These days, with rain god being so generous, I am spending more time watching the plants than watering them. Their foliage looks lush and clean which only a good pour can achieve. Watching your plants in the early morning in a beautiful weather is such a pleasure that one shouldn’t miss.
Every morning for the past 1 month, when I return from my garden, I bring with me atleast 5-6 tomatoes, 1 pepper, couple of brinjals. I am really surprised how a small patch of terrace garden can sustain so much. I have around 10 plants of Toms, 10 of Brinjal and 4 peppers. When I say terrace garden, its very easy to imagine a spacious terrace with plants. Well look at this,
This is one side of my garden. Like this I have 2 more.It is 2 feet wide and has just enough space for a person to stand when the pots are kept. Though its not very convenient tending to the plants in this space.It is really very productive. There is too much sunlight to waste.
The plants you see above are tomatoes, pepper ( at the far end) and a Rose (A scented variety. No I am not a fan but my mom is!) . In my old post, I had mentioned about my maid who got many tomato seedlings and had me plant all of them. These are those seedlings. Surprisingly each plant is of a different variety.
Round big sized tomato.
Flat pumpkin style tomato:
Tomato with a tipped blossom end. All the tomatoes of this plant look like this like a top.
The “regular” tomato
Then there is my favourite tomato plant. It has grown almost 10 feet tall. I regularly prune this plant and do proper staking. It is a prompt yielder and has trusses all the way upto the roof.
The vine that is seen clinging on the tomato is bitter gourd. Here is a pic. It looks sweet though 
.
Here is a tomato plant which is in its pink. Introducing Podland Pink! A pink colored plum tomato. The pink color looks a lot like red in picture but in reality it is a beautiful pink. The red cherry next to it will help you identify the pink.
Here is bean and a brinjal.
Wish I could post all the pics of my garden. I will post about the container cabbage experience/learning and some seed starting stories in my next post.
Till then
Ciao.
gg
Related posts:
Per sq.ft production seems to be awesome! Is the Podland Pink a short variety ? How do you stalk the 10-feet one ? Tie it to the wall ?
Thanks, In fact, every square feet of terrace I have is producing something. The podland Pink is tall indeterminate kind. In a small polythene bag it has grown to 5+ feet. Could you believe that?. The word staking is little misleading. For plants that tall. I use a string(a think one) and train the plant around it. THe string is from the bottom of the plant and goes all the way up to the top of the roof.
gg
Hi GG, It is wonderful to watch your gardening endeavors. I have been following your blog since many months. They are great and highly inspiring! I have started with quite a few medicinal plants/herbs and also few flower plants on my terrace. Recently, I also have started with seedling of couple of vegetables like tomato and bell pepper. I need some inputs from you regarding maintenance of these plants in the long run. Primarily I would like to know how often we need to add manure or do we need to repot periodically? I am looking for preventive maintenance as corrective mode may sometimes affect the plant health and life. Do you use any liquid compost for your plants? I think that may help us in delaying of repotting and also we may not be able to add manure in existing plants. I would like to use organic manures and pesticides only.
Also, Could you please tell me where we can get coco peat and it’s cost? Because Sometime I feel we will never know the actual cost of these ingredients as some shops do not even print the MRP!!Any shop refences in south Bangalore will be of much help
Thanks,
Geetha
Hi GG,
What i feel is, if more people can follow in your footsteps and start a terrace garden, world would be such a nicer place to live in. You are doing going. Happy Gardening!!
Hi GG, your terrace veg garden looks amazing and this post of yours truly shows how little space is needed to grow sufficient veggies so as to sustain a small family!! If all homes start growing food like this, many a problems pertaining to food shortage and rising prices can be dealt with. Its just a question of mindset which needs to be changed and your blog has made a nice effort in that direction. Hats off !!
[...] 6, 2009 at 12:31 am (gardening) In one of my previous post, I mentioned that I bring a brinjal or two along with me when I return from morning watering my [...]
