Terrace Gardening For Beginners
Terrace Gardening For Beginners
DISCLAIMER
All rights reserved. No part of this eBook may be quoted from or reproduced
All effort has been made to ensure that the information in this book is
accurate and complete. However, the author does not warrant the accuracy of
the information, text, and graphics due to the rapidly changing nature of
The Author does not hold any responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary
interpretation of the subject matter therein. This book is presented solely for
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DISCLAIMER ........................................................................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 3
CHAPTER 4: COMMON MISTAKES EVERY NEWBIE GARDENER MAKES AND HOW TO AVOID THEM ..................... 35
CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................................................... 55
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INTRODUCTION
Life in the city is great! - For the most part. We have access to good schools,
hospitals, jobs, and entertainment centres but there are problems too, like
What would make city life better is the presence of more greenery. In our
country, trees are recklessly cut down to accommodate more houses, river
beds are turned into housing complexes and our daily commute spews more
It is not just the air that is toxic, even the food we eat is equally toxic with
fertilizers are causing birth defects, abnormalities and cancer, yet we turn a
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If you want a breath of clean, fresh air, you don’t have to take a 30-minute ride
unwind at a nature resort. Similarly, if you want to eat healthy, fresh, organic
fruits and vegetables, you don’t have to search long and wide for an organic
to set it up - a small monthly budget should work out nicely. And if you’re a
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In fact, gardening is a highly therapeutic activity that will help you be more
productive in the workplace. Spending just half an hour in the morning and
another half hour in the evening tending to your plants will help you get rid of
your stress and anxiety, reduce your breathing problems and leave you feeling
If you’re not into producing vegetables, no worries. You can simply set up a
herb or flower bed, or an exotic green landscape with a spring decked with
home.
your neighbours will be sharing seeds and plants and your entire
neighbourhood will be transformed into a green zone. You can be proud that
you’re doing your bit for Mother Earth and inspiring others to do so as well.
So, are you eager and inspired to set up your own garden? Great!
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If you’re all geared up but don’t know where to start, this eBook will be your
guide.
In this eBook, I talk about the benefits of terrace gardening, the things you’ll
vegetable garden.
If your life is filled with stress and seems out of balance, just like the turbulent
You will find it more fulfilling and engaging than working out in the gym! And
you’ll get the satisfaction of making your home and neighbourhood a better
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Last but not least, I want to Thank You for Downloading Terrace Gardening for
Beginners. I hope you will use the actionable information in this book to
create a wonderful terrace garden in your home and enjoy the fruits of your
labour!
The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is
to feed not just the body, but the soul. ~ Alfred Austin
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CHAPTER 1: 10 GOOD REASONS TO START A TERRACE GARDEN
You may think that gardening is an ideal activity for your grandpa or grandma
because they have time on their hands and can afford to idle it away on plants.
Or maybe you live in a small apartment and have no space to set up your
Whatever your excuse for not starting a garden, you’re missing out on a ton of
great benefits that it affords. If you are cooking up excuses why you shouldn’t
start a garden, stop it right now and start counting the 10 good reasons why
Well, the most obvious reason why you’d want to start your own garden is
w.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_gardening.html
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ingredients also add more taste to your meals and offers better nutritional
value. There is nothing quite like biting into a fresh juicy tomato or making
If you don’t have a garden at home, chances are you are buying more meat and
junk food from the supermarket. On the other hand, home-grown vegetables
Growing your own vegetable garden can help kids develop the right attitude
towards fresh fruits and vegetables and encourage them to automatically eat
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3. BURN CALORIES AND STAY FIT
If you have a desk job, chances are you never get up from your seat unless you
absolutely have to. You work at your desk and eat while you work so you can
get more work done. At the end of the day, you end up with an eye strain,
You probably make up for all that sitting by going to the gym and throwing
away good money on someone else. Instead a simple activity like gardening
Studies indicate that spending one hour on moderate gardening activities like
planting and weeding can burn between 200-400 calories but if you’re hauling
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soil up your terrace and doing some intensive work, you could lose as much as
Best of all, it also makes you more goal oriented. Doing a steady run on the
treadmill may feel great on Day 1 but after the 15th day, you’ll feel drained
With gardening, you don’t just keep doing different activities every day, you
also tend to become goal oriented and more purposeful because you want to
achieve more than just losing calories at the end of that workout – you want
your garden to thrive. So there’s exercise for the mind and body.
