Green Thumbing In Karachi




Spring is in the air and summer is just around the corner ( Tbh, being a karachite my whole life, I could never really differentiate anymore than summers and winter seasons). Anyways, so I have always loved plants and love all things gardening, but, having said that, don't really get to spare time for it. I have decided to hopefully, try some of my own green thumb-ing this summer, with help of some local experts of course. Now we all know a bit about the summer and winters fruits and vegetables, but there is obviously alot of great planning behind its planting times, conditions and temperatures.

According to the renowned horticulturalist Tofiq Pasha Mooraj. “We normally start planting summer veggies  from mid-February to mid-March, as temperatures begin to rise in April,” .
During this planting season, all summer vegetables can be sown. Winter vegetables are planted in August. Almost all fruits can be grown in Karachi, such as bananas, papayas, pineapples and mangoes. Apples, however, do not grow in Karachi.

Before you try green thumb-ing your way, one essential part is to decide what sort of space do you have?

If you have a good garden space, then there are number of options like custard apples, guavas, jaman , mango and coconut trees.For more restricted spaces, like flats or balconies, you have to choose accordingly. The basic step is to populate your garden with plants suited for the location. Sunny patches should house hardy plants that can deal with the summer heat. Delicate plants do better in pots in shady areas like car porches and under shady trees.

I would focus on utilizing small spaces right now. That boring, kitchen window sill you have, or that vacant spot with good sunlight, yes its time to utilize it in the best manner.


Image result for window sill planter

Seeds for different vegetable, fruit plants and herbs are very easily available from your local nursery, same goes for the compost. I have included an article link below, related to the optimal conditions for growth of different plants ,as well as a video, which I hope you will find useful.
 As for the planters and pots, being a desi, Im sure you have acquired the habit of storing and collecting different jars and containers, which you can very well utilize for this purpose too.


Image result for plants in jars

 Again, you can get pots of different sizes & shapes in a nursery  near you. I also came across this gardening store online, Leafgardening.pk, they have a variety of seeds, fertilizers,plants, pots, urns,insecticides , gardening care tools & alot of your gardening needs and wants will be fulfilled.

And if this is something, that piques your intrest, I would recommend you read articles by Zahra Nasir, I remember reading her articles in Dawn a long time ago & she explains everything so well.
So this ends here, short and (hopefully) sweet. You can share your own green thumbing approaches and adventures, and I will too, in a while, InshaAllah.






Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Travel diaries III

Muslimah 101

The Food Incentive - II