour and aesthetic touch
- Tulip bulbs
- Hyacinths
- Colorful primroses
- Petunias
- Pansies
- Begonias
- Hibiscus
- Jasmine
As mentioned you can grow possibly everything just you have provided the right climate and care. So prepare your yearly calendar and start growing.
Here is a short video of terrace gardening:
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