Want to start gardening in your home? Attend this workshop to learn more about the art

Be honest Havenrsquot you at some point fantasised about ditching the cityrsquos chaos and escaping to a peaceful countryside home where you grow your own little herbs and fresh juicy tomatoes We certainly have But as it turns out even if that faroff dream were to come true most Mumbaikars would be left cluelessDsouzarsquos vertical plant wall PICS COURTESYClyde DsouzaNurturing a garden is a far more mindful process than yoursquod think Green Chimes a community venture hosted their first balcony gardening workshop at a Santacruz nursery last week to teach Mumbaikars the basics of building a home gardenLet there be lightPlants that are marketed as lowmaintenance and dark roomfriendly are shady business says Clyde Dsouza horticulture consultant ldquoNo plant can grow in your bathroom shielded from sunlight for your convenience Sunlight is central to photosynthesisrdquo he clarifiesPotted monstera and snake plants in Dsouzarsquos balconyTo choose the right plant for your home garden he offers a simple guide If your window lets in six to seven hours of sunlight each day yoursquore in luck you can grow most plants with ease Flowering varieties like hibiscus mogra and jasmine need around six hours of sunlight to flourish ldquoTrying to grow a flowering plant without that much light is a waste of moneyrdquo he says Ornamental plants like monstera and snake plant are more forgiving needing only about three hours of sunlight As for those fragrant herbs like mint thyme and coriander that you can almost catch a whiff of as you read this they ideally need four hours of light to thriveWater woesldquoPeople think water is some magical elixir the more the better But in reality the secret is to underwater your plants Plants actually thrive under a bit of stressrdquo he reveals Additionally he suggests you water your plants during the day and not as an afterthought before going to bed ldquoWatering your plants in the absence of sunlight stunts evaporation leaving your soil sticky and prone to fungal growthrdquo Dsouza suggestsParticipants ready the soil at the pilot workshop in SantacruzIn addition to correct drainage additions like osmocote cocopeat and riversand all available in leading estores can help control the soil conditions for optimal growth we learn At the workshops Dsouza offers a handson experience of these techniques Space jamRobert Fernandes landscape consultant admits that having a balcony in this city of matchbox homes is a luxury in itself ldquoBut there are plenty of ways to work around that You can set up vertical garden walls or use layered horizontal shelvesrdquo he suggestsDsouza who is nurturing a 50sq ft garden in his own home stands by the advice ldquoItrsquos all about mixing it up For instance a tall flowering plant placed next to a herb can provide it enough shade to get the right amount of sunlight When you hit the sweet spot therersquos nothing like it My home feels cooler on summer days I can breathe easier and every once in a while a sunbird comes visitingrdquo he chucklesWith the pilot workshop receiving an enthusiastic response the organisation is now planning more sessions in the near future ldquoWe had everyone from retired doctors to young students drop byrdquo says organiser Aditi Jayakar Kane adding ldquoThatrsquos the great part about gardening Anyone can try their hand at itrdquo A green thumb as always is a bonusLOG ON TO Green Chimes on Facebook for updatesatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params