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7 terrace plants to build your chutney garden before Diwali

As Diwali approaches, Indian kitchens gear up for a season of chutneys, pakoras, savouries and fried snacks. Instead of buying coriander, mint, green chillies and other ingredients in small quantities every few days, a few pots on the terrace can supply much of what you need. October is a particularly useful time to start a chutney terrace garden in many parts of India, as temperatures begin to moderate and winter-friendly plants establish well. With the right combination of crops, you can start harvesting some greens within weeks while slower plants continue producing through the winter. The idea is not to turn the terrace into a farm, but to grow the ingredients used repeatedly during the festive and winter season. Here are seven plants you can start now to have a productive chutney garden ready for Diwali and the winter months that follow. 1. Coriander Buy coriander seeds from a nursery or garden store for about Rs 20 to 40 per packet. Lightly crush the seeds before sowing to improve germination. Pot: Use a 10 to 12-inch-wide container, at least 6 to 8 inches deep. Sunlight: Give it 4 to 6 hours of sunlight. Watering: Keep the soil evenly moist but never waterlogged. Harvest: Leaves can be harvested in about 25 to 35 days. Cut the outer stems rather than uprooting the whole plant, allowing repeated harvests. A family can sow coriander in batches every 2 to 3 weeks. Savings: A few pots can save roughly Rs 50 to 150 a month, particularly during the festive season when coriander is used generously for chutneys, garnishing and snacks. Also Read: 7 terrace plants to create a night garden for candlelight dinners 2. Mint Mint is easier to start from rooted cuttings or a small nursery plant costing around Rs 20 to 50 than from seeds. Pot: Use a 10 to 12-inch pot or grow bag; mint spreads quickly, so keep it in a separate container. Sunlight: Give it 3 to 5 hours of sunlight, preferably with some afternoon protection in hotter regions. Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist because mint dislikes drying out. Harvest: You can start plucking tender leaves and shoots in about 25 to 40 days. Regular trimming encourages fresh growth, allowing multiple harvests. Savings: One healthy pot can provide enough mint for chutneys, raita and drinks, potentially saving around Rs 50 to 150 a month. With festive snacks, its value becomes even greater because small bunches bought from the market often wilt quickly. Chillies (left) and ginger (right) in pots. 3. Green Chilli Buy a packet of chilli seeds for around Rs 20 to 50 or purchase a healthy nursery seedling for Rs 20 to 40 for rooftop gardening. Pot: A 12-inch pot or grow bag is sufficient for one plant. Sunlight: Give it 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight. Watering: Water only when the top inch of soil feels dry. Harvest: Depending on the variety and whether you start with a seedling, the first green chillies can take roughly 60 to 90 days. Pick the chillies regularly once they reach usable size to encourage further flowering and fruiting. Savings: Two or three productive plants can provide a steady supply for chutneys, pakoras and savouries and may save around Rs 50 to 150 a month. Also Read: How to start a terrace vegetable garden for just Rs 500 4. Tomato Buy tomato seeds for about Rs 20 to 50 per packet or a nursery seedling for Rs 20 to 40. Choose a compact or cherry-type variety if terrace space is limited. Pot: Use at least a 15 to 20-litre pot or grow bag with good drainage. Sunlight: Tomatoes need 6–8 hours of direct sunlight. Watering: Keep the soil evenly moist, especially once flowering and fruiting begin, but do not let the roots remain soggy. Harvest: Nursery plants can begin producing in roughly 50 to 70 days, while seeds take longer. Pick fruits when they turn orange-red or as required. Savings: A few plants can provide tomatoes for chutneys, sauces and snacks, potentially saving around Rs 100 to 250 over a productive crop. Tomatoes and chillies in a terrace garden. 5. Curry Leaves You can start with a small curry-leaf nursery plant costing around Rs 50 to 150 rather than seeds, as plants establish much faster. Pot: Use a 15 to 20-litre container initially, shifting to a larger pot as the plant grows. Sunlight: Give it at least 5–6 hours of sunlight. Watering: Put water when the upper layer of soil begins to dry to avoid constant wetness. Harvest: A healthy, established plant can provide small quantities of leaves regularly, though a newly bought plant may need several months before heavy harvesting. Pick individual sprigs rather than stripping the plant. Savings: Even a small plant can save Rs 30 to 100 or more a month, while giving you fresh curry leaves whenever you make South Indian chutneys, tempering or savouries. Also Read: 7 terrace plants that can survive through summer, monsoon and winter 6. Ginger You do not necessarily need seeds. Buy a healthy, plump piece of ginger with visible buds from a vegetable shop for around Rs 20 to 40 and plant it. Pot: Use a wide 15 to 20-litre container at least 12 inches deep. Sunlight: Give it 4 to 6 hours of sunlight or bright partial sun. Watering: Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, particularly during establishment. Harvest: Ginger takes considerably longer than coriander or mint. Young ginger can be harvested after around 4 to 5 months, while mature rhizomes generally need longer. Savings: A single container will not replace all household ginger purchases, but it can provide fresh ginger for chutneys and cooking. Depending on harvest and market prices, a productive pot can save roughly Rs 50 to 150 over the crop period. 7. Spring Onion You can buy seeds for around Rs 20 to 40, or even regrow the rooted white portion of store-bought spring onions. Pot: A 10 to 12-inch-wide container that is 6–8 inches deep works well. Sunlight: Give it 4 to 6 hours of sunlight. Watering: Keep the soil lightly and consistently moist, particularly during the first few weeks. Harvest: Spring onions can be ready in around 30 to 50 days. Cut the green leaves as required, leaving the lower portion in the soil for regrowth, or harvest individual plants. Succession sowing every few weeks keeps the supply going. Savings: A couple of containers can provide fresh greens for chutneys, savouries, pakoras and winter cooking, potentially saving around Rs 50 to 150 a month. (Riya Singh is a Ranchi-based journalist who writes on environment, farming, sustainability, startups, & women empowerment) Also Read: 7 vegetables to plant in October for a winter harvest Look up our YouTube Channel

