Her terrace is no less than a farmer’s field

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 28

She teaches students during the daytime but the green haven she has created at her home takes visitors by surprise.

A commerce professor at Lyallpur Khalsa College for Women, Gurvinder Kaur’s thirst for gardening is quenched at her home’s little oasis which brings both joy and food for her and family. As of now, her terrace garden, which is a vegetable nursery, produces enough food and veggies to ensure that the family doesn’t shop for vegetables for months.

Gurvinder says, “I have only two passions, teaching and planting. And my hands are full with these two.” She started planting with decorative plants. “During the lockdown, when I realised the necessity of organic vegetables, I started planting at my terrace garden. Now, I always have vegetables for at least four to five families.” For the past three months they haven’t bought much except potatoes. Her lush rooftop kitchen garden – interspersed with her flower nursery – has all vegetables one can think of. From mustard, fenugreek, turnip, carrot, radish, tomato, broccoli to cauliflower, beetroot, spring onions, garlic as well as turmeric are abounding.

Inside her home you can spot a host of oxygen generating plants like snake plant, areca palm, money plant etc. Her favourite corner of the home, however, is her jade plants outside her kitchen. “Jade plants should be on the right side of the entrance. It is one of the most zen corners of my home. I really love spending time there,” she says.

Elsewhere, a row of choicest petunias planted in hanging planters decorate her house. With over 400 to 500 plants, it proved as a springboard for selling some.

“We had so many plants. My daughter created a page on Instagram for anyone keen on buying it. She’s also making one for the Facebook. Both my daughters – one is nine, another 13 – helped me build the garden and also know the names of all the plants,” Gurvinder says.

Has she ever had plants withering away? “Very rarely”, she quips.

“When you shift plants from another environment for the first time they get an environmental shock. It takes them time to get accustomed to their new home. I usually place the newcomers in a sunny corner with the others so that they get used to the new home for a week or so. Also plantation has to be done early morning or in the evening. Afternoon is not a good time. These little measures go a long way in ensuring longevity of plants.”

Gurvinder also maintains a special register in which she scribbles special needs and ‘to-dos’ regarding plants.