“In densely populated urban areas of the cities even having a small rooftop or patio is such a boon. You can create a roof top garden there. You can sit there and enjoy. Surely you may have many plans about your rooftop garden design and style but considering these tips will be helpful too.”

Pollution

We earn more and buy more but the quality of our lives has declined. It’s not just toxic air that we are breathing, the food that we eat is becoming equally toxic. Indiscriminate use of pesticides and fertilizers are causing birth defects and abnormalities; cancer is on the rise and yet we turn a blind eye to our actions.

Vegetable bed

With a little extra effort, you’ll also enjoy harvesting your own vegetables and fruits that are a 100% organic and pesticide free. If you’re not into producing veggies, you can simply set up a herb and flower garden, or an exotic green landscape with a small spring decked with lights to unwind in the comfort of your home. We can grow organic vegetables without spending too much money and enjoy all the benefits of a healthy life right at home.

The Internet is full of fresh new ideas, hacks and tricks to growing your garden. Spare some time to do research for new and inspiring ideas.

Here is a checklist of the items you need to get Roof top organic gardening started.

Roof top organic gardening Checklist

Waterproofing

One of the first things you need to do before setting up your terrace garden is to check your terrace for water proofing. Buy a thick tarpaulin sheet and cover the ground surface of your terrace if you’re doing it yourself.

Soil

Soil that is properly conditioned and nourished is the key to growing strong and healthy plants. Chemically treated soil will not only seep into the food system, it can also harm and destroy beneficial bacteria, worms and other microbes in the soil.  Find a good source from where you can buy soil. Most nurseries sell well nourished soil mix it with vermicompost. Online vermicompost is available with our website get it and mix soil yourself.

Plant Containers

Whatever containers you use, they need to have a small opening at the bottom to release any extra water that you pour for the plants. However, this small hole should be blocked with a small piece of flat stone to prevent the soil from draining away as well.

Seeds

You’ll need good quality seeds to grow your veggies. You can usually start with tomatoes, lady’s fingers and bitter gourd. Seeds can be picked up from local nurseries or garden shop or you can source them from the vegetables you purchased at the market.

Water

You can use a hose to water the plants in your terrace or buy a small watering pot/ kettle if you prefer. Alternately, you can simply fill a bucket of water, carry it around the terrace and pour water using a smaller container.

Pesticides

Pests are going to be visiting your garden no matter what kind of protection you take. And the best way to combat them is by using organic pesticides – not the dangerous artificial ones available in the market, but natural ones you can prepare at home yourself.

Garden Shades and Covers

If your terrace is scorching hot, you can set up a garden shade. They will protect your plants from excessive heat and rain. You can get creative with green nets if you’re on a tight budget.

Steps to Set Up Terrace Garden

Now that you have all the basic ingredients to setting up an organic terrace garden, its time to move on to the actual procedure for getting started.

Prepare the Layout

Visualize how your garden should look like and prepare a good layout considering the position of your terrace, the heat and light factors. Place all the pots in a convenient location so that you can water them easily.

Plant your soil

Water the mixture mentioned below regularly for 3 days. Combine proportion 100 gms of coco peat and 1-2 kg vermicompost. Mix it with10 kilos of soil with the above mixture. Let the mixture sit in a container for at least 3 weeks before you put it to use.

Plant Your Seeds

Once your soil is ready for use, you can start planting the seeds. You can plant seeds in a seeding tray and then transplant them to the pot or plant them directly.During the transplanting process, avoid exposing the root of the sapling to direct sunlight because the roots will dry up and die. Do the transplantation in a shady area of the house or in the evenings.