Mangalore : Upon his terrace, a garden blooms

The Hindu

Mangalore, April 22, 2014 : Blany B D’Souza, staying at Ist Cross, Manki Stand, is growing grapes on the terrace for the consecutive second year.

Vines have begun bearing red grapes on the terrace of a resident’s house at Manki Stand.

Blany B D’Souza, staying at Ist Cross, Manki Stand, is growing grapes on the terrace for the consecutive second year. “I harvested 25 k.g. to 30 k.g. red grape last year,” he told The Hindu.

His passion is not only for growing grapes but vegetables of different varieties on the terrace.

 

 

Mr. D’Souza grew grapes not intentionally but accidentally. It was about two years ago that, he said, a nursery in the city got some vines in a lorry load from Kerala. The nursery had not ordered them and as he was in touch with nursery the nursery man asked Mr. D’Souza if he was interested to take them.

He said he planted two vines on the backyard and allowed it to grow and spread on the terrace. After one-and-half-year of planting the vines bore fruit from April to June last year.

“I don’t use any chemical fertilisers to any of plants, including that of vegetables. I spray neem mixture to control diseases,” he said.

A quick look around the terrace shows that Mr. D’Souza has grown almost all varieties of local vegetables. It included ash gourd, snake gourd, ridge gourd, pumpkin, cucumber, ivy gourd, bottle gourd, brinjal, ladies finger and the like.

The season of vegetables is August and September, he said. The terrace has also fashion fruit vines which are yet to yield this year.

Mr. D’Souza has planted a lychee fruit plant which is yet to yield.