Cafeteria and Terrace Herb Garden in Chandigarh

We plant the main herb beds from October, once the summer heat has broken, so the cafeteria has a steady supply through winter when most leafy herbs grow best in this region. Basil, mint, coriander and curry leaf are the base of most cafeteria herb gardens we build here, chosen for what a kitchen actually uses rather than what looks good on a terrace.

December and January bring frost on some nights, and tender herbs like basil can blacken overnight if left exposed on an open terrace. We move pots under cover or use a light row cover through the coldest weeks so the cafeteria's supply does not drop to zero mid-winter.

Through the summer and monsoon

From April to June, when the city's heat can cross 45°C, we shift the bed toward heat-tolerant herbs and increase watering frequency, and through the July-September monsoon we watch drainage closely, since standing water on a terrace bed rots herb roots faster than the heat does.

Pests and planters on a working terrace

Basil and mint draw aphids fast once monsoon humidity sets in between July and September, and a cafeteria herb bed left unchecked for a couple of weeks in that window can lose a crop to them before anyone in the kitchen notices. We inspect for pests on every visit through the monsoon rather than only when a problem is reported.

We generally use terracotta rather than plastic planters for a terrace herb garden here, since terracotta breathes and keeps roots cooler through the April-June heat, even though it needs slightly more frequent watering than a sealed plastic pot would.