Botanic Heaven in your Kitchen

Importance and benefits of kitchen gardening

Kitchen gardening can be done even in a small extra area of your house like a balcony where vegetables, fruits and herbs are grown easily. With the help of this we can obtain pure, fresh, inexpensive, regular and handy supply of items which is necessary and forms the base to human nutrition. It increases the aesthetic value of a household, relaxes an individual's mind and also purifies the atmosphere of the house.

How to start kitchen gardening?

There are many things you should know before starting kitchen gardening. But the most important one is site selection, because without it you won't be getting any satisfactory result.

The perfect site for a kitchen garden is one that receives necessary sunlight and has partial shade so that one can grow all shade-loving herbs and vegetables there. It should always have good drainage and soil. This can also be done in a conveniently available area like a balcony.

It is best to start with herbs and vegetables which are easy to grow like fenugreek (methi), lemon, coriander, tomato etc. You can start with these vegetables and then go on to those which require much attention.

Sowing seeds in pots can give them a good head start, you can transplant mature seedlings on the soil instead of sowing seeds. You can also select crops which mature early. It is important to know when and where to plant.

There are vegetables which require a cool climate and grow in spring and vegetables that require a warm climate that aren’t planted until the soil warms up (eg. tomatoes, peppers). You can even use the vegetable peels and seeds (things which you do not use in your cooking or which you would throw away) can be used to increase the fertility of soil. You can just put them under the soil which is used for gardening and there you go- less wastage by you and a fertile soil for your plants.

Here are a few basic plants that can be easily grown in your surroundings:

Lemons

Lemons are a great source of calcium, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium - minerals and antioxidants that beautify one’s hair, skin and nails!

Steps for planting lemons!

Hydrate and dampen the soil.
Fill it in a small pot.
Deseed the lemon and extract the pulp as well.
Without any delay plant the seeds about half an inch from the surface, and spray it with water.
Cover the surface of the pot with a transparent wrap, seal it and poke holes in it.
Place the pot in a warm place with sunlight.
Spray on more water occasionally (don't let it dry!)

After about two weeks, when the sprouting is visible, remove the plastic covering. Take care of the young plant by keeping the soil damp, and giving it moderate doses of organic fertilizer like compost.

Protect the plants from bugs or diseases. Prune off brown, dead leaves, if necessary. The plant can be transferred to a larger pot once the smaller pot no longer suffices it. Don't starve your poor plant after all that work of growing it!

Chikoo

Chikoo plant is also known as Sapota plant. Growing Chikoo from a seed is a time taking process as it takes 6- 7 years for it to bear fruit. For planting in a pot:

The pot should be 10- 12 inches.
Well drained soil is usually used.
Fertilizer in the form of organic compost is very good for its growth.
Put all this mixture in the pot .While planting a grafted plant, it should be 3 inches above the upper layer of soil. Water the plant daily.

Ginger

In home kitchens, Ginger is most commonly used to complement food dishes. Ginger is loaded with antibiotics and helps the body fight off chronic diseases like blood pressure, heart diseases etc.

Steps to grow-

1. Fill a plant pot with rich, well-draining fertile potting soil.

2. Place a small ginger root with bud pointing up in soil, cover it with more soil.

3. Water slightly.

Wait for the results...

Spinach

Spinach is a common leafy vegetable grown worldwide which has high nutritious value. It is rich in Carotenoids, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folic Acid, Iron and Calcium. Spinach has a host of benefits.

Growing Spinach using Seeds:

Spinach plant is grown in moderately moist and nitrogen rich conditions, but it is not favorable to soil which floods regularly or does not drain properly. Hence, the adequate places to grow spinach is in a garden plot, raised vegetable beds made up of cedar wood as it resists rotting and also can be planted in a container as it is a small plant that does not produce deep roots. Good quality seeds purchased from reputable suppliers gives predictable results. Seeds that are less than a year old have the best rate for germination. The temperature range that is acceptable for germination is between 40 and 75°F.

Spinach germinates in 7 to 14 days at or near 70°F.

Sow seeds ½ inches deep and 1 inch apart and about 11 to 18 inches apart in a Row or pattern.
When the seedling reaches an inch or so tall, thin them out so they are 4 to 6 inches apart to make sure the plants have excellent air circulation to avoid diseases and keep the soil evenly moist. Spinach plants enjoy a healthy amount of sunlight.
Water spinach plants regularly when the soil appears dry.
Harvest spinach at about 5 weeks after sowing. Spinach are stored for 1 to 2 weeks

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are an essential part of the Indian cuisine. Be it in the raw form in salads, the cooked mushy form in gravy, chutney and salsa or in the puree form in sauces. They are high in Vitamin A, C, Iron and Lycopene making them an ideal food ingredient for a healthy diet that boosts immunity against cancer, CVD and high blood pressure.

Growing tomatoes in our own kitchens:

It is usually grown in the summer months (21°C - 27°C) between March and June.
Seeds are planted in small pots in slightly acidic but fertile soil.
The pots are placed in a warm and dark place for germination; seedlings appear in 10-14 days.
After germination the seedlings require 8 hours of sunshine, and stakes should be inserted to support the plant when the fruit grows.
A spray bottle can be used to keep top soil moist after germination
Fruits take about 40-50 days to ripen but total yield is comparatively higher.

We sincerely hope these guidelines help you in starting a kitchen garden which will provide you with returns for an entire lifetime and generations to come.