Mumbai gardeners share easy hacks to setup a mini urban garden

Utilise every nook and corner1 You can opt for planter beds provided you have the space A wide variety of plants can be grown in the bed For instance spinach amaranth mustard cowpea beans and marigold can grow together in the same plant bed Keep watering the plants regularly spray with neem oil and keep checking for infections2 If you have a balcony do not think twice before going all out with a garden You can easily give the space a tropical vibe with plants like areca palmssupari These require adequate watering and regular spraying with neem oil and soap solution Make sure that the leaves are clean at all times3 If yoursquore aiming for a vertical garden or green roofing always opt for lowcost and lowmaintenance options Irsquod pick French beans long beans ivy gourd papdi beans and my alltime favourite mdash passion fruitTIP Protect plants from getting too wet in the rains Monsoon is a time when plants tend to catch infections due to the absence of sunlight Ensure that you spray your plants once a week with neem and soap spray this will keep them healthyChetan Soorenji founder Forest Gardening MicroFarms IndiaBeginners listen up1 If you are a beginner start with microgreens like sesame flaxseeds and ajwain They take less space and are easy to grow You plant it on day one and by the seventh day you can consume the produce As for equipment you do not need much an empty ice cream tub or dahi container will do Wash the tubs create holes and they are ready to grow some plants2 If you have space for pots mdash say a 10inch pot mdash opt for plants like curry patta lemongrass and garlic pods These are high in fiber Additionally this is the season when people easily catch infections a single leaf of lemon grass in your tea will make all the difference3 Herersquos a suggestion that I tried out in my balcony I planted a madhu malti plant alongside a ladder for the creeper to grow on Now after a couple of months the ladder has beautiful flowers If you have less space growing creepers is a practical option TIP Growing microgreens mdash ones that do not take up much space time and maintenance mdash is the need of the hour Prior to rains ensure pots are repotted as rain water tends to impact and compact soil Good drainage is important Mulching soil also prevents soil erosionPreeti Patil catering officer Mumbai Port AuthorityLow maintenance is the key1 In a city like Mumbai it is necessary to understand that there is not much space to have your own garden In such cases you can choose to opt for a small indoor terrarium Simply place a plant in a glass bowl and decorate them with pebbles They require very little water2 You can also set up a balcony or a shelf of succulent plants in one landscape indoors Pollution indoors is trapped Thus succulents like snake plants and motherinlaw plants purify the air They provide 247 pure oxygen need watering once in fifteen days and are stress busters These low maintenance plants are musthaves if elderly people reside in the house3 If you have vertical space for a sixfeetlong tree choose to plant a happiness tree or a pachira plant moneytree You can also go for air plants or hanging plants like million hearts or turtle vineTIP During the monsoon extra care is required You need to reduce watering substantially You can use environmentally friendly mediums like coco peat instead of soil Due to the moisture trapped in the rooms the season is ideal to buy indoor plantsMohan Khanna founder Root Bridges