Kitchen Garden Tips, Ideas, Benefits, Design

Introduction to Kitchen Garden Tips, Ideas, Benefits, Design

Today, let us talk about Kitchen Garden Tips.

The Kitchen Garden is a Place where you can develop Herbs and Vegetables. A Kitchen garden ensures an inexpensive, regular, and handy delivery of fresh vegetables, which are basic to nutrition. Green color vegetables contain vitamins and minerals, which protect us against diseases. Lack of vegetables, particularly green leafy vegetables, leads to malnutrition, which causes diseases like anemia and night-blindness. Dark green leafy vegetables known as Palak and brown vegetables like carrots prevent blinding malnutrition.

The kitchen garden helps us to solve our food problem. Apart from green and leafy vegetables, we can also develop several roots and tubers like potato, suran, goradu, etc., which are similar to cereals and give us heat and energy. These roots & tubers can be substituted with cereals. The kitchen garden method prevents pollution of air. The kitchen garden purifies the air through the plants. Plants breathe in carbon dioxide-CO2 and breathe out oxygen which is vital for our life, In order to preserve health and prevent malnutrition; we should build up a kitchen garden; grow fresh & clean vegetables and make them a part of our daily diet. Since early times a small plot near to the house used for growing a variety of vegetables according to the season. Local varieties such as radish, broadleaf mustard, red chili, beans, pumpkins, etc. are all grown in the kitchen garden.

Benefits of the Kitchen Garden:

1. Fresh and healthy vegetables

Most of the farmers are using chemicals to grow the vegetables. Because of that reason, we are facing a lot of health issues. The toxic content in the vegetables is degrading our health a lot. In Kitchen Garden, you can grow 100 percent organic, fresh, and healthy vegetables for your entire family.

2. Clean air

Air pollution is one of the main problems in urban life. Since there are fewer trees in the cities, the quality of Fresh and clean air is decreasing. Hence this Kitchen garden method comes to the rescue. The kitchen garden will definitely increase the quality of air in your home and backyard. By inhaling this fresh & clean air, your health will also improve over time.

3. Aesthetic value

Maintaining a Kitchen garden method will increase the aesthetic value. It will please your eyes whenever you look at the Kitchen-garden. For sure, the Kitchen garden will lift our mood a lot better. It will bring a little positive vibe.

4. Kitchen gardening as a hobby and habit

Many people have lots of hobbies and habits. One of the best hobbies is maintaining the Kitchen-garden.

5. Plants are excellent for Aura or Etheric body

We are raising plants in our backyards for ages. Though there are so many plants and trees, we grow only certain types of plants. This is for the reason of the Aura that they have. Tulsi, Neem, and Peepal are the topmost among the plants & trees that will provide you the best Aura for you.

Importance of Kitchen gardening:

1. a) Kitchen gardening is a very well delightful hobby
2. b) Green color vegetables protect us from diseases
3. c) Some of the vegetables in the forms of roots & tubers provide us with heat and energy

Organic vegetables: You can grow your own vegetables organically and they will be without any contamination.

Compost: It is the type of Plant Fertilizer that is made up of decaying organic material like Kitchen Wastes.

You will get Two Benefits from the Compost.

1. The vegetables will be organic and grow fast.
2. We will get rid of wastes without throwing it in the garbage. It takes almost six months to make compost from wastes.

Cheap and Easy way of getting Vegetables: By Kitchen garden, you can develop vegetables in your Home that help you to save some of you money that you spend buying Vegetables Locally.

Recycling: By the Kitchen gardening we can recycle your Vegetables. For Example, you can gather your unwanted vegetables and make a Compost of it, and again, you can use Compost Growing new Vegetables and Herbs.

The kitchen garden should never be located in a shady place rather it should collect sunlight for the most part of the day. However, in cities, there is hardly any choice as regards size, shape & location is concerned. Under such situations, whatever space is accessible has to be utilized. If the garden is located outside the house alive fence all around be raised to care for the garden.

Principles should be considered while design a Kitchen Garden:

1. Land should preferably be chosen in the backyard of the house. A rectangular shape is preferred to a square shape.
2. The layout should allow access to every part of the garden.
3. Quick rising fruit trees, e.g. papaya, kagzi lime, etc. should be positioned on the north side of the garden so that they do not shade other crops.
4. Climbers, for example, cucumber, pea, etc. can be trained on the fence.
5. Several sowings or succession of sowings of one particular crop example fenugreek, radish, okra, cauliflower, etc., at short intervals, should be done to ensure a steady supply of vegetables for a longer period.
6. Ridges that separate the beds should be utilized for rising root vegetables e.g. radish, turnip, etc.
7. Interspace of slow-growing crops, for example, cauliflower, cabbage, eggplant, etc. should be used for quick-growing vegetables such as turnip, radish, and leaf beet etc.

