As she stepped onto a big stage amid a spherical of applause, homemaker Bangaru Jhansi had by no means imagined standing in entrance of M Venkaiah Naidu, former vice chairman of India. However final yr on 14 October, the Andhra Pradesh resident acquired the celebrated Dr IV Subba Rao Rythu Nestham award from the previous vice chairman for her spectacular terrace backyard.

“I used to be so glad to satisfy Venkaiah Naidu sir. He congratulated me for my work. It was such a stunning and proud second for me; I can not describe it in phrases,” Bangaru tells The Higher India.

“After receiving the award, I really feel extra dutiful in direction of encouraging others to take up terrace gardening. I want that each Indian family ought to develop their very own meals for consumption,” she provides.

The 28-year-old has arrange a lush inexperienced jungle on her terrace unfold throughout an space of 800 sq. ft. With all kinds of decorative and medicinal vegetation, inexperienced leafy greens, flowers, and huge fruit timber like oranges and mangoes, her terrace backyard has grow to be a centre for sustainable farming — drawing the eye of notable dignitaries together with the Mayor of Vishakhapatnam Hari Venkata Kumari.

In a dialog with The Higher India, Bangaru shares what makes her terrace backyard distinctive.

Constructing a inexperienced oasis on a terrace

Born and introduced up in Visakhapatnam, the BCom graduate labored as a supervisor for 3 years earlier than her marriage in 2021.

“After I got here to my husband’s dwelling, he didn’t have any vegetation in any respect. I took my pastime of gardening from my guardian’s dwelling to my in-laws’. So, after a month of my marriage, I began planting quite a lot of timber,” smiles Bangaru, who progressively turned their terrace right into a blooming inexperienced oasis with 600 vegetation.

Since childhood, she was impressed by her grandmother to develop her personal meals. “I used to study numerous gardening strategies from my grandmother. Apart from this, I’d examine a e book by Cho Han-kyu, a South Korean farmer who promotes pure farming. This helped me arrange a wholesome backyard,” she says.

“A number of farmers are pressured to make use of chemical fertilisers like urea and pesticides to spice up crop yield. This at all times pushed me to develop wholesome fruit and veggies organically and lead a wholesome life-style,” shares Bangaru.

“Additionally, there’s a huge distinction between the standard of our produce and what we get out there. Our greens and fruits have distinctive aromas and are sweeter in comparison with the market ones that are normally tasteless,” she provides.

At the moment, the city gardener grows at the very least 85 types of vegetation and tall fruit timber — together with brinjals, okra, tomatoes, lettuce, mint, watermelon, drumsticks, spring onions, star-fruits, three sorts of mangoes, yellow and purple colored jackfruits, candy lime, two sorts of oranges, Barbados cherries, strawberries, blueberries, mulberries, custard apple, amla, papaya, grapes, sugarcane, apple, dragon fruits, litchies, guavas, and far more.

Bangaru shares that she dedicates at the very least three hours a day to taking care of her terrace backyard. Over time, she has rigorously nurtured tall fruit timber and greens by crafting distinctive fertilisers, composting strategies, and pesticides.

She shares a couple of secret strategies that she applies in her rooftop backyard.

Tricks to develop a thriving city backyard on the terrace

Prune the grafted timber: Bangaru suggests pruning the vegetation earlier than the onset of their beneficial season.

“This prepares the vegetation for good development and improved air circulation. Additionally, by pruning, we take away weak components of the plant and minimise the danger of pest injury,” she provides.

Put together the potting combine: Bangaru shares that the proper potting composition contains 30 p.c vermicompost/kitchen waste compost/cow dung, 30 p.c soil, 30 p.c cocopeat, and 10 p.c neem cake.

“I switch the potting combine into a big container or pot after which plant the saplings. This potting combine incorporates solely a handful of soil so it doesn’t add burden to the terrace weight,” she provides.

When so as to add biofertilisers: After plantation, Bangaru suggests including biofertilisers and liquid fertilisers within the pots after three months. She shares the composition of one in every of her trichoderma-enriched biofertilisers.

“Take 100 kg of cow dung, 10 kg of neem powder, and two kg of trichoderma viride. Combine the components and sprinkle some water over it. Cowl it with a cotton fabric and preserve them beneath shade. After seven days, white-coloured good micro organism can have fashioned. Then, instantly combine the compost with cow dung and add to the soil,” she explains.

Add liquid fertiliser to spice up yield: Bangaru says that she makes use of a singular fish amino acid biofertiliser that promotes wholesome development and improvement of vegetation by regulating phototropism and photosynthesis, and stimulating carbon and nitrogen metabolism.

Because the title suggests, the fertiliser is made utilizing fish!

“Take 1 kg of sea fish and 1 kg of jaggery. Combine it in a terracota pot or plastic container with the assistance of a stick. Then, cowl it with a cotton fabric and preserve it beneath shade,” she explains.

“Each morning and night, stir it in a clockwise route. The fertiliser shall be prepared after 15 days. Take 10 ml of fish amino acid and dilute it in 5 litres of water, after which, spray it on the leaves and beneath soil roots of the vegetation,” she suggests.

Bangaru additionally suggests giving fruit-fermented juices to vegetation just like how it’s given to pregnant girls; vegetation additionally crave citrus fruits earlier than flowering and fruiting!

Tips on how to take away pests: The city gardener suggests spraying neem oil to eliminate bugs like mealybugs.

“Firstly, take away the pests manually. Afterward, spray neem oil each week. If you happen to nonetheless spot the pests on the plant, spray a combination of chillies and garlic paste combined in rice water. That is positive to work wonders,” she shares.

Edited by Pranita Bhat. All photographs: Bangaru Jhansi.