Podland Pink! I was given this variety several years ago to adpot when I joined The Kokopelli Association (in France). I could not find ANY reference to it anywhere. I grew it out, saved seeds, and am now in the 4th generation. The Podland Pink tomato is a beautiful color, starting out green, turning white, then an amazing opaque pink color. It’s very meaty, but the flavor is mediocre. The plant is indeterminate, and produces very well, in clusters.
I am happy to know that someone else is growing this tomato – halfway around the world from me! I am located in southeast Florida, about 30 miles south of Miami, in the USA.
I agree with you Margie, there are very few references to it on the web. Adding to your surprise, I got the seeds from Dept Of horticulture..who got the seeds from Annadana Seed savers who got the seeds from Kokopelli Association (France). The pink is so attractive that any one who sees that in my garden takes few seeds from me. Yeah the flavor is very great but its color eclipses it. I am happy too to hear you are in the 4th generation. It is people like you preserve these excellent heirloom varieties. Great Work!.
Your blog is nice.
gg
Hi gg and Margie
That’s a wonderful story and really makes the world feel such a small place. Recently i too had planted few seeds of Poland Pink (Seeds from DoH again!). I got very few harvest from it though, probably because i was experimenting growing it in shade. Anyways, am not losing heart. I’ll try again.
Thanks to both you for bringing out this connection between Kokopelli and a garden here in Bangalore, India
Our podland pink is ripe now, very different color indeed!
Yes it is. It is eye catching and any one who saw it first time always wanted couple of them to show it to their family
..
Hi, we have recently bought a flat with an open terrace. I want to plant some veggies in a container which are easy to maintain. Can you tell me where to get my seeds, fertilizers and other essentials? Which nursery is well-informed in south bangalore? Is there any way to grow organic vegetables? Also need some information about organic pesticides
Thanks
Hi Nervous gardener,
There is a post I have written exclusively on where to get gardening essentials in bangalore. Please refer
this post
ok..I rarely comment on other blogs and here I am commenting for the second time, tonight! wow! your garden pics have me totally gushing. that’s some green thumbs you have there…look forward to seeing more pics of those beauties
Thanks! . My next post is on radishes.
I love seeing your tomatoes growing so well. I always complaint about the lack of space in my garden and thus not able to grow vegetables. But seeing your tomatoes growing so abundantly in your terrace garden, then I have no reason not to try growing tomatoes in my garden. I failed twice and have given up on planting tomatoes as they were attacked by mealy bugs. Probably it’s time to try the 3rd time. Thanks for sharing your garden here and inspiring me not to give up!
Don’t give up growing because of crop failures. Everytime something fails, it is an opportunity to see why it failed. At the end, you will know more than the one that succeeded the first time.
Enough of my philosophy!..
Wishing you good luck growing tomatoes this time.
gg
Your container garden is so inspirational. It has made me start one in my open space. I’ve started on Okra, Bitter gourd, Tomatoes and Brinjal. The Okra has sprouted and growing real fast. Tomatoes and Brinjal are still little heads peeping out of the soil.
I have a few questions -
I get sun through the day…how much is good for tiny shoots. Do I need to cover them ?
What is rubbing alcohol…where can I get it ?
I’ve got some chemical pesticides…how often can I use it ?
How often do I fertilise the plants ?
Are tea dregs, banana peels and egg shells good for all plants ?
Do you grow only veggies or are you interested in growing plants for foilage or flowering plants ?
Juana,
Thanks. For seedlings, direct sunlight is fine except at noon. I am not sure about your location. Where do you stay? Rubbing alcohol is spirit used for medical purposes.Also known as surgical spirit. You get it it pharmaceutical stores. I suggest not to use chemical pesticides. If you intend to use, please refer to the instructions on it.
You can use tea waste, peels and egg shells. Make sure they are clean and don’t attract insects.
I also grow ornamentals for their flowers and foliage.
gg
Thanks GG ! I’m currently in Chennai. It can get really hot here. I cover the plants with a thin cloth when the sun is too sharp.
Squirrels are a menace here. Any tricks to keep them away. They get into all my containers destroying the leaves.
thx