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health among other things. A few hours of exposure in the sun can give you
the necessary Vitamin D fix the natural way, so why not take it?
This may sound like a silly thing, but you’d be surprised how much you take
your hand strength for granted. As you grow older, you lose strength in your
mortality.
cleaned away all the good bacteria that kept out many diseases. Gardening
brings us back into contact with them. One such bacteria is Mycobacterium
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Vaccae, which is found in the soil and gives off that beautiful earthy smell
when it rains.
side effects!)
7. RELIEVE STRESS
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Various studies have shown that gardening is a powerful stress reliever that is
far more effective than other leisure activities. In fact, the sights, smells, and
sounds of nature take our mind off the focused attention and lead us to a more
casual and effortless state of focus that brings out a positive mood swing.
8. BECOME PURPOSEFUL
Gardening makes you more purposeful in life. Although gardening sounds like
a passive activity, it stimulates your mind and body to think in creative ways
coming up with a good theme for your garden and deciding which plants go
family a chance to
project.
Once you’ve decided on a plan, finding the resources needed, working on the
soil, planting, watering, pruning, fertilizing and harvesting keeps your body
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engaged and active. Before you know it, you will have a garden calendar all
drawn up with what to plant in each month and when to harvest them.
Best of all, you will look forward to all the coming days and weeks ahead (in
fact, you can’t wait for it!) and you’ll accomplish everything with a purposeful,
improves the mind and body, it also helps to improve our relationship with
community oriented
artificial surroundings.
vegetables, you cannot but share them with your neighbours and friends. If
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you are connected to Facebook, you’ll become part of a community of fellow
gardeners who will share tips and best practices with you as well.
You may even end up sharing seeds, stems, and plants with the community.
might even celebrate World Environment Day in a grand manner and involve
If you garden with your family, you also have the advantage of spending
This way, you also get to teach your kids some responsibility and instil a sense
of accomplishment and pride in them. When you build such strong bonds with
your family, not only will your kids turn out alright, you won’t hear any more
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If you thought gardening was for old people, or those who have too much time
on their hands, think again! A beautiful and bountiful garden makes for a
happy and fulfilled man and a happy and fulfilled man makes for a very happy
and contended family. So throw out all your excuses and start growing your
organic garden today! You won’t be just growing a garden, you’ll be building a
happy and healthy family. What else could you ask for in life!
There can be no other occupation like gardening in which, if you were to creep up behind someone
at their work, you would find them smiling. ~Mirabel Osler
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CHAPTER 2: THINGS NEEDED TO GET STARTED WITH TERRACE
GARDENING
Now that you are convinced of the benefits of terrace gardening and are ready
to set up your garden, it is time to learn about some of the tools to get started
SPACE
First you need to determine how much space you have for starting your
accommodated.
SUNLIGHT
Sunlight is absolutely essential for plants to grow properly. Ensure that your
WATER
Make sure you have access to a water source on your terrace. Most houses
should have a water tank with a tap from where water can be sourced for
watering the plants. If you don’t have such an option, arrange an appropriate
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SHADE NET
buy a shade net from an online store or reuse an old mosquito net to protect
TRELLIS OR POLES
trellis for climbers and creepers to grow comfortably. You can use
GARDEN TOOLS
As you start to garden, you’ll realize that you need some essential tools to mix
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shear, a rake and a sprayer. You can buy other essentials as you grow your
CONTAINERS
The next item that you need for your garden are containers. There are number
of different container types available in the market and you can take your pick
When choosing a container, keep in mind the plants that you intend to grow.
When picking containers, go for the light ones, preferably coloured so they
absorb less heat. Lighter containers also make it easy for you to move the pots
around if required.
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When picking containers, it would help to also buy plastic trays to hold off the
SOIL
Soil is another one of the primary elements needed for a terrace garden. And I
don’t mean any soil you can dig off the ground
SEED TRAYS
Some plants must be transplanted to another pot if they are to yield a good
produce. If you plan on growing such plants, you’ll need to sow the seeds in
one container and when they germinate and sprout a few leaves, transfer
them to the primary pot where you want them to grow. Seed trays come in
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very handy for this purpose, but if you have a small budget, you can get
creative and use cardboard boxes, citrus peels, egg shells and curd/yogurt
COMPOST KIT
You can buy seeds from a local nursery or from online stores. If you borrow
plants.
