01 - House Plants

Post-monsoon is the perfect time to replenish topsoil. Replace the top 2 inches with a mixture of well-rotted cow dung manure and soil. This is also your last chance to repot perennials before winter sets in. Pinch multi-branched plants for compact growth.

Plumeria, Murraya, Raat ki Rani, Hibiscus, Oleander, Plumbago, Verbena, Chameli, and climbers like Clematis, Madhumalti, Allamanda, Clerodendron, Tecoma, and Bougainvillea will all be flowering, creating a landscape rich in colour and fragrance.

To encourage more blooms, pruning is essential. Prune flowering plants after flowering is over but before budding begins.

Add NPK around fruit trees and water thoroughly.

Keep an eye out for leaf spot, powdery mildew, and rust.

02 - Indoor Plants

Move indoor plants away from the draft of air conditioners, coolers, fans, and air purifiers.

During rains, place indoor plants outside so they can get naturally washed by the rain. If plants need more light, put them out after sundown, leave them overnight, and bring them back in before the harsh midday sun.

This is also an excellent time to add to your indoor plant collection, as nurseries are beautifully stocked during this season.

The plants will need slightly more watering than they did in summer, but always follow the golden rule of watering plants: touch the soil first. If it feels dry, water thoroughly until it drains out from the bottom. If unsure, wait another day.

Spray plants daily and wipe leaves gently with a soft cotton cloth while supporting them with your hand. Maintain humidity around plants and keep them away from drafts.

03 - Roses, Dahlias & Chrysanthemums

Roses: Stop watering roses to prepare them for pruning in October. New rose plants can also be planted now. Desi Kashmiri Gulab, in my mind, beats all the angrezi roses. It flowers effortlessly, and the fragrance is unmatched.

Chrysanthemums: Chrysanthemums need constant spraying, feeding, and training.

For a natural weekly liquid feed:

• 25 kg fresh cow dung
• 5 kg mustard cake
• 5 kg neem cake
• Water in a 100-litre drum

Cover and stir daily. Let it ferment for 10 days.

Use 1 litre of the strained mixture diluted with 10 litres of water. Always water the plant first before feeding.

Additionally, top-dress each plant weekly with:

• 2 parts neem khali
• 1 part bone meal

Mix lightly into the soil and water well afterward.

04 - Bulbous Plants

Bulbs are among the easiest plants to grow. Success depends mainly on choosing healthy bulbs. Select bulbs that are large, heavy, and free from marks or injuries.

Whether in pots or in the ground, bulbs always look more beautiful when planted in groups rather than individually.

Favourite bulbs for the season include:

• Asiatic Lily
• Oriental Lily (Stargazer)
• Daffodils
• Chincherinchee
• Muscari
• Ranunculus (Butter Rose)

Plant in an equal mixture of soil, gobar, leaf compost, and Okhla khaad.

Feed each pot with:

• 2 tbsp neem khali
• 1 tbsp bone meal
• ½ tsp DAP
• ¼ tsp single super phosphate

Bulbs store their own moisture, so water sparingly initially. Once flowering begins, regular watering is needed.

05 - Vegetables

Prepare the soil well with manure before sowing potatoes, ginger, and haldi.

Earth up arvi after removing weeds.

Seeds of coriander, spinach, methi, French beans, radish, and turnip can be sown directly.

Seedlings of parsley, cabbage, brinjal, lettuce, tomatoes, and cauliflower can now be transplanted.

This is also the ideal time to grow celery and enjoy a steady supply through winter.

06 - Seasonal Flowers

Seeds for winter flowers can be planted on raised nursery beds.

For easy-growing and long-lasting blooms:

• Petunias, Dianthus, Dahlias, and Sweet Peas for sunny spots
• Sannenaria, Salvias, and Impatiens for shaded areas

Impatiens are best bought as seedlings rather than grown from seed.

You can also grow:

• Aster
• Antirrhinum
• Carnation
• Phlox
• Gerbera
• Hollyhock
• Linaria
• Marigold
• Pansy
• Poppies
• Lupins
• Cornflowers
• Larkspur

07 - Herbs

Delhi winters are excellent for herbs.

• Celery
• Parsley
• Oregano
• Chives
• Basil
• Thyme

It is easiest to buy ready plants in small polybags and transplant them into terracotta pots.

08 - Lawns & Hedges

Aerate lawns using a garden fork or rake.

Feed with neem khali, bone meal, finely crushed Okhla khaad, or sieved patti khaad. Water and mow regularly.

Do not leave an open pipe on the lawn. Sprinkling is always better, as open pipes encourage deep-rooted weeds like motha and make grass grow unevenly.

This is also a wonderful time to lay a new lawn.

09 - Succulents

Succulents would have just survived the monsoon and now need attention.

Repot, divide, or replant them in a fresh potting mixture and water only after a week.

Though many people say succulents do well indoors, in Delhi conditions only Sansevieria and Zebra Haworthia perform reliably indoors. Even hardy jade plants begin to weaken and shed leaves if kept inside too long.

Nurseries stock the most beautiful succulents from September to March because they struggle through Delhi’s heat and monsoon.