Despite frequently moving houses, Padma's love for gardening remained strong. "My kids, too, had an interest in gardening, and wherever I moved, I would plant bonsai and small pot plants for them," she adds.
Her terrace garden has mangoes, amla, aloe vera, methi, tomatoes, curry leaves, turmeric, cucumber, and broccoli.
A firm believer in natural farming, Padma believes that everything a plant needs can be provided naturally.
With research through the internet and YouTube videos, she has developed her own fertilisers, composting methods, and pesticides.
“I enjoyed experimenting and blending various ingredients to understand what best nourishes and promotes plant growth,” Padma says.
One of her popular recipes is a protein-rich liquid fertiliser made from eggs and neem oil. “Mix 150 ml of coconut oil with neem oil, cooking oil, mustard oil, and eggs. This creates an excellent liquid fertiliser that provides essential proteins for plant growth,” she explains.
Padma also cultivates beneficial bacteria for her plants. “Mix cow dung with soil and jaggery water. Cover it with newspaper and place a jute bag over it. Keep adding clean water whenever it dries. In a few days, you’ll notice earthworms thriving in the soil,” she says.
Her passion for gardening has led her to share her knowledge with others. In 2019, Padma started her YouTube channel, ‘Patnam Lo Palleturu by Pinnaka Padma’. Today, she has over four lakh subscribers.
While visiting her children in the US, Padma even grew microgreens and hosted a unique microgreens dinner.
Reflecting on her journey, Padma says, “There is nothing you cannot do if you have the passion and love to do it. I find joy in sharing and planting.”