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healthiest plants from a nursery or from a neighbour/friend. Else you might
These are some of the essential tools and items you will require to get started
with your terrace garden. Consider the space available, the type of plants you
You can budget your expenses and spread the cost over a few months so that
you don’t spend too much of money in the first month itself. For example, you
can avoid investing in a shade net right away if you are starting your garden in
the cooler season. Similarly, when investing in containers, you can go for poly
bags as they are cheaper and convenient for growing certain types of crops.
ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
Despite the fact that you have a good potting mix with compost, the nutrients
in the soil get depleted very quickly. Organic fertilizers therefore must be used
You can buy cow dung, chicken manure, bone meal, fish meal, Epsom salts,
oil, neem cake, fish emulsion and seaweed emulsion to fertilize your plants. All
of these are made from organic matter but check the labels before you buy.
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When I initially started my garden, I bought seaweed emulsion,
Vermicompost, and neem cake. The seaweed liquid did wonders for my plant
favourite fertilizer.
and tomato plants, which I will watch closely in the coming days.
For pest control, neem oil is said to work great, but I found a good drenching
of tobacco water to do the trick. Still, it never hurts to have neem oil handy.
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. ~Cicero
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CHAPTER 3: PLANNING YOUR CONTAINER GARDEN
Now that you’ve chosen and put together all the essential items needed to
start a terrace garden, it’s time to start planning the layout in more detail.
If your express reason for starting terrace garden is to grow vegetables, first
decide on the list of vegetables you want to start with. Tomatoes, brinjals,
beans, any type of gourds, green leafy vegetables, radish, and mint are some of
the easiest vegetables to grow, with fairly quick harvest times to boot.
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Also consider the climatic conditions and season when you are starting your
garden. Start with plants that are ideal to grow in that particular season.
Also try to include some flowering plants in your garden plan. Plants like the
marigold are helpful in keeping pests away while others like the sunflower
When choosing a location for your garden, consider the needs of your plants.
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Some plants require full sun, others do well in partial shade and still others
Place the plants according to their sunshine requirements and you’ll save
yourself and the plants the hassle of moving around different parts of the
terrace.
Vegetables need more breathing space so make sure you provide enough
space around the plants. It won’t do you any good to keep bumping into the
Also check if your plants need to spread or climb and choose a location where
you can give it adequate support like setting up poles and trellises.
One other thing to consider is quick access to water. You shouldn’t have to
carry water from your house all the way up to the terrace to water the plants.
Once you’ve decided on the location of your plants, it’s time to consider other
requirements.
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CHOOSING YOUR CONTAINERS
When it comes to picking containers, you have a whole lot of options available
at your disposal. You have deep ones, wide ones, small, big and medium size
pots. You also have containers made with different types of materials; cement
pots, clay pots, plastic containers, grow bags, and so on. Here are some points
If your plant is going to be exposed to the sun and rain, avoid using
brittle.
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Similarly, avoid using dark coloured containers as they will trap the
Cement pots can very heavy and not easy to carry or move around, so
think twice about using them if you’re going to be moving your pots a
lot.
Recycled items like old buckets, broken jugs, thermocol boxes, gunny
bags, shoes, and water cans aren’t something I’d recommend since
they don’t give an aesthetic look to your garden. If you must use
Mud pots are the best as they are not heavy and allow the soil to
breathe.
POT SIZES
Here are some ideal pot sizes for growing some common home garden plants:
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Onions, Cabbage, Radish, Cucumbers 16x12 inches
musk melon
Next, it is time to prepare the potting soil. Soil is the most essential ingredient
that helps in the healthy growth and development of the plant. It anchors the
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roots to the soil and supplies it with all the essential nutrients needed for
growth.
An ideal soil is one that has a fine crumbly structure, is rich in organic matter,
and has good drainage. Since you usually don’t have instant access to the
perfect soil, you can create an ideal potting mix that contains the above
mentioned characteristics.
A simple potting soil mix is to use 1-part sand (you can get them from a
You can top up the soil with fresh compost in regular intervals to retain the
soil composition. Again, there are plenty of cheap and easy ways you can make
your own compost at home with kitchen scrap. Having your own home made
compost is cheap and highly effective way of conditioning your soil that
Before you add sand to your container, make sure to close all the holes at the
bottom of the pot with a piece of flat stone. This is to prevent the soil and
nutrients draining away from the pot when you deeply water the plant.
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WATERING
Watering your plants is one of the most intensive parts of gardening. While it
may seem like a piece of cake, it is not as simple as it sounds. Before you water
your plants, you need to have a good understanding of your plants’ water
needs as well.
