Learning from experience has a special quality. Ashwini Gajendran says, “When you question things, you find solutions, and end up learning lessons that stay with you for life.”.
In a suburb near the outskirts of Mysore, this urban gardener feeds her family by growing fresh produce. The journey she is on is even more tasteful to her since she is learning how to self-sustain; she is learning how to face challenges head-on and master them in order to always provide the best for her family.
Ashwini was inspired by necessity among the numerous reasons why urban dwellers indulge in home gardening. In 2017, her family moved from Malleswaram in Bengaluru to Vidyaranyapura, a move that brought them to an area with only 2 kilometers of grocery shops.
Her homegrown project began with a few tomato, coriander, and curry leaves plants.
As of today, her terrace garden covers an area of 1,000 square feet with enough fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants to keep the family going without hitting the market.
1. Strawberries
Ashwini grows her strawberries with a lot of organic matter – her motto is, “more compost, less soil”. Furthermore, she suggests taking plant suckers from family or friends who may be growing the plant, which she claims perform better than plants purchased from nurseries.
2. Apple Bear (Jujube)
The Chinese date fruit makes great dried candies. It is much easier to grow such plants in your home if you buy them as grafted plants. Ashwini says that she grows her jujubes in a bucket. I transfer the fruits into a larger drum for more fruits. She added that “ It has become evident to me that you can adjust the yield simply by adjusting the space.”
3. Cucumber
As the saying goes, you will find a way if you dig deep enough. According to Ashwini, despite having a lush green plant on her terrace, she couldn’t get it to bear fruit for the longest time. After doing research and speaking to people, she came to a conclusion. As a result, she learned that cucumber plants require pollination.” Female flowers are pollinated by bees or other insects that carry pollen from male flowers to female flowers. In order to make sure that bees thrived on her terrace, she planted many more plants around it.
4. Grapes
Ashwini says grapevines must be trimmed regularly. Every time it bears fruit, the plant should be trimmed. Her words reveal that the more she cuts, the more it flourishes.
5. Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit can cost anywhere between Rs 80 and Rs 150 in local markets. It is therefore worth the space investment needed for growing a plant at home, says Ashwini. The yields are excellent. The plant will still yield substantial results even if you leave it unattended for days. Dragon fruit plants have thorns because they belong to the cactus family. You should plant them close to your terrace’s edge, so that they complement the design.
6.Banana
In the opinion of this experienced gardener, bananas can be grown on the terrace. It is important that you use a large-sized grow bag or container. The crop yielded after an and a half of effort. She explains that banana plants regenerate so they can be used for the leaves as well.
7.Mulberries
Mulberries are drought-resistant fruits that do not require much fussing over; all they need is sun and proper trimming. Because the fruit isn’t a long-lasting snack, Ashwini describes it as a “fresh from farm to fork” gardening snack.
8.Apple
In order to grow apples, the plant needs sunlight, but the key is what kind and how much it receives. It is better for apple trees to grow in a little shade where too much direct sunlight won’t affect them for too long, says the gardener. Therefore, this fruit should not be exposed directly to afternoon sun.
9.Papaya
Papaya plants can be difficult to grow. In such a case, she suggests poking the stem with a nail or knife. This affliction accelerates the process of regeneration and makes the plant more productive. According to Ashwini, the plants believe they’re going to die, and so they fruit and leave seeds for the next generation. She slit the plant with a knife just above the topsoil a few days ago. The plant has produced three huge fruits for the first time.
10. Sweet Lime and other citrus fruits
Ashwini says “all citrus fruits are highly drought-resistant”. As a result, such plants do not require excessive watering or even everyday watering. The lustrous leaves of these plants also enable them to retain water, which makes them ideal for the home garden.