Teacher inspires with his novel terrace gardening

A teacher, who loves natural farming and fond of soil, plants and environment converted his terrace as garden and started growing fruits, vegetables, leafy vegetables. His ideology has been attracting the locals and nature lovers and made them frequently visit his home and learn farming. Even he guides the locals in growing vegetables in their own and save some kitchen expenditure and protect the environment also.

B Sankara Rao working as social teacher in Gangachollapenta high school of Gajapathinagaram mandal in Vizianagaram district is much interested in study of nature and concern over the protection of nature and air, soil and water. He likes to spend the time either with school children or plants in his home.

He converted his 2000 square feet terrace as garden and started growing vegetables like bottle gourd, ridge gourd, bitter gourd, brinjal, cucumber, beans and leafy vegetables like coriander, mint, curry leaves and fruits like guava, pine apple , blue berry, orange, mango and many more. Nearly, 80 varieties of plants are being grown on his terrace.

Sankara Rao fills fertile soil into cement pots, plastic tubs and sows the seeds of various vegetables, leafy vegetables and takes care during their growth.

Even his wife Lakshmi, sons Jaswanth Kumar, Vivekavarthan also would take part in this terrace farming. Most of the plants started giving yield and for every three days the family used to harvest basket full of tomatoes, brinjal and bundles of leafy vegetables. The family used to distribute them to their neighbours and even encourage them to grow the plants like them. The flowers like Lilly, rose, Dalia, and medicinal plants like neem, alovera, Nelavemu, Atibala , Sugar controlling herb Tippa Teega and many more are being grown on his terrace.

'We need not purchase vegetables from market as the plants on our terrace are giving basket full crop and we are happy that we are consuming the vegetable which are grown without using chemical fertilizers and pesticides which are causing damaging of our health. Abnormal usage of chemical fertilizers are causing cancer lime fatal diseases. So as a teacher, I am practicing this natural farming method on my terrace," says Sankar Rao.

"Fortunately we need not go to a park or some other place for psychological relief during evenings. We, along with my friends would sit in the middle of these plants and enjoy the nature and feel the fragrance of these beautiful flowers," he adds.

"Even my friends, colleagues, relatives visit our home and take the seeds, saplings of vegetables and fruit plants and take my advise during and practice the same in their homes, terrace or vacant place in their premises.

Daily after coming from the school and before going to school I spend some time with plants and observe their condition and how they are growing and I will supply required manures and nutrients, minerals in organic module. This fetches my family immense pleasure and health too. Even I encourage my students in the school to protect the nature and habituate the growing of plants in their homes," Sankara Rao concluded.