Life on the balcony

The number of apartments is growing with increasing population. More buildings usually mean less green spaces and a grayer city. Living in an apartment must not keep you away from having a healthy green space.

Even small spaces such as a balcony can become a rewarding and refreshing garden of your own. All you need is a smart planning.

What do you want from your garden? Ask yourself, which type of a garden you would like to walk into each day? This also depends mostly on the space, sun and wind exposure and also on the irrigation system available. But first thing is first.

Weight management: Firstly, find out how much weight your balcony can hold. Use light weight containers and compost. Good quantity plastic pots are one option.

Make most of the space you have: Figure out what else you need your balcony for. You can have your garden, a space to dry clothes and a place to sit and enjoy your garden.

• Use your balcony walls to maximize your space. Hanging baskets and flowering vines can do the job beautifully.
• Install a cement slab or a wooden plank on some blocks to give you an extra space to put your plants. Space under it can become your storage for empty pots, compost bin or watering can.
• Don't get carried away. A crowded garden will not be pleasing and will be hard to maintain.

Sun and wind exposure: It is very important to know how much wind and sun does your balcony receive each day before you go on plant shopping.

• Strong winds will not be liked by most of the plant. Place your pots beside the walls which will act as a wind breaker.
• Sun exposure is not an issue because nature has produced plants with different need for the sun. If your balcony gets full sun, you can grow almost everything in it successfully. Be it crops or flowers. If your balcony receives partial sunlight, you will have a whole new range of plants to chose from. You can grow all the herbs,orchids, ferns and vegetables that enjoy indirect sunlight.
• Most of the apartments have combination of such spaces that means one can grow anything that he likes.

Effective watering: Your plants need pure water. If your apartment doesn't offer you drinkable water and you are purchasing water for consumption then you can easily purify your saline water with low priced but good quality products available in markets.

Also keep in mind the slope of your balcony for drainage. Ideally, you will not flood your floor with water by using a watering can.

Grow crops in the balcony: Grow your own food. You can try different combination of vegetables in a single pot. Plant radishes and leaf lettuce together to save space. Have at least 2 pots of tomatoes all the time,eggplants, cucumber, pepper, chillies and lemon are must haves. You can grow herbs that you use everyday in hanging baskets i.e coriander, mint, fenugreek etc. some fruiting trees like chiko will also do great in a container. 

 

Do include some fragrant flowers that will invite butterflies and bees and will also make your house smell like heaven.

I have a 11 by 4 feet long balcony in which I am presently growing, bitter gourd, pumpkin, tomatoes, eggplants, cucumber, celery,mints, coriander, fenugreek, chives, basils, parsley, lemon grass, cardimon, lemon, chiko and lemon as edibles. And orchids, ferns, cactus, jasmine and roses to add more life to my balcony.

Add life to your balcony too. 

 

Happy gardening !

Grow your vegetables at home

Here is a small 3.5 minute presentation that I made for Jashan e Faiz festival on 17th April, 2011 here in Karachi. This presentation was a part of Environment related talks to inspire general public to be conscious about their role in protecting the environment. I will share more details of this event soon. For now watch this presentation(urdu) and share it with ones you want to inspire to grow crops organically.

Content:
Grow your own vegetables
How to sow seeds?
Where to grow vegetables?
Why Organic farming?
Make your own compost
Invite wildlife to your garden

Thanks Rizwan for sharing your grow bag picture:)

Happy Gardening
Zahra

Green sweep

Spring not only brings splashes of colour and breathes new life into every plant but also creates a lot more activity in the garden. New shoots emerge, birds love to sing, bees are out looking for nectar and every bit of land that gets moist seems to be exploding with life!

This time of the year can become most rewarding for a gardener as everything seems to be favouring the new growth. The secret of stunning spring gardens is to carry out gardening tasks in the right way and at the right time. To set your timings right, divide spring gardening jobs in three stages: early, mid and late spring.

Early spring

Weather patterns have become uncertain in recent years, which have made it difficult to know accurately when the shift in weather takes place. Check your local weather before sowing seeds for spring flowers. Air temperature should also be observed. Early sowing can be started indoors to avoid dangers of frost or rain.

Once you are certain that winters have passed and it has started to get a bit warmer outside, take cuttings for multiplying your plants. It’s now time to prune your roses and other shrubs to encourage new and faster growth. Include flowers that will invite wildlife into your garden. You do not want to spend spring without hummingbirds, bees and butterflies!

Mid-spring

There is more colour in the garden as the temperature is getting warmer and the cuttings are growing fast. This is the time when the young cuttings need most of your attention. Protect them from strong winds and heavy showers which can be devastating.  You can now bring out your seedlings into the sun and sow some more for continuous display of colours throughout the spring.

Your garden will love to be fed with organic fertiliser at this point as it needs energy to grow and to produce flowers. Home-made compost or used tea leaves/tea bags and eggshells will be best.

Late spring

Early sowing can be planted out into the pots or into the ground now as temperatures have settled. Give special attention to watering patterns. Weeds can become a major problem in spring if they are not taken care of before they set flower and seed. Use mulch to discourage weed growth and to retain the moisture of the soil.

Keep your eyes open for any possible bug attack. Aphids multiply surprisingly fast as temperatures get warmer. Regular inspection will help you avoid use of pesticide and keep your plants healthy. Even if things get out of control, use organic pesticides or take advantage of companion plantations to repel pests from your plants.

Something extra

•  Save seeds for next season.

•  Use pruning to make compost.

•  Install bird feeders to encourage more birds to get into the true spring spirit.

•  Experiment with garden designs. Make hanging arrangements, container or patio garden, flower beds, hedges, plant out climbers or simply grow flowers around the tree.

•        Do not forget to plant your summer vegetables. Happy Spring!

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2011.

Gardeners, Mark your Calendars!

Coming weeks are packed with exciting events that gardeners living in Karachi must not miss !



Bonsai Master Charles Cerenio's Workshop
Organizer : Bonsai Society of Pakistan ( www.pakistanbonsai.org)
Days :Thursday 17th Feb,2011 - Sunday 20th Feb, 2011
Time :5pm to 7 pm
Venue: Zamzama Park( gate 2)
 Fee: 2500 Rs for non members 1000 Rs for members (membership fee: 500 Rs)

Call Khuram 0333 2309772 if you are interested as seats are limited.



Kitchen Garden Workshop and Practical Demonstration
Topic: 1 Acre or at least 16 square feet for each women 
Organizer: The Green Initiative ( Shirkat Gah www.shirkat.org)
Day: Tuesday 23rd Feb, 2011
Timing : 9:45 am to 4 pm ( lunch and refreshments will be served)
Venue : PACC (Pakistan American Cultural Center), 11 Fatima Jinnah Road, Karachi.

Its free !!!
For details call : Jaleel 021- 35831140

Important note: Each organization can  register 3 members. If you wish to participate as a member of Greener Karachi Trust (Sabz Shehri) , kindly send an email to crops.in.pots@gmail.com with your complete postal address, email and contact number. We have only 2 seats left.
You can always register your own organization by contacting on the number given above.



And finally,

The 60th Pakistan Flower Show 2011
Organizer: The Horticulture Society of Pakistan
Starting from 24th Feb,2011 (6pm to 11 pm) 25,26,27th Feb, 2011 ( 8 am to 11 pm)
Venue : DHA Sea View Park

for details : 021 35881158 

Mark your calendars !

Happy Gardening!

Zahra