This gardener uses her green thumb to impact students’ lives

Anju’s love for gardening started from her childhood days. Along with her father, she planted different types of veggies at their kitchen garden. This passion for gardening continued and she now has a huge terrace garden at her house in the city. Currently, she grows around 50-plus varieties of vegetables, fruit bearing trees and flowering plants. Anju Agarwal feels that a kitchen garden is important to a person’s overall wellbeing. “Other than the guidance of my father, I learned gardening tips from YouTube videos and also took part in a couple of workshops that were organised in Chennai. Once you know the basics of gardening, then it is easy to learn the rest. After all, it is not rocket science! The only thing to keep in mind is Chennai’s climate that changes every year. But with the help of a few other gardening enthusiasts, I have learned that aspect as well,”she tells us.

The home-maker says that everyone should try growing vegetables for their personal use. According to her, the first-timers can try their hand at home gardening with the easiest vegetables to grow that include greens, green chillies, tomatoes and okra. “In today’s age and time, it is very important that each household has a small kitchen garden set up. We can produce veggies that are free of pesticides. Also, gardening is a great de-stressing activity. I have cultivated different types of spinach, radishes, carrots, beetroot, cauliflowers, cabbages, ivy gourds, snake gourds, amlas, sweet limes, cherries, melons, pomegranates, herbs, papayas, bananas, guavas, etc. Also, I make compost from kitchen waste and in a way I practise organic farming,” she says proudly.

Anju has also been harvesting turmeric at her home garden. “I like experimenting with different vegetables during each season. Once, I had around 50 pots of aloe vera and didn’t know what to do with them. I did some research and came across the benefits of organic soaps and essential oils. I learned the method and started making soaps from produces from my garden like aloe vera, calamine, roses, etc. Once I started using these handmade soaps, I found a remarkable difference on my skin,” shares the garden enthusiast.

During her free time, Anju organises gardening and composting workshops for school children across the city. “It’s important to teach the students how to grow the veggies and educate them about organic farming,” she remarks.