Selection of crops for kitchen garden depends on 2 factors, i.e. the size of the garden & choice of the family. Only those vegetables are developed which are suited to the region and produce satisfactory yield. The cultivars or varieties should be chosen according to the suitability for the region and season. Preference is given to those crops where freshness is key from the edibility and the food value point of view. Such crops include tomato, chili, beans, pea, salad crops, and leafy vegetables, etc.

Different materials are required for Kitchen planting:

Wire or plastic mesh, Wooden poles example, eucalyptus poles or bamboo, Panga or Hacksaw, Stones – Small to medium-sized, Nails, Hammer, Wire mesh cutter, Manure or organic compost mixed with topsoil, Ash, A shovel, Polythene, Seedlings ready for planting and a watering can

Pick the right location:

Picking a good location for your garden is very important. Here are a few tips for selecting a good site:

Plant in a sunny location:

Most vegetables need at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. The more sunlight they receive, the better the harvest, the bigger the veggies, and the better the taste.

Plant in good soil:

Plants’ roots penetrate the soft soil more easily, so you need a good loamy soil. Enriching your soil with fertilizer provides needed nutrients. Proper drainage will ensure that water neither collects on top nor drains away quickly.

Plant in a stable environment:

You don’t want to plant in a place that’s prone to flooding during heavy rains, and in a place that tends to dry out a lot. You also don’t want to plant somewhere strong winds could knock over your young plants or keep pollinators from doing their job.

Steps to starting a Kitchen Garden:

Type and size of the garden:

• Small and large
•  Raised beds
• Containers
• Pots and cans
• Buckets and baskets
• Plastic bags
• Barrels and drums

 Preparing the garden site:

• Near house and water source
•  Full sun (more than 5 to 6 hours/day)
•  Away from competing for tree roots
• Well-drained soils
• Protected area (animals or pests)

 Choosing garden tools/equipment:

• Spade
• Trowel
• Yardstick
• Bucket
• Sprayer
• Wheelbarrow
• Garbage cans
• Storage Shed

Selection of Plants for your Kitchen Garden:

• According to climate conditions.
• Include plants that you plan to use in the kitchen e.g. tomatoes, and peas.
• Find seeds/seedlings at the local nursery.
• Try to combine flowers and vegetables.
• Planting a garden, Starting from seeds or small plants, and Garden maintenance

Watering the Kitchen Garden:

• No water, then no garden period
• Use handheld cans or hose
• Overhead sprinklers Water Considerations
• Water early in the day
• Young plants need frequent watering
• Mature plants need two or three times water/week

Fertilizing your Kitchen Garden:

• Macro & micro Micronutrients.
• Primary (N:P:K).
• Secondary (Ca, Mg, S) Micronutrients
• B, Cl, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn Apply as needed or every two or three weeks Apply to the side of the pot or at the edge of the root zone

 Weed control in Kitchen Garden:

• Cultivation
• Hand pulling
• Mulching (It is a process in which a layer of material applied to the surface of an area of soil)
• Herbicides

Tentative monthly program for Kitchen Gardening:

January: sow or plant muskmelon, watermelon, coriander, lettuce, spring potato, European radish, and late cauliflower (if not planted earlier).

February:  sow or plant okra, luffa, cucumber, snap melon, amaranth, bottle gourd, pumpkin, summer squash, bitter gourd, European radish, leaf beet, pointed gourd, eggplant, chilli, and tomato.

March: repeat sowing of okra, amaranth & leaf beet. Sow cowpea, cluster bean, round melon, and other above-mentioned crops if not sown already. Plant elephant foot yam, peppermint, and artichoke.

April: continue with the crops sown in March.

May: Sow rainy season okra, radish, cucumber, bottle gourd, bitter gourd, and pumpkin.

June: Continue with the crops sown in May and also sow early cauliflower, cowpea, and cluster bean, Dolichos bean, round melon, sweet potato, and radish.

July: Sow early cauliflower, cluster bean, bottle gourd, tomato, Dolichos bean, chilli, okra, and eggplant. Also sow radish, leaf beet & cauliflower of the second group.

August: Plant chilli, cauliflower, leaf beet, turnip- Asiatic type & carrot. Also sow cabbage, fenugreek, Knol-Khol, Chinese cabbage, onion bulb sets, Beetroot, and coriander.

September: sow early pea, coriander, onion bulb sets (Kharif onion), radish, turnip, celery, beetroot, Dolichos bean, cauliflower (late group), