When I shifted to a small town around 2920 days back, I was stressed, overworked, scatterbrained, and my only hobby was reading.

It’s a survival skill when you are a new mom.But then becoming a mom makes you want to put down roots.
In India, balcony gardening is not a new concept. Most people who have a balcony have small gardens.

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But me growing up, didn’t really have a garden. We had a backyard with a big jackfruit tree. That’s it. Since the backyard was paved plus prone to waterlogging, my mom was not inclined to try containers.
She was right. Gardening indoor or outdoor or for that matter hobbies should relax you. They shouldn’t be a source of stress.

If the caregiving for many plants is difficult, start with only one.
If you are not sure about regular watering or prone to forget, try a system like Pindfresh or have plants like dessert rose or sturdy aloe Vera or other succulents which don’t need water.

Even mother- in-laws tongue/snake plant survives well without
regular watering.
So what do you need to start a balcony garden?Just a wish and some jugaad.

You don’t have a nursery nearby

Options-

.Order online from Ugao,Amazon.
Plant your peas,whole moong,Bengal gram-watch them sprout.
Grow from a cutting.
Beg a plant  from a friend, neighbor, or family.
Start your journey.Its a path to wellness and I even wrote a book about it.

14 Balcony Garden Plants (Easy) to Grow in India

1. Aloe vera
2. Chinese Banyan
3. Mother In law’s tongue
4. Desert Rose
5. Portulaca
6. Areca Palm
7. Purple Hearts
8. Rose
9. Spinach
10. Lettuce
11. Pumpkin greens
12. Garlic greens
13. Yellow Ticoma
14. Yellow Alamunda

Now the pot.
Get a few burnt brick terracotta pots and metallic planters or ceramic ones few sizes larger.

The smaller terracotta pots will help you repot easily when the plant grows.
With plastic pots, that’s a problem.
Keep the pot in a well-lighted, ventilated part of your balcony.
Check the soil before watering.
If you dip your finger about an inch into the soil from the top of the pot, it should be moist, not dry and not super wet.
When you water, do gently taking care to water until the water runs out of the tap.
Keep the metal container or a plate below the pot when you water and reuse it to water other plants or in the loo.

Try to use kitchen water for watering plants for environmental reasons.
I use water from washing rice, dal, fruits, veggies, fir watering plants. The Aquarium water is diluted to water the plants too.I buy most stuff from my local nursery.

12 Mistakes to Avoid as a first time Balcony Gardener

• No plan
• Wrong plan
• Wrong plants
• Too many plants
• Wrong container
• Too much watering
• Too litte watering
• No ;light
• Too much light
• No nutrition
• Not taking care of pests
• Not doing the research

I love everything about plants. Once I read that plants, even on pictures, could improve mental health, I knew what I would do. Draw plants! This I started drawing in Darjeeling at a tea garden where I had gone for a holiday and finished it this weekend at our family home in the village.
Nature inspires.

Now, this is not just a balcony gardening post, but how we renovated our village home. How the kitchen garden is taking shape and what’s being planted in the front yard.Once upon a time, I wished for a garden, and now I have several parks. On my balcony, on my windows, indoors, and one set in the middle of a mango orchard.

This post is part of #BlogchatterA2Z .Its a I and Environmental talks of #CauseAchatter

• Balcony gardening September 2020 update
• Memories of the Balcony Garden (Photo Blog)
• Mothers Day Gifts for Gardening moms
• #ThursdayTreeLove:Balcony Garden ideas in India
• Alamunda for your balcony garden with ThursdayTree love 19