How Green is Your Kitchen Basket?

HYDERABAD : Suju Noorani is making good use of the balcony adjacent to her kitchen. Other than relishing her cup of tea over there early in the morning and tending to the pots of wild jasmine, marigold, aloe vera and a few colourful crotons she’s sown a few seeds in other pots. The thick green leaves sprout within days, though very much in their nascent stage. The tiny leaves are of coriander, while in the other pot it is mint. Saplings of tomatoes and chillies are already blossoming despite the typical Deccan heat.

Says the 34-year-old marketing manager who works for a pharmaceutical organisation, “Back home in Pathankot, where I come from, we have a huge garden surrounding our house tended to by my mother. Even though I am here in a different city, my penchant for home-grown vegetables and fruits stays. Of course, I can’t grow a mango tree or cultivate cauliflowers in a limited space, but it’s a joy to see these tine plants grow as you water them, pull out the weeds, add compost and just wait for the fruits of your labour.” But what are the challenges she faces? “Sparrows don’t come in this part of Red Hills. It’s the pigeons which create trouble looking for seeds.

Have nets covering the balcony so that problem is solved. Another problem is when the baby leaves come up and then wither.” She tackles this problem by arranging seeds in layers. That way, if one lot doesn’t grow the other does. She’s also been using crushed egg-shells, vegetables peels and used tea leaves to feed her plants and the result she says is brilliant. “Eating veggies that grew right in your garden ending up on your plate gives me a high.”

Akila Chungi, a trained potter and gardening enthusiast has enough space in the backyard of her studio Kalaachakra, Jubilee Hills. During winters she conducts workshops and talks, and grows vegetables and fruits in all seasons. This time mangoes are in abundance. She says, “Till last year, I used to grow a lot of vegetables in the backyard of the house. I have started growing fruits and vegetables again in my garden. I have begun preparing the beds for the vegetables to grow.

I have got dry seeds with me. If that doesn’t work I can take seeds from cut vegetables and use the same for gardening.” She has interesting tips up her sleeve which she learnt from her grandmother. The trick is to sprinkle a few granules of sugar onto the soil. Naturally, this attracts the ants which helps the soil breathe and aerate the seeds. She calls it ‘natural tilling’. She adds, “I’ve had success with planting scraps of veggies and fruits like onions, spring onions and pineapples.

Here are a few tips from my side: Plant the head side (with roots) into the soil; and for pineapple, the cut side goes into the soil. Add compost once every 15 days. You can prepare compost with kitchen scraps or add kitchen scraps (except lemons) to your soil directly.” To those who don’t have access to soil she suggests to take cotton swabs or soft cloth, “Place it ona plate. Put a few Fenugreek seeds on it and always keep the cotton/cloth damp. Place it near a window with ample light, and see the magic unfold.”

Sanjana Reddy, a resident of Somajiguda, and a filmmaker has just begun growing plants in her balcony. The best part is that she’s been using utensils from her kitchen which are no longer in use. “That way I don’t have to depend on buying pots from outside.” She’s been growing methi and coriander, which crops twice in a week and once a week respectively.

“I am also growing wheatgrass along with turmeric and ginger. These plants are growing well making my balcony look so green during this harsh summer. This quarantine time has changed my perception that even a small place is enough for doing what you like especially growing plants.” And what does she do for the tips etc? She follows several blogs for the same. She says tht gardening at home perfect is that it does put her under any pressure. “It’s just a 15-minutes ritual while you sip your coffee every morning. You feel connected to what you are growing which in turn nurtures that part of your being which cares for anything which lives.”

 saima@newindianexpress  @Sfreen