The friends also have a shop, where they sell all kinds of material pertaining to terrace gardening. There is cow-dung (of different varieties), various mixes, grow-bags, biofertilizers, neem oil, neem cake, cow-dung cake and other miscellaneous items that are very useful for both amateurs and seasoned terrace gardeners.
Everything is taken care of naturally, in the Indra Terrace Garden, even the control of pests. The flowers in the garden attract butterflies and other pollinating agents, and special herbs grown prevent harmful insects or bacteria from attacking the plants.
The families of the duo also pitch in when it comes to taking care of the garden. Natrajan is also trying to inculcate the spirit of cultivation, in his children as well. In his opinion, it is critical for the younger generation to drift towards farming.
Balasubramaniam sees a lot of potential in terrace gardening, especially in Chennai. He pertinently points out that his street has 15 houses. Each house has a built-up area of 600-1000 square feet, so if each house practices terrace gardening, you have around 2500 square feet of terrace gardens in each locality.
Rounding off, the co-founder of Indra Terrace Gardens points out that the government made rainwater harvesting and waste-separation compulsory. Both these steps have had favourable measures. If the government made it mandatory for each household to carry out terrace cultivation, it would really pay off for the residents themselves. Balasubramaniam also points out that an abundance of greenery brings the urban temperature down by 1 or 2 degrees, and also reduces pollution.
The two friends want to propagate and popularise the terrace garden function in Tamil Nadu. According to them, it is a sustainable method of living, when you grow what you eat.
Natarajan, speaking of the virtues of terrace gardening, also mentions that the produce you grow on your own is devoid of any pesticides and unnecessary contaminants.
Gardening is not an easy activity. You need to have immense patience and should be prepared to handle any emergency. Natarajan however, urges people not to get discouraged by failure. Chennai has a challenging climate, but Natarajan is optimistic, saying that every kind of plant can be grown here. The plants may be a little smaller than usual, but most importantly, they will be completely natural.
So, if you want to eat healthy and avoid the pesticide-filled vegetables and fruits available in markets, set up a terrace garden, and reap the benefits!