A community of green crusaders has kickstarted a series of balcony gardening workshops in the city. Experts spill a few secrets to help Mumbaikars with not-so-green thumbs get a headstart
Robert Fernandes (extreme right) instructs participants. PIC COURTESY/ADITI JAYAKAR KANE
Be honest. Haven’t you at some point fantasised about ditching the city’s chaos and escaping to a peaceful countryside home where you grow your own little herbs and fresh juicy tomatoes? We certainly have. But as it turns out, even if that far-off dream were to come true, most Mumbaikars would be left clueless.
Dsouza’s vertical plant wall. PICS COURTESY/Clyde Dsouza
Nurturing a garden is a far more mindful process than you’d think. Green Chimes, a community venture, hosted their first balcony gardening workshop at a Santacruz nursery last week to teach Mumbaikars the basics of building a home garden.
Let there be light
Plants that are marketed as low-maintenance and dark room-friendly are shady business, says Clyde Dsouza, horticulture consultant. “No plant can grow in your bathroom shielded from sunlight for your convenience. Sunlight is central to photosynthesis,” he clarifies.
Potted monstera and snake plants in Dsouza’s balcony
To choose the right plant for your home garden, he offers a simple guide. If your window lets in six to seven hours of sunlight each day, you’re in luck; you can grow most plants with ease. Flowering varieties like hibiscus, mogra, and jasmine need around six hours of sunlight to flourish. “Trying to grow a flowering plant without that much light is a waste of money,” he says. Ornamental plants like monstera and snake plant are more forgiving, needing only about three hours of sunlight. As for those fragrant herbs like mint, thyme, and coriander that you can almost catch a whiff of as you read this, they ideally need four hours of light to thrive.
Water woes
“People think water is some magical elixir; the more, the better. But in reality, the secret is to under-water your plants. Plants actually thrive under a bit of stress,” he reveals. Additionally, he suggests you water your plants during the day, and not as an afterthought before going to bed. “Watering your plants in the absence of sunlight stunts evaporation, leaving your soil sticky and prone to fungal growth,” Dsouza suggests.
Participants ready the soil at the pilot workshop in Santacruz
In addition to correct drainage, additions like osmocote, cocopeat, and riversand (all available in leading e-stores) can help control the soil conditions for optimal growth, we learn. At the workshops, Dsouza offers a hands-on experience of these techniques.
Space jam
Robert Fernandes, landscape consultant, admits that having a balcony in this city of matchbox homes is a luxury in itself. “But there are plenty of ways to work around that. You can set up vertical garden walls or use layered horizontal shelves,” he suggests.
Dsouza, who is nurturing a 50-sq ft garden in his own home, stands by the advice. “It’s all about mixing it up. For instance, a tall flowering plant placed next to a herb can provide it enough shade to get the right amount of sunlight. When you hit the sweet spot, there’s nothing like it. My home feels cooler on summer days, I can breathe easier and every once in a while, a sunbird comes visiting,” he chuckles.
With the pilot workshop receiving an enthusiastic response, the organisation is now planning more sessions in the near future. “We had everyone from retired doctors to young students drop by,” says organiser Aditi Jayakar Kane, adding, “That’s the great part about gardening. Anyone can try their hand at it.” A green thumb, as always, is a bonus.
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