Thinking of taking up gardening during the coronavirus lockdown? Dr.Ekta Chaudhary’s got your back!
+ Image: Garden Up
While growing up I always read about how gardening is a meditative practise and tonic for some people. To be honest, I never understood how getting your hands muddy, and having to look into watering your plants everyday would reduce stress. Until we got hit by Covid-19. I suddenly found myself wanting to grow vegetables and reading up on how to keep plants alive. The coronavirus-induced lockdown has ignited a gardening boom. Whether it stemmed from the desire to be self-sufficient, the need for another stress buster or a longing to connect with nature, it can only be seen as a positive thing.
I reached out to Dr.Ekta Chaudhary, who has spent a decade studying ecology and currently runs a YouTube channel and website (Garden Up) that focuses on everything related to gardening. This Mumbai based green ninja’s commitment to sustainability and nurturing nature is at the helm of her brand ethos. “Garden Up is the sum total of finding a balance-my contribution to a silent yet powerful green revolution that’s taking place in urban homes,” she says. Chaudhary recommends 6 indoor plants that are easy enough for all of us to grow:
+ Image: Garden Up
Succulents: All succulents need dry soil. Which means that you need to allow the soil to dry out completely before watering it – once every 7-10 days. The succulents in this image do well in somewhat lower temperatures. So in India, you have to ensure that you keep them in a place that gets sunlight, but not intense heat.
+ Image: Garden Up
Monstera deliciosa: Monstera deliciosa is a tropical foliage plant that’s known for its greens and grows well even with a little sunlight. You can propagate the plant from cuttings, the roots will grow in about a weeks time and you can then transfer it into soil. You have to eventually transfer it into soil because there aren’t enough nutrients in water to sustain its growth.
+ Image: Garden Up
Fiddle Leaf: It’s a beautiful plant that’s often featured in home decor magazines. It needs about 3-4 hours of sunlight and moist soil.
+ Image: Garden Up
A romantic triostar: An indoor plant that needs a good amount of light and moist soil. It doesn’t grow very tall and thrives anywhere in India.
+ Image: Garden Up
Money plant, Snake plant and ZZ plant: All three of these are super easy to grow and take care of. The two succulent plants don’t require a lot of water. The snake plant is also something you can keep in low light conditions. They’re used to growing under canopies that cover them and they don’t end up getting enough light. Money plants can sustain itself in both, low and high water conditions.
Text: Avani Purohit – @avanipurohit
All image courtesy: Garden Up – @gardenup.in
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