Too much watering, too little watering or inconsistent watering can lead to
various fungal diseases and plant problems like yellow leaves, root rotting,
and stunted growth. Keep these points in mind when watering plants:
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Always water the plants in the mornings.
Never spray water on the leaves. If you must do it early morning and
Water your plants twice a day if the weather is too hot and make sure
Container plants have limited soil space and therefore a limited supply of
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fertilize your plants regularly with a mix of liquid, compost and granular
Organic, home-made compost is ideal to top up your soil while bone meal, fish
meal, and seaweed can provide the various nutritional requirements specified
above.
Whatever fertilizer you choose for your soil, make sure you don’t over fertilize
as it can be harmful for your plant. And read the label instructions before
So with the right choice of containers, location, potting mix, watering and
fertilizing, you have set the right foundation for your plants to grow heartily
Next up, we’ll take a look at how you can go wrong with your plants despite
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CHAPTER 4: COMMON MISTAKES EVERY NEWBIE GARDENER MAKES
Let’s face it! Gardening doesn’t look like a complicated job. You drop the seeds
in the soil, water them regularly and when they start to grow, you nourish
them with fertilizers. All the books, web articles and chit chat with the
But when you really start your gardening project, you’ll find that it isn’t so
simple after all. There are rules that must be obeyed even if they appear to be
something as simple as watering the plants in the mornings rather than the
evenings. Whether you are a newbie gardener or an old hand, here are some
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plant for aphids, scale, spider mites and other tiny creatures as you don’t want
them to infest the rest of your garden. Pick up plants with lush vibrant foliage
It is easy to get carried away and try to have as many plants in your garden as
possible. This will cause you to make stupid decisions like buying plenty of
to grow. Vary the size of your containers keeping in mind the type of plants
If you live in a sunny spot, chances are, you feel the need to water your plants
generously morning, noon and evening. However, you must remember that
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plants grown in containers don’t need that much of water love. Yellowing of
that your plant is dying of thirst. Inconsistent watering can also cause plant
Place your finger into the soil until your second knuckle is reached. If the tip of
Remember that your container is small and can hold only so much moisture,
so when you are pouring water, don’t just sprinkle to wet the top layer of the
soil but pour enough water until it reaches the bottom of the pot and a little
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Understand the moisture requirements for each of your plants and follow
Another common mistake that you tend to make when watering plants is to
water the leaves. It may feel wonderful to have green leaves glistening with
water in the fading sunlight, but this is a sure-fire way to set up a breeding
Schedule your watering in the early morning hours and avoid evening
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5. NOT PRUNING REGULARLY
Some plants require regular pruning to keep them healthy and promote
growth. Pruning is the removal of certain parts of the plant that are of no use
to it. However, you may fear that pruning will kill the plant and avoid doing it.
Bad Idea!
zombie plant.
My jasmine plant had plenty of gorgeous looking green leaves but showed no
signs of growing further or flowering. When I nipped off all the older leaves,
new shoots started to grow everywhere and I had a plant full of flowers in
about a week’s time. So don’t hesitate pruning the plants at the right time.
Also keep removing dead leaves and flowers as they shed. You will not only
have a clean garden, but your plants will not feel stressed as well.
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6. NOT COMPOSTING
All plants require a nutrient rich soil to grow. This is even more significant in
container gardening as growing plants quickly zap the nutrition leaving the
7. OVER FERTILIZING
plants. In some cases, your plants will stop flowering and in others, they will
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just die on you. Moderation must be practiced in the use of fertilizers. Read
8. IGNORING PESTS
Pests are called pests for a reason. Give them a little room and they will
completely destroy your plants before you know what hit you. I made the
mistake of ignoring those pesky mealy bugs on my gorgeous orange Ixora and
before I knew it, the whole plant was infected and eventually died on me.
One way to keep off pests is to feed your plants well and keep them healthy.
Pests will attack your weak plants so you’ll need to keep working on them and
trying various concoctions to get rid of them. If all fails, nip off the infected
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Whatever you do, never ignore these tiny creatures as they are capable of
9. NOT MULCHING
Mulching is a simple job but a very effective one. It helps the soil retain
Stop making this mistake and take action. Your plants will be happy and so
will you.
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11. PLANTING IN THE SHADE
My roses never grew a new leaf for over a year and I simply assumed that it
was because they were not suited to the hot Chennai weather. But the actual
reason they were struggling to grow and were eventually rotting and dying
was because I did not allow it the full 6-8 hours of sunlight it needed to grow.
