Growing These Four Herbs in Your Garden is Super Easy

Sometime earlier I got a request from one of my readers to write a post on how to grow coriander from seeds. I was a little surprised that I had not made a post on it already. And when I checked I found out that I have not made any post on growing any herb whatsoever. Herbs are integral part of a terrace vegetable garden; not only they are easy to grow and pack loads of flavors for your food, but also because they act as pest repellents and thus help in pest management of your garden organically. So I … Continue reading “Growing These Four Herbs in Your Garden is Super Easy”

How to Save Tomato Seeds for Planting Next Year

This winter has been a bad phase for our garden. Almost 70% of our produce has either been eaten away or destroyed by monkeys. Only root vegetables like radish, carrots, turnips etc have been spared by the monkeys. All kind of beans have been eaten away. In some cases the young leaves too have been eaten in all types of bean plants not allowing them even to grow. Cabbage heads have been half eaten and then left. Tomatoes, Eggplants have not only been eaten , they have also been plucked and thrown around in the garden. Monkey attacks have become … Continue reading “How to Save Tomato Seeds for Planting Next Year”

Garden Updates

Some good news first. Organic Terrace got featured in Oh Desi website this month. Oh Desi is run by Mumbaikar Sneha who writes about healthy living practices through Organic and Natural products. The website has some great content with a pleasant design. Here is the link to the article. which talking about my journey in Organic Terrace Gardening. Thanks to Oh Desi again for this feature. This year we have had an unexpected problem in our organic terrace garden; that of monkeys. The monkeys discovered our garden earlier this year and since then have been regular visitors to our terrace garden. Frustratingly we … Continue reading “Garden Updates”

How To Grow Bitter Gourd in a Pot

Bitter gourd is not exactly a favourite vegetable of most people. But there are also quite a few like me who love bitter tasting stuff like neem flowers, dark chocolate and of course bitter gourd. In fact in a complete Odia thali it is difficult not to find something bitter. Bitter tasting stuff is actually very good for the body. In fact if you did a search on internet you would find that Bitter gourd is an excellent source of Vitamin B, C, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, manganese and iron. It contains twice the beta-carotene than broccoli, twice the calcium of … Continue reading “How To Grow Bitter Gourd in a Pot”

How to Grow Cucumber at Home

Summers are here and the temperature this year seems to be rising faster than ever before. In a couple of months time there would be early signs of rains, but till then we need to hydrate ourselves with a lot of fluids throughout the day to beat the summer heat. And there is no better way to do it than with cucumbers. Cucumber has the highest water content for any solid food and is a great snack by itself with a little salt and chilli powder. It is popularly served as a salad and also makes a great summer soup with curd … Continue reading “How to Grow Cucumber at Home”

10 winter vegetables to grow in pots

After what seemed like eternity the air seems to be getting cooler now. Winters will set in soon and that means boom time for kitchen gardeners in the tropics. You can grow a huge variety of colorful and nutritious vegetables in your container garden from November to February when the temperature stays between 15° and 30° in most parts of India. Most of these vegetables are very easy to grow and do just fine with minimal care. Here is my top ten list of vegetables to grow in pots this winter. Tomato Tomato is probably the favorite vegetable of most gardeners. … Continue reading “10 winter vegetables to grow in pots”

Guide to Growing Tomatoes in Containers

Tomato is one of the most versatile vegetables which is loved all around the world for its flavor, texture, color, taste and juiciness. But tomato is also a food source with an ambiguity. Though botanically its a fruit, it is eaten as a vegetable. However knowing this fact really does not make any difference to you when you want to grow juicy, colorful and yummy tomatoes in a container in your garden. But going through this post on how to grow tomatoes in containers surely will. So without much ado here we go. Quick Reference Table to Grow Tomatoes in Containers   Item … Continue reading “Guide to Growing Tomatoes in Containers”

How to Grow Brinjal in Containers

Fire roasted brinjal (or eggplant or aubergine) smashed with chopped onions, chilies and a little mustard oil is a dish that is smoky, sweet, gooey, meaty, hot and above all irresistible. It is an absolute favorite here in my part of the world. In fact eggplant is one of the most used vegetables in Odia cooking. Its goodness can really be enjoyed to the fullest if it is organically grown and is of indigenous variety. Brinjal being a perennial vegetable in tropical weather, it can be planted any time and it can be enjoyed throughout the year. In this post … Continue reading “How to Grow Brinjal in Containers”

How to Grow Radish in Containers… Even in a Plastic Bottle

Radish is one super friendly vegetable to grow in small spaces. Hence it is a favorite among people doing container gardening. You can grow them in as small container as a recycled plastic soft drink bottle. Yes you heard me right. You can grow full fledged radishes even in small containers as plastic bottles. All you need to do is to do it in the right way. This post is a complete guide on How to Grow Radish in Containers from seeds to harvest. Quick Reference Table to Grow Radish in Containers There are many varieties of radishes to choose from. From … Continue reading “How to Grow Radish in Containers… Even in a Plastic Bottle”

How to Grow Okra in Pots Organically

Okra (Bhindi in Hindi and Bhendi in Odia) also known as ladies finger is a very generous plant. A single plant produces one to three fruits daily over a period of 50-60 days. Six to Eight okra plants are enough to meet the vegetable needs for a family of four for a single meal. On top of that Growing Okra in Pots Organically is completely hassle free. Ladies finger is a native African plant and is a close relative of hibiscus. Okra flowers have beautiful color and look similar to hibiscus flowers. Its leaves also have a nice star shaped design. Hence a … Continue reading “How to Grow Okra in Pots Organically”