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7 best tips for Terrace gardening| design| decoration
Terrace gardening is a new way of keeping close to greenery and strengthening our bond with mother nature. With changing times our lifestyle has completely changed and so is our living space.
From a jungle of trees to a jungle of concrete, we have come a long way but we are and will always be totally dependent on nature. The terrace garden is a perfect combination of nature and modern living space.
So if you want to surprise your special one with beautiful organic flowers or you want to impress your guests with healthy organic veggies from your very own kitchen garden or you are longing for a walk around greenery and nature then you are at the right place.
Here you are going to find all that you need to know about the terrace garden and you will learn how to start a terrace garden at home.
Waterproofing for terrace garden
Waterproofing of the terrace is the first and most essential step for the safety and life of the house.
Where there are plants there is water and where there is water there are chances of leakage or seepage. To avoid this you need to waterproof your terrace before you start terrace gardening.
There are several different methods of waterproofing and different products that are easily available in the market. The most commonly used product is acrylic polymer coating.
If you use pots or planters you do not necessarily need waterproofing but I would still suggest doing so because even pots are going to drain extra water which may cause damage to your terrace or balcony.
Terrace garden design
Gardening has a lot to do with creativity that you can express through the layout or plan of your terrace garden. Depending on the place and area you select, you can decide the layout and also the types of pots or planters.
Usually, terrace garden planters are lightweight so that your terrace can bear them easily. These can be plastic buckets, baskets, tubs, bottles, etc. There are also planting bags available in the market that are lightweight and durable. These bags also come with UV protection which is good for your plants.
If you have a larger area available you can maintain elevated beds to grow veggies or other plants. You can also maintain sections such as a flower garden, kitchen garden, etc.
If you have less space you can use the vertical space that is the walls by using hanging pots. You can also have shelves fixed on walls and keep small pots on them.
Type of soil and composts for plants
Soil is one of the key requirements for gardening and it’s very important to know what type of soil you need.
One thing that you always need to keep in mind is the weight you’re putting on your terrace and whether it can bear it. To cater to this need, lightweight planting material has been invented.
The most commonly used one is Coconut peat. The planting material has to be rich in nutrients along with being lightweight so that the plants get good food and stay healthy and happy and your terrace doesn’t have to bear too much weight.
There are many organic composts available that are nutritious for your plants and can be combined with planting material to give a better home to your plant.
Terrace garden plants
Terrace gardening takes more effort than ground gardening and choosing the right type of plant is an important point to consider. Though you can grow almost any plant on your terrace even small trees if your building is well-constructed using quality materials.
Trees, however, are very high maintenance when it comes to terrace gardening. As a beginner, I suggest you go for small and low-maintenance plants that grow fast. The kitchen garden is a good way to start. You can start with fast-growing plants like coriander. You can also go for flowers like Marigold
Plant protection
Plants are just like babies. They need nourishment, protection, and lots of love. You must be aware of how to protect plants from frost, scorch, bugs, pests, etc.
In cold regions, plants need protection from frost. In hot regions, they need protection from scorch. And pests and bugs are always there to damage them. There are many plant diseases also that cause damage to plants.
There are many simple methods to protect plants from these enemies. You can cover them to protect them from the weather, you can use organic pesticides to protect them from pests.
Birds in my garden
Not just pests but there are other factors also that can damage your plants like birds. Birds too love plants but smaller plants can be damaged by them. You can use mesh or net to cover your plants so that birds don’t damage them but many times birds get entangled in them.
The more creative way is a visual deterrent. You can use toy cats or scarecrows but these are also not much efficient as birds gradually get used to them. Some people use kites in the shape of large birds. This is found to be more effective.
There are also repellents available on the market that can keep the birds away for a couple of weeks.
The best option is a wire cage. You can cage vulnerable plants until they are strong enough to tackle birds. These cages are tangle-free so birds are also safe.
Water the plants
Water is very essential for plants but it has to be just sufficient. Scarce water can dry them and too much of it washes away the nutrients from soil or planting material.
In winter, watering once a day is sufficient, in summers or hot days give them the drink twice a day. On rainy days avoid watering at all even on days next to a rainy day.
If you live in an area where it snows choose plants that can survive snowfall or see methods to protect plants from frost.
You can also collect snow to convert it into water and use that for watering plants later on other days. In areas where there are decent rains, you can do rainwater harvesting. This water can be used for other purposes as well.
Terrace garden decoration
This is my favorite part of terrace gardening. Not just you but plants also get impacted by their surroundings if it’s beautiful they’ll be happy.
Choose from the best terrace garden decoration ideas and renovate your terrace from boring to beautiful. Use your creative mind and recycle old stuff into beautiful art pieces fit for your terrace garden.
Use different things as pots for your plants. Broken buckets, old vases, mugs, etc can be recycled into beautiful pots and planters. In small spaces, walls can be utilised for vertical gardening.
You can hang small pots on the walls. If you are willing to spend more you can make shelves and put beautiful pots on them. Plastic soda pop bottles or cans can be cut and carved into beautiful shapes and used as planters.
You can also go for wooden racks for a multi-story planter. Usual cement or mud pots are also available in creative designs, however, they are heavyweight and not recommended for terrace or balcony gardens.