Gardening, is an art. Yes! You read that right. I call it art because it is not simply about sowing seeds and watering. It is like nourishing a plant akin to baby. Gardening in common term means the laying, growing and caring of plants. There are a lot of people who kill plants, and I was one of them when I started.
Let us learn some basics to help learn about gardening (and not kill plants).
1. Choosing the right type of soil. Soil is the building block of a beautiful garden. Learning about the chemistry and composting of the soil you use, is of utmost importance in creating an environment apt for fertile growth of plants.
2. The next important aspect of gardening is knowing what your plants need to be healthy, thus picking the correct nutrient for your plant in the form of fertilizer is very necessary. Organic fertilisers are recommended as they are derived from animals or plants and are better for the environment.
3. Different plants need water differently, some need a lot of water, some less and some can go without water for months. Understanding this need of a plant can lead, to a healthy and flourishing garden.
4. Prune is an essential part of gardening, it involves shearing of plants to the ground level, with the intention of encouraging new and better growth. There are many techniques involved and any gardener can tackle this task with ease.
5. Pests, are common in garden plants, and are a gardener’s biggest challenge. Inorganic chemicals do the needful but they also harm the plants and the environment indirectly, hence many have started using organic methods to help get rid of pests and diseases in plants. One such is the neem oil. It is an ideal treatment for more than 200 types of pests.
These are some points to keep in mind while starting a garden, or growing a few plants in the balcony. Gardening is also a hobby that increases calmness and patience, in a person.
Stay tuned to learn more about garden/balcony plants and their care in the days to come.