When you visit Exnora International at Giriappa Road, T. Nagar, there’s a surprise for you on the rooftop. M B Nirmal, founder of Exnora International, has put up a rooftop garden. A module for home farming. To serve the dual purpose of meeting the fruit / vegetable needs of the residents and simultaneously reducing household waste.

No manure needed. The only materials used for the garden are either rejects or trash. Condemned tyres, poles, pipes and pots have been used to raise vegetables, greens and a few varieties of fruits. The produce can range from bitter gourd to beans, capsicum to lady’s finger, tomatoes to bananas.

Exnora’s model shows us the possibilities of developing 16 types of gardens, growing 14 varieties of vegetables and a dozen green plants. More than 25 unemployed youth have been trained in this area.

Water Wise your garden  

You can reduce garden water use in many ways - from simply watering less often to investing in a new irrigation system or planting scheme.

• Keep your sprinkler system is in good condition. Repair any broken or missing spray heads or emitters.
  

• Go in for a drip or low-volume irrigation system.
  

• Reduce your lawn maintenance - mow higher and less often, don't rake up the clippings, and avoid over watering.
  

• Water the lawn only when needed. Step on the grass; if it springs back up when you move your foot, it does not need water.
  

• Accept a less than lush lawn. Grass goes dormant during periods of drought, but will readily regenerate when water becomes available.
  

• Reduce traffic on stressed turf areas if possible.
  

• Drier areas require more water than areas where water settles.
  If necessary, water dry areas by hand.
  

• Use a soil probe to test soil moisture. Water only when a soil probe shows dry soil or a screwdriver is difficult to push into the soil.
  

• Match fertilizer to the plant requirement. Fertilizer applications require additional water. Excess fertilizer stimulates top growth, often to the detriment of the root system.
  * Unused portions of the lawn can be allowed to turn brown. Use the water for more desirable landscaping.
  

• Replace lawns and plants that have heavy water
  demands with drought-tolerant varieties.
  

• Check plants for moisture before watering. Look for clues such as curling leaves, a grayish color and permanent wilting, which indicate under watering. (If the leaves turn yellow and drop, you could be over watering.)
  Keep your beds and lawns weeded. Weeds steal moisture from desirable plants.
  

• Mix soil polymers, which retain moisture, into your soil. Add them when planting beds or containers, or drill the soil around existing plants and drop the polymers into the holes.
  

• Mulch to retain moisture in the soil.
  

• Don't water the sidewalk If you use sprinklers to water your lawn or garden, make sure their settings are such that they don't waste water on the street, sidewalks or your driveway.