How to Build a Terrace Garden

In gardening language, a terrace is a raised flat paved section where plants can be grown, mostly flowers, vegetables, and fruits. These gardens can be created in any type of buildings, residential flats, office space or even in balconies. Let’s now look at how important they are and how to build a terrace garden for yourself.

OVERVIEW

Pollution has become a great topic of debate at all levels and especially air pollution. The burning of fossil fuels releases different harmful chemicals to the atmosphere, like carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOX), Sulphur dioxide (SO2), and tiny solid particles-including lead from gasoline additives-called particulates. More than 80% of people worldwide livings in urban areas that monitor air pollution are exposed to air quality levels that exceed the World Health Organization(WHO) limits.

22 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities are in India. Noida at 10th and Kolkata at 55th worldwide air pollution. This is concerning, considering the enormous population.

What no one talks about is food. According to a study published in the journal Lancet, India is just behind the US and China in the global list of countries with the highest number of obese people. The 2013 study reported that India has 30 million obese people, mostly kids.

The main causes of obesity are eating unhealthy food. Don’t get me wrong but unhealthy food does not only includes grease-soaked fried foods. It also includes chemically grown foods. The rise in population has also created a huge demand for food. This huge demand can only be met by growing food using chemical fertilizers. The use of pesticides and nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture has grown dramatically over the past 30 years.

Environmental exposure of humans to agrichemicals is common and results in both acute and chronic health effects, including acute and chronic neurotoxicity (insecticides, fungicides, fumigants), lung damage (paraquat), chemical burns (anhydrous ammonia), and infant methemoglobinemia (nitrate in groundwater). A variety of cancers also have been linked to exposure to various pesticides, particularly hematopoietic cancers.

HOW TO BUILD A TERRACE GARDEN & WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT

With such a high concentration of particles in the atmosphere, and with the world’s temperature has gone up by 1°C and so with the chemical food side effects, it is obvious that something needs to change.

A simple solution is to increase flora. Trees, Shrubs, vegetable plants, decorative plants all help to tackle pollution by reducing the amount of Carbon dioxide and other toxins. They also increase oxygen content in the air. With rising temperature and pollution of cities like Delhi and Kolkata, knowing how to build a terrace garden is important. It will be a mutual benefit by helping cities curb pollution and providing the owner with a healthy and cheap diet.

Terrace gardens are easy on the eye, they add up to the overall appeal of the apartment. Growing flowers like roses and Jasmine will eliminate the need for artificial air fresheners. It also makes the atmosphere more ambient and optimistic with so little effort.

So, let’s look at how to build one.

• Use space in sun and shade

 Utilizing both spaces can be important as some plant grows in the shade and others grow in the sun. In the hot summer, the sun-loving plants might also require a shady space. Therefore, it is suggested to buy shade nets which control light penetration from here.

 Afternoon shade is advisable for tropical cities.

 Vegetables should be grown on the Southern or Western side as require a longer run time.

 Too much rain can be a bad thing, so it is recommended to buy a shade cover too.

• Placing raised beds

 Raised beds can be placed adjacent to the walls, which helps the plants spread their roots and thrive better. It is also better compared to the containers

 An investment in a raised bed can reward with lots of vegetables, fruits and to your back pain.

 Plants under these beds do not require a lot of maintenance. It can be easily found in garden shops or you can order one on Neha Impex.

• Soil

 The success of gardening depends on the kind of soil used for plants.

 Different plants require different soils like citrus and azalea need acidic soil, while succulents and cacti thrive in sandy soil. To know about the best soil for the plants, contact Neha Impex.

• Watering

 Watering consistently is very important especially in summers. In winter, watering can be on alternative days.

 Rainwater is good for plants as it contains Nitrogen which plants can take up directly.

 Overwatering will drain away nutrients and soil.

CONCLUSION

If you’re tired of eating the same chemical dipped food products, if you want to breath fresh air and help out the city doing it too, if you want to save some money on your grocery shopping, then Terrace Gardens are the way to go. It requires a little commitment, a slight expense of your time and a vision to live healthily.

If you’re worried you cannot do it all alone, do contact Neha Impex. Established in 1991 at Kolkata, West Bengal, they are the market leaders in gardening and are the best for promoting shade net gardening in Kolkata. With 27+ years of experience, 173+ happy clients and 21+ professional awards, the competition is far behind.