How to initiate a private Terrace Garden?
When we think of urban concrete jungle, green space or green patch would be a relief to sore eyes, so that’s why city dwellers have started active gardening. Recently, a private terrace garden has become an urban feature. Terrace garden became a solution that works well, due to lack of open spaces and ground to the same, provided it is done in the right way.
In the last decades, we can say the green roof has become an important component for sustainable urban development.
Advantages of Terrace Gardening
We should never be afraid of change because we may lose something good, but in return, we may gain something even better.
Likewise, there are so many benefits to the terrace garden.
Why private terrace garden is important in this scenario
When the lockdown during COVID-19 was imposed, no one could go out. But there was a rule that only one member of a family can buy vegetables, fruits, and essentials and keep stock. This being said, another problem raised as people bought loads and stock was not available as there were no vehicles for commuting. So, some were forced to buy what was available. The cost of each essential skyrocketed as vendors thought this was their time to gain for their business.
Also, when people went out to buy essentials, there is a high risk of contracting the deadly virus as it did not protect them from the mask, wash their hands, or not following social distancing. Some asymptomatic people who are freely moving with no knowledge that they carry the deadly virus have the possibility to spread to others.
Also, they have to stand in long queues for billing and this is also another way you can easily contradict the Coronavirus.
So, to avoid all these in the future, the only solution to the problem is initiating a private terrace garden in their house. A terrace garden or roof garden is a garden in which vegetables, fruits, flowers are grown on terraces, balconies, or roofs of the building.
As it is safer and has more benefits in health issues because we use only organic vegetables, not chemical-induced ones.
Also, for future generations to know about the benefits of nature and make them addicted to farming.
More people, mothers, in particular, have taken the chance to grow their own vegetables- that are organic, free from unwanted fertilizers, pesticides, more nutritious, filling, and also definitely healthy for the families. This was a tradition during the old times, and now it has been revived with great enthusiasm.
Set your aspect right
Whether your balcony is facing the shady north, the hot south, or the rising and setting sun of the east or the wet–in the end, the aspect of the sun is the most important factor to consider when you are beginning the project.
It is required that the plants have their own unique amount of sunshine, that’s why it is important to choose varieties that coincide with what the balcony offers.
Then we have to consider whether the roof surface can bear the weight of the soil. Wet soil is heavier than one can usually conceive.
To prevent the seepage of water into the room below, the roof has to waterproof. Also, the terrace should have adequate drainage so that rain and irrigation water can drain off quickly.
While you are in the designing stage, ensure that you have “thriller, spiller, and filler” techniques of planting so that it incorporates multiple varieties in one pot. To explain- the thriller is the focal upright, the spiller is cascading over the pot, and the filler is to take up the spaces in between.
Maintain Vertical
If the balcony is small, then maintaining a vertical garden is advisable, as it is a space-saving concept that employs the vertical walls of your balcony. There are different ways to use this method, like using pallets filled with soil and fixed to the wall, attaching pots to the trellis. You can hang gutters in the chain, or you can go for terracing in planter stairs. Note that the vertical garden has a splash factor so it can dirty the walls from overhead watering. It is advisable to do drip irrigation to avoid this problem, and it can be combined with a catchment system in the bottom.
Challenges faced
As George Eliot once said It will never rain roses: when we want to have more roses, we must plant more trees.
Likewise, setting a garden is not an easy task. Check the challenges that come on the way and solve it to fulfill your dreams.
We have to secure vessels by fastening a stable structure and also use a thick mulch to reduce the evaporation of water as high winds that occur on tall buildings will knock some pots.
Excess water flows down to the neighbor’s deck of people moving on the sidewalk, so include large trays for all pots.
Birds can be attracted to your plants so they can be deterred by covering exposed soil with fine chicken wire.
Overall green roofs are a good investment for the future and are likely to become workable and common. So start planning for it.
We should seek health, not diseases, as it will last longer than we think.
