Rose Moss (aka as Moss Rose) is the perfect flowering plant for those new to gardening. Photo: Zahra Ali
If you are new to gardening, find it difficult to work in the garden under the summer sun or simply appreciate nature’s most simple plants, Rose Moss is exactly what you should be growing.
Rose Moss (Portulaca Grandiflora, 11 o’clock, or Moss Rose) is an edible weed that comes in many shades and colours. The plant grows about six inches tall and spreads two feet wide. It will grow in poor and sandy soil and will not only grow well in hot summers but will also produce overflowing mini roses from morning to evening for the rest of the year.
Rose Moss looks brilliant in hanging baskets, rock gardens, as ground cover or a border, and even in a container.
Rose Moss looks brilliant in hanging baskets, rock gardens, and as ground cover. Photo: Zahra Ali
Starting a Plant
You can cultivate Rose Moss both by sowing seeds or taking cuttings from an adult plant.
Buy seeds from a horticulture store or borrow them from a friend’s garden. Mix the seeds with a little sand and spread it all around the patch or the pot in which you want to grow your plants. Lightly cover with soil, and water with a soft shower. Make sure you have selected a place that gets full sun during the day. You can also start your plant by taking a two-inch cutting from an adult plant and simply planting it back in the soil.
Grow Rose Moss this season and share the seeds, cuttings or plants with your friends.
Tip:Rose Moss reseeds itself. Deadhead flowers (trim the spent flowers) before it seeds if you do not want the weed to get out of control.
Thanks to all the participants who showed interest in receiving free seeds from Crops in Pots. Here are the first 10 participants who will receive their set of vegetable seeds.
Congratulations! We hope that you will share your experience with us. Here are few links that you might find useful if you are new to growing vegetables.
To celebrate World Environment Day Crops in Pots is sharing vegetable seeds with its readers to spread organic farming in cities. You can request your set of free seeds by sending your postal address to crops.in.pots@gmail.com before Wednesday 8th June,2011.
First 10 participants will receive their set of Cucumber Beit Alpha, Eggplant Black King, Tomato Roma, Green Chillies and Okra in the coming week.
Currently, this offer is for residents of Karachi only. But keep coming back as we are bringing a wide range of seeds for you soon.
We would love to see your photos from the kitchen garden you grow from the same seeds :)
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.
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