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Cult Tokyo Label everyone Is Finally Coming to Hong Kong With a Temporary Brick

Summary Tokyo label everyone is making its first appearance in Hong Kong with a five-day pop-upTwo tees made only for the city, the ESS Tee and Vincent Logo LS Tee, headline the lineupPieces from A.PRESSE for everyone, adidas Originals, SUICOKE, Erik Schedin and Tomo Nariai fill out the racks Tokyo label everyone is bringing its ESS Tee and Vincent Logo LS Tee to Hong Kong as part of its first pop-up in the city, and neither T-shirt will be sold anywhere else. Founded by Ryo Miyoshi, the brand has made its name on low-key staples where fabric and finish do the talking, and this visit gives local fans their first chance to shop it in person.The two exclusive T-shirts anchor the edit, and the rest of the space is a tight selection of everyone's everyday wardrobe. One standout is the label's easy slacks in Loro Piana fabric, a relaxed trouser in an upgraded material that sums up Miyoshi's approach well.Collaborations make up the next layer. Pieces from A.PRESSE for everyone will be on hand, a fitting addition since the pop-up sits a short walk from the A.Presse Dedicated Space by Gallery HBX in the same building. The label is also bringing its collaborative work with adidas Originals, SUICOKE, Erik Schedin and Tomo Nariai.The timing follows a busy year for the brand. everyone opened a flagship in Maebashi, Miyoshi's hometown, and an atelier in Seijo inside a building designed by Tadao Ando. Its second adidas Originals project put the label's own spin on the Adizero Adios OG runner, and everyone OOAK presented by Casa BRUTUS linked the brand with Min Hee-jin's ooak records.Not everything in the room is for sale. Miyoshi's taste for postmodern design shapes the space, with Ettore Sottsass's Carlton shelving unit, a piece Miyoshi counts among his most treasured, displayed next to Shiro Kuramata's Progetti Compiuti drawers for Cappellini."I’m very happy to bring everyone to Hong Kong for the first time. For me, everyone is about more than just clothes. It’s also about sharing the things we love and creating experiences together. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone in Hong Kong and sharing what we do in Tokyo," Miyoshi said in a statement.The everyone brick-and-mortar is open daily from October 9 to October 13 at BELOWGROUND Hong kong.everyone Temporary StoreShop B57-B58, BELOWGROUNDB1/F, Landmark Atrium15 Queen's Road Central, Hong KongOpening Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

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