Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

A hanging garden at home

G. Ravikiran

A little imagination is what it takes to grow vegetables at home, says Chalasani Dutt

VEGETARIAN'S DELIGHT: The roof garden at Chalasani Dutt's house in Moghalarajapuram, Vijayawada, has a large variety of vegetable plants. — PHOTO: CH. VIJAYA BHASKAR

VIJAYAWADA: All varieties of vegetable plants grown in a single place through various cultures would be a heart-warming sight for a health-conscious, nature-loving vegetarian. A feel closest to this is available at Chalasani Dutt's large house in the city. A name associated with many aspects of this city's development, Mr. Dutt has almost all plants on the roof of his house.

The moment you step into the entrance of his house adjoining the busy road at Moghalrajapuram, you would surely forget the fretting experience of wading through the traffic. The sight of plants, fruits and flowers are a pleasure to the eye. One would forget the actual purpose of the visit to Mr. Dutt and lose oneself in enquiring about the flora that occupies every nook and corner of the house.

With his imaginative brain and novel practices, Mr. Dutt has converted the 900 yards space on the roof of his house into a veritable `hanging garden of vegetables'. Friends and relatives say he has got a lot of space and hence, the convenience to grow all types of vegetable plants that are enough for his family's consumption. A lover of nature, Mr. Dutt would be too pleased to see visitors pluck some vegetables and take them home and enjoy these organic products.

Mr. Dutt rubbishes many people's claims that vegetable plants cannot be grown in houses due to lack of big space and possible leakage of water. If they really want nature-fresh vegetables, they can find ways of getting them. One has to learn first that vegetables sufficient for a household can be grown in a small plot of two square feet. A little imagination is, however, needed to overcome the problems of growing plants at home.

Take thick plastic sheets and spread them on the roof to form into different sizes. Place bricks under the sheet to form a rectangular shape.

Two to three rows of bricks on the sheet form a wall-like structure. Soil of any kind can be placed on the sheet and filled to some level. Sow seed of vegetable. The sheet will stop any seepage of water and it holds soil very well.

Mr. Dutt is never tired of growing all the vegetables in the garden. From ladies finger to brinjal to leafy vegetables, he nurtures all such varieties and always prefers to relish garden-grown vegetables. He uses dried leaves as manure. Coconut husk is placed at the bottom to reduce the degree of evaporation.

Mr. Dutt says that vertical culture is the answer to all the sceptics who talk of lacking space to grow vegetables. Take an unused drum, make 12 holes on its sides and grow as many varieties of vegetables.

The stalks pop out of the holes and you can simply pluck the fruits or leaves. One should not grow the same plant in all the 12 slots, as there will be competition.

Different types of plants in a single drum will be compatible and grow together as good companions. A realisation of vegetarianism is the only mantra to growing the plants at home, a healthy-looking septuagenarian Dutt says.

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