The indefinite curfew has given more time for people to try out new things. While some complained about their boredom and have resorted to virtual meetups, open mic nights, and virtual dates, a few others have eventually become green thumbs. Newsfeeds started flooding with pictures of newly planted vegetable plots, some converting unused land to farming areas and it indeed has taken the shape of a promising revolution. That is if they continue to do gardening with the same interest, even after they start going to work post-COVID-19. As at now, it has been a rewarding experience for those who have been gardening for a while, and for relatively new green thumbs, they say that the feeling is indescribable. 

Following are some views they shared with us : 

“My husband has always been the green thumb so we always had plants like pala kola, lemon, naarang, star fruit, mango, ginger, and some other herbs as well. But since this lockdown, we also planted much more like garlic and turmeric. It’s always nice to have some nice garden time in the evening. The kids planted tomatoes too.”

– Milani Salpitikorala

“I always loved being around greenery and my mum used to and still do a lot of home gardening at her big garden. I think that runs in the family so I always loved gardening. I had a few pots of necessities like gotukola. But now I have enough time to start it again so I planted pumpkin, kangkung, spinach, and gotukola in my very small balcony. Take some time out with some plants and nature nurtures your soul.”

- Upeka Jayasinghe 

“It's a very rewarding experience. I've been into gardening from a very young age because of my father. He has always told me that I have green fingers and everything I plant grows so beautiful. He's has Parkinson's now and can no longer accompany me but he watches and seems content. This quarantine period seemed like an ideal opportunity for me to get my elder son involved and he loves it too. He's utterly fascinated and I can’t think of a better way to keep him occupied. I hope people who've begun gardening won’t stop when our lives go back to normal. It doesn’t make sense if that's the case.”

– Rukshana Rizwie

“Never did planting before but after the COVID-19 crisis, learned that we should be self-sufficient and appreciate the fertile soil our motherland is blessed with and grow our own vegetables and fruits.”

– Nadeesh Perera 

“I have always been interested in gardening, concentrating mainly on flowers. However, I also have fruit trees in my rear garden eg: Pomegranate, king coconut, Mango, Banana, etc. With the lockdown commencing March 20th, I have shifted my focus towards growing fruits and vegetables, including Pepper, Tomatoes, and Chillies. I'm looking forward to reaping the harvest.”

– Harshini Struys

“I have never had a green thumb, most often it was just the opposite. Plants didn’t interest me at all until I moved to Bibile to work in an eco-lodge. It was there that I started observing the local farmers during our weekly walks through the village. Seeing them tending to their crops piqued my interest in learning this new skill. The lodge had a garden where we grew organic vegetables for our guests and even though I had no direct involvement in it I started taking mental notes on how the gardeners would tend to the plants. When the COVID-19 crisis began to spread across the island in March, we were all placed under quarantine in the lodge, while our staff who were from the village were sent home. During this time a combination of isolation and not being able to work led me and a colleague to start working in the garden daily to occupy our time and we were lucky to be able to harvest the crop of Okra, which felt like such a big achievement to me. After my quarantine period ended two weeks ago, I headed home with the determination to start up my own home garden. Looking at others who were doing the same across the country helped me pick up quite a few tips and ideas. Plowing a small patch in my front yard I started with tomatoes, beans, chilies, onions, and leeks. Every morning I see the progress of the baby sprouts on each plant and it puts a smile on my face because I am able to keep them alive and growing. To everyone who has never tried gardening before, this would be the perfect time to put aside your fears and just go for it. You don’t need to have a very big garden, a small plot of land or even large pots would do. Just take that first step towards being self-sufficient, the feeling is indescribable.”

– Sudaraka Liyanwela

 

I was feeling bored after watching movies. I have seen dad and mom growing vegetables, but when I started doing it along with my father, it was very interesting. We were ploughing, watering and expecting rain. It was a good learning experience. Rather than going to a gym it was a good work out too. - Sudarshan Letchumanathan