People are taking to kitchen garden in a big way as they can grow their own fruits and vegetables which are affordable, readily available and pesticide-free, according to T. S. Mekhala, who runs Eco Organic, a gardening consultancy firm.
In a bid to get more people hooked to kitchen and terrace gardening, she has joined hands with Uzhavar Sandhai at Chokkikulam here and is selling seed packets for ₹ 10 each until August 3. Vermicompost and coir pith are also on sale.
D. Gunasekaran, Agriculture and Administrative Officer of the farmers’ market, says not many city people are aware of the advantages of having their own garden. “Gardening is a step towards self-sustenance for those with a green thumb. One can save money as well in the process, as fluctuating prices in the market will not affect them. The bonus is one gets to eat nutritious food.
A minor hitch is that one has to deal with rare air-borne diseases that affect plants,” he says.
Ms. Mekhala says seeds of tomato and green vegetables sell well.T. Aparna, who has raised a small terrace garden at her home, says more such initiatives should be taken so that people are also educated about environmental issues such as global warming.
Mr. Gunasekaran says gardening is good for relieving stress and calming the mind. “If people give 15 to 20 minutes of their free time every day in tending to their garden, they will reap a yield in four to five weeks,” he says.
