Grow with us
The things we wish somebody had told us first.
Short, practical notes for people growing food at home in Chennai. No jargon, nothing you need to buy to use it.
Start here
Sun before anything else
Count the hours of direct sun your spot gets in a day before you buy a single bag. Under four hours, grow greens and herbs. Six or more, and tomato, brinjal and chilli become realistic.
Start with five bags, not fifty
The most common way a terrace garden dies is starting too big in the first month. Five bags you water every day beat thirty you visit on Sundays.
Potting mix is not garden soil
Soil straight from the ground sets hard in a bag and drowns the roots. A rough mix of red earth, compost and cocopeat holds water without turning to brick.
Water in the morning
Chennai afternoons take water off the leaves faster than the roots can use it. Early morning is better for the plant and cheaper for you.
Pests before poison
Most trouble on a terrace is aphids or whitefly, and most of it goes with a strong spray of water and neem oil in the evening. Reach for the bottle last, not first.
Compost what the kitchen throws
Vegetable peel, coffee grounds and dry leaves are most of what a home garden needs to feed itself. It also halves what leaves your house as waste.
More as we go
We'll add notes here as we work with more gardens, and answer the questions that keep coming up. If you have one, send it on WhatsApp.
Seasons
Every season brings something different.
A home garden is not a supermarket shelf, and we'd rather not pretend otherwise. These are examples of what gardens around Chennai produce through the year — your own timing will be its own thing.
Questions
What people ask us
Do I need an existing garden?
No. A good part of what we do is helping people start one. A balcony, a terrace or a strip of backyard is enough to begin the conversation.
Can you set up a terrace garden?
Yes, subject to the space and the location. Sun, water access and what the roof can carry all matter, and we'd look at those first.
I only have a balcony. Can I grow vegetables?
Often yes, depending on light and space. Greens, herbs and chilli do well in small spaces; larger fruiting vegetables need more sun than most balconies get.
I already have a garden. Can you help maintain it?
We're building garden-support services and can check what's available in your area. Tell us what you need and we'll come back honestly on whether we can cover it.
Can you harvest coconuts?
We help connect you with local harvesting professionals, subject to availability in your area. We don't employ climbers ourselves.
What happens if I have excess vegetables?
Tell us what you have and where you are. We're building a local harvest network and will assess honestly what can be supported in your area.
Do you buy all produce?
No. Crop, quantity, location and local demand all decide whether a harvest can be accepted. We'd rather be clear about that than promise something we can't hold to.
Do I have to grow organically?
Urban Arva's cultivation standards are still being defined — we're working them out with the first gardens rather than announcing them in advance. We'll publish them once they're settled, and we won't make certification claims we haven't earned.
Is Urban Arva available across Chennai?
Not yet. The network is being built neighbourhood by neighbourhood, and where we go next depends on where the enquiries cluster.
What does it cost?
It depends entirely on the space and what it needs, so there's no price list. You'll get a straight figure before anything is bought or started.
Let's grow something together.
We're starting with a small network of Chennai households. Tell us what you'd like to grow, what you're already growing, or what you need help with.
Grow something of your own.