When I moved my pots from a shady spot to my terrace, I had fresh leaves and
buds sprouting in just 3 days. Now they are happily blooming every day!
Do your homework properly and check if your plants require full sunlight or
partial shade. Place them in the appropriate part of your terrace and you will
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Just as you have gone used to the idea of seeing greens in your red container,
insects and bugs that have gotten used to munching on them as well, will leave
Another issue is that the greens may have replenished the nutrients required
for their growth, leaving the subsequent yields poor. Some plants like legumes
actually repair the soil by fixing nitrogen in the soil, thereby helping the next
batch of crops that need it but it is not the case with every plant. So avoid
can give your plants the right care and attention they require.
One of the worst mistakes you can make as a gardener is to think you're in charge. ~Janet Gillespie
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CHAPTER 5: COMMON CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS ABOUT
CONTAINER GARDENING
Gardening may sound like a simple enough activity that works in auto pilot
mode, but it isn’t so! As you begin your organic gardening project, you will
find yourself making a lot of mistakes; sometimes you won’t be making any
mistakes and yet you’ll be struggling with issues like when those sneaky
squirrels eat up your melons or those busy bees bore into your roses!
You may wonder why your leaves are turning yellow, your fruits are dropping
or your plants are flowering but not fruiting. Don’t worry! These are common
problems that every gardener faces. Just remember that gardening is a fun
That said, here are some common problems or concerns you’re likely
to face once you start your own organic garden and some solutions for them.
Cause: This may be due to excessive salt content in the soil or excessive use of
fertilizers.
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Solution: Stop further application of the fertilizer. Then get rid of the
excessive fertilizer piled up in the soil by watering the plant deeply until the
Q2: My plant stems look thin and weak and are not productive.
Q3. My stems are starting to turn yellowish near the base of the plant.
Solution: Water your plants less. Check if the water is draining properly.
Place your finger inside the soil. If the tip comes out wet, don’t water the plant
that day. If your draining holes are clogged, clear the blockage.
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Solution 2: It may be that your plant is grown big and needs more nutrients
Solution: Water your plants less. If water stagnates in the soil, it will prevent
the roots from accessing oxygen. Check your drainage and remove blockages if
any.
Cause: Your plants are attacked by pests like leaf worms and bugs.
Cause: Your plants may be hit by a fungal infection like powdery mildew that
Solution: Do not water the leaves of the plant. Remove the affected leaves If
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BONUS READING: GARDENING CALENDAR FOR NORTH INDIA
Here’s a quick roundup of what vegetables you can sow during the different
Vegetable Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Brinjals
Okra
Cucumber
Peas
Radish
Spinach
Tomatoes
Lettuce
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Bitter
Gourd
Bottle
Gourd
Ridge Gourd
Turnip
Carrots
Cauliflower
French
Beans
Onion
Beet Root
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Cabbage
Watermelon
Capsicum
Melons
One of the worst mistakes you can make as a gardener is to think you're in charge. ~Janet Gillespie
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BONUS READING: GARDENING CALENDAR FOR SOUTH INDIA
Here’s a quick roundup of what vegetables you can sow during the different
Vegetable Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Brinjals
Okra
Cucumber
Peas
Radish
Spinach
Tomatoes
Lettuce
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Bitter
Gourd
Bottle
Gourd
Ridge Gourd
Turnip
Carrots
Onion
Beet Root
Cabbage
Watermelon
Capsicum
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Cauliflower
Melons
Learn to be an observer in all seasons. Every single day, your garden has something new and
wonderful to show you. ~Author Unknown
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BONUS READING: PLANTS THAT MUST BE TRANSPLANTED
bigger pot. Failure to do this will result in a crop that does not yield fruit. So
when you’re planning to grow these plants, ensure that you transplant them
to another pot after they have grown about 4-5 inches tall with 3 to 4 leaves.
Brinjals
Cabbage
Capsicum
Chillies
Cauliflower
Lettuce
Pepper
Tomato
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CONCLUSION
I hope this book will help you to start preparing and planning your very own
Shopping for containers, seeds, and plants is a lot of fun and planting your first
I hope you do enjoy setting up your garden and reaping the fruits of your
labour!
Essential advice for the gardener: grow peas of mind, lettuce be thankful, squash selfishness, turnip
to help thy neighbour, and always make thyme for loved ones. ~Author Unknown
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