Balcony Garden

An orange hibiscus. Few white nandyavattais. Enough to give a great start to one’s morning. The flowers have bloomed in my balcony garden after a dry spell of nearly 5 months. The balcony has been receiving very less sunshine the past few months, thanks to the incessant rain and gloomy weather of Bangalore. At one point in time, I was afraid I would just have to move all my pots to the common garden area downstairs. Which I did, infact, last week by moving about 8 small pots containing Tulsi (Basil), other herbs, ferns, and assorted flowering ones. It was not a easy decision considering how much effort went into procuring and tending to them.

So, seeing these plants bloom and flower has put a smile on my face. Here are few tips to take care of your balcony garden during the monsoon:

1. Do not water them everyday as you would during the summer months. Once or two times a week is more than sufficient. Dip your finger in the pot to test the moisture content. If it feels wet, then refrain from watering for a day or two.

2. Signs to watch out for or droopy leaves or new leaves turning yellow. Don’t worry if the old leaves (the ones at the bottom) are withering away after turning yellow.

3. Keep your balcony illuminated by allowing natural sunshine to flow in. Take care of not blocking the sunlight by hanging too many clothes or placing furniture.

4. Check for pests at the bottom of the leaves.

5. Call in a gradener to find out if manure is required.

All’s not been well here.  Over the past 10 days, the stubborn cold virus has been doing the rounds with each of us taking ill in turns; the family is slowly limping back to normalcy. However, I did find sometime on those long afternoons (when not under the influence of cough syrup) to add some cheer and color to the home. Blame it on the festive season

A while ago, I wrote about two terracotta pots I picked on the roadside, one of which I painted with zebra stripes. The other one has got a fresh lease of life too. The tree is inspired by a similar design on a Worli bedsheet.

Worli painting on a terracotta planter

Orange Pomander : During my recent trip to Trichy, I frequented a old books exhibition that had a HUGE collection of design and interior design books. One UK magazine that I grew fond of (can’t recollect the name) was about gardening and growing house plants; every issue was merely a few pages thick and I doubt if the magazine is still in circulation. An interesting and detailed article on how to make your own orange pomanders at home inspired me to try one at home. The one you see in the picture hasn’t yet dried.

Orange Pomander

And, finally another ivy in yet another recycled planter. The handi is from KC Das that originally contained mishti dahi. I didn’t want to throw it, so I cut a Bisleri bottle, filled with potting sand, and planted it with a small money plant.

Ivy in a handi

One of the first few things I did this time, after getting back from vacation, was to check on my ivy collection in the utility area and the potted plants in the balcony. The balcony garden had thrived well, but the ivies had accumulated a lot of algae almost endangering them.

There’s nothing more heart-rending than to see your plants barren and it’s leaves turning yellow, when you return from a holiday. It’s happened to me more than once, and on every one of these occasions, I’ve sat down to reminisce how long it took for that Tulsi to grow from a three-leaf plant to one with numerous branches. And it’s all gone in no time.

I’ve gone wise since these last few experiences; and here are a few things on my to-do list now before I leave on vacation every time which might be of help:

1. Move the plants to a shaded region of the balcony that doesn’t get direct sunlight. This will help preserve water.

2. If you have only or two potted plants, then fill a bucket with about 10 inches of water (nearly quarter). Immerse the pots in the bucket. This has worked well for me on a number of vacations when I’ve been away for 4-7 days.

3. If you have bottles of ivies like I do, it’s best to drain the water. Clean the roots and fill the bottles with fresh water just before you leave. Ivies, or any bottled plant for that matter, provide a conducive environment for algae to thrive in stagnant water.

The above steps are sufficient if you are going for a week or less. If you plan to be away for a longer duration, then your neighbor is your best bet.  You may also try covering the pots with a plastic sheet.

How do you take care of your apartment garden while you’re away - give the keys to a neighbor and ensure they stick around :), have a gardener/maid water form outside if it’s a ground floor apartment, or do you have some automatic watering system installed? Share your tips/tricks.

I leave you with some inspiring images of balcony gardens …

Plants in colorful buckets. What an idea!

Space saver. Gives a great view of the home from the street.

A hydroponic vegetable garden. Must-see, can-do.

Another space saving solution

What a feast to the eyes!

Image courtesy:

1. Flickr - Bucket Planter,  Hydroponic Garden, Flowering plants, Stepped, Row planters

If you are a mother and a blogger, then the chances you’ve not heard of the talented Mad Momma are bleak; her home is a visual retreat. Pictures of her home and garden , replete with casual references to recycling and gardening tips, have been a great inspiration for me. Thanks to her, the number of potted plants in my balcony grew from one to ten within a month bringing a lot of cheer, happy memories (watering with my son daily), and greenery into our lives.

I wanted to showcase how everyday objects can be used as planters and I knew MM had creatively used a zillion such things in her backyard. She was kind enough to share pictures of six planters from her indoor garden. Most of the containers have been reused as planters as they were originally intended for something else. I present to you her best picks..

Formerly, a toffee basket

A big coffee cup with saucer

Teapot with broken lid put to good use

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Do you live in an apartment and would love to have a garden but don’t have the time and space? Most of us who fall under that category would at least grow a ivy plant in a bottle. Do you and if yes, how many?

A ivy plant (commonly known as money plant) is one of the first things I get when I move from one city to another. It is at the same priority level as getting a gas connection and a broadband connection (if not in the same order ).

Every time I’ve moved, I’ve lost all my plants. On more than one occasion I’ve seen my ivy grow from a plant-with-one- leaf to one spanning more than two floors.  But that hasn’t deterred me from planting a new one again. Now I have over 5 of them, each of a distinct type,  in different planters: two in maggi sauce bottles,  one in a vase,  one in a terracotta plant and one in a pot. The wonderful thing about a ivy plant is it requires little maintenance and grows very quickly with little sunshine and adequate water.

Here are two inspiring pictures to grow your own ivy, if you don’t have one yet.

Ivy Plant

Ivy Plant

A little greenery inside home makes a world of difference.

Image Courtesy:

1. Flickr : ivy style33

2. Flickr: Synaptic Impulse

Terra Cotta planters are common along the road side in most cities across India. They come in various shapes, sizes, and forms including animals and gods.

I bought a pair of planters for Rs. 80 a few months ago, filled them with potting soil, and planted ivy (money) plants. A few weeks ago, itching to do something, I turned one of the planters into a decorative vase.

Terra Cotta Planter

What you’ll need:

1. Brush

2. Acrylic Paint - black and white

3. Palette or a cup.

4.  Fevicol

5. Water

6. Varnish

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