I have a slightly stupid query (as compared to others on this forum).
My dad just retired from his job few months back and now he is bored of sitting at home. I thought he could engage in gardening get busy with it. So we have this huge terrace at my home. Its a flat and yet has a big terrace. So the questions are…
[ol]
*What all can be grown on a terrace? In Delhi climate - extreme summers and extreme winters?
*Is hydroponics cheap enough to be taken up as a hobby? Can I do it in a are smaller than 100 sg ft? Do I need to make a greenhouse for it?
*What else can he do to keep him occupied?[/ol]
We dont really want to make money from any of this but it should be enough to keep my father busy.
Firstly your question is not at all stupid. It is good idea.
You can use shade nets to control scorching sun. You can grow vegitables like ladies finger(okra or Bhendi), Brinjal, Tomatoes etc. all above are 95 to 110 days of crops.
Just go ahead and boost your father. You can use empty buckets of paint. They sell it for 50Rs each bucket. Make small hole at the bottom to drain excess water.
Preparing clay: mix 1:6:3 Sand, black soil, Red soil.
Use vermi compost.
Matter of fact you can try anything which is in your reach to start off. Get some seeds from any store and try them out in the planters and make sure not to give excess water, which is what I found out. Giving excess water will actually kill the seedlings and existing plants. The water should be just sufficient and the soil need not be always wet. Try some plants like marigold and tomato to start off as the survival is pretty high. If your Dad has interest then he is more matured than most of us and he will take care of your terrace garden.
Only Annual Vegetable Can be Grown as Terrace Gardening.But it is not Possiable/Advisable to Grow Perinnial Plnts on the Terrace. Pernnial plants/Trees are Mango,Guva,Chikku,Jack Fruit etc.
You Can Grow all types of vegitables Like, brinjal,Brinjal.Ribbed Gourd,Bitter Gourd,Snake Gourd,Cucumber etc. as per the needs of Your House. For Climatic control you want you can have Green House Farming in Consultation with the Horticulture Department of your Area.They will Help you.Don’t go for Perennial Crops like Trees etc. In same manner you also should take care of your terrace water sweeping. For this Consult an architect and take necessity measures for safeguarding your Terrace.
Actually you came up with a very good idea. Roof gardening is a trendy hobby now a days and being a professional landscape designer, i know the value of roof gardening. here are a few tips which can help your father getting a good terrace garden.
as there is extreme heat in Delhi at the summer, you can put various kinds of cactus, money plants, and you can also have there a lawn made of Mexican grass. If you use shade, you can keep there beganvolia, rangan, black benjamina, white benjamina, and a few fruit plants like lemon, kupia, etc.
this hobby which you are up to take on, is not at all cheap. the cost depends on how large the garden you are going to make. yes, you can make a roof garden in less than 100 square feet area but it wont be up to the mark. yes, green house is needed for a terrace garden.
your father can keep himself busy in interior decoration.