Pumpkins on Terrace in Bangalore
“Farming is a profession of hope.” — Brett Brian
When I see the flower bloom above a baby pumpkin, the hope is arisen, this promises of a better tomorrow. This relives stress and the joy is boundless. The glory of gardening teaches experiment, patience, hope, trust and overall encourages to enjoy the whole process. Terrace garden is happiness therapy especially during the lockdown.
Swarnalata Patel works as a software architect in a multinational company. Amidst the crazy deadlines, this lockdown gave her and her family an opportunity to grow veggies on the terrace in containers. Her mother grows almost all seasonal vegetables in Orissa, India. With her guidance and mentorship, Swarna’s terrace garden in Bangalore is currently thriving with pumpkins and several other vegetables.
Steps to Grow Pumpkins on Terrace:
1. Choose the healthy seeds. If the seeds are taken from the ripe pumpkin, then sun dry these seeds for few days.
2. Fill a big container with soil. Add compost for healthy and fast growth. Make holes of nearly 1 to 1.5 inch, put the pumpkin seeds, and cover the seeds.
3. The pumpkin seeds will sprout and grow. Water the plants every day. Mulch the container with dry leaves to reduce evaporation of moisture.
4. There will be many male flowers and couple of female flowers. At the beginning, the pumpkin plant would be having male flowers. To distinguish the male flower from female flower, the female bud has a small pumpkin attached to the bottom. When any female flower blooms, do consider doing “hand pollination (pollen connect)” by taking “pollen” from male flower stamen (by removing petals) and rub with the female flower stigma. This is very important step as many times, there are not enough bees to perform this activity on urban terrace. This process helps the pumpkin fruit to survive and grow.
5. Do prepare multiple mouthwatering dishes using male pumpkin flowers and leaves.
6. The terrace floor becomes hot and it impacts the growth of pumpkin. So, do consider putting leaves (banana leaf or any other leaves) below the pumpkin when it is growing.
7. Remove the dry pumpkin leaves from pumpkin plant.
8. Support the pumpkin plant which can withstand nearly 3 to 4 kg of weight. If not, put the pumpkin vine on the terrace ground and put leaves below the pumpkin.
9. Harvest the pumpkin when the color turns into orange or yellow based on pumpkin variety.
10. Enjoy the pumpkin with variety of dishes. Do consider saving seed for the next season.
With interest, anyone can grow pumpkins easily on pots. It gives inexpressible immense joy to watch the pumpkins grow every day.
Female Pumpkin Flower Poetry:
When I visit my terrace,
The female pumpkin flower grins at me,
Amidst all the happenings in life,
She showers me with hope.
She blushes with her beauty,
With her bright yellow sunshine,
She rubs smile on my face,
Sometimes she winks at me,
She tries to have fun with me.
Carrying a small baby,
When she feels thirsty,
She asks me for water,
As if I am her only close companion.
She is very chatty,
Occasionally, she calls me to sit near her,
Under the starry magical sky,
She unfolds her fairy story.
Sometimes, the random happiness package is delivered
Just around the corner.
