GREEN HOUSE

Monsoons are definitely fun with the cool winds and soothing greens, but when it comes to your garden, you will have to go an extra mile for its upkeep this season

Monsoon gardening tips and tricks

It is that time of the year when you hear the patter of the rain create music while splashing against your window pane. The climate is nice and cool, the skies are grey, the soil emits petrichor and your garden is a vibrant green. Well, the latter only if you manage to take good care of your plants. A great season for plants to thrive, the catch in the mosnsoon is to be extra careful of your plants.

Drain well: To begin with ensure that you check your drainage system. Stagnant water in your garden or potted plants is a strict no-no. Water that collects in your pots will make the roots rot faster.

Prune right: Pruning of plants is crucial. However, ensure that it is done both prior to and during the monsoons. This not only aids plant growth and budding of flowers, but also helps the plant receive sufficient air and sunlight.

Animal friends: Frogs, toads and earthworms can be your best friends during the mosoon. Reason being, they will not let other insects that harm your plants to thrive as they are voracious insect eaters. Earthworms on the other hand not only aerate the soil, but they also fertilise it.

Pestering pests: The next important thing is to spray your plants with pesticide as high humidity makes pest and fungal attacks common. Apply the pesticide after pruning, once fresh shoots appear. External application will help destroy sucking pests that prefer fresh leaves.

What to grow: Being a season where most plant grow well, you would have endless options to chose from. If you are looking to create beautiful flower beds then opt for Monsoon Cassia, Cape Jasmine, Hibiscus, Indigo, Thunder Lily Shrubbery, among others. When it comes to vegetable plants, snake gourd, bitter gourd, tomato, lady's finger, cucumber or even papaya can grow well. Some fast growing trees inculde the Rain tree, Ficus varieties and Peltophorum, these grow reasonably within a short period of time. And if you have a Gulmohar tree in your garden, then you will witness a sea of orange in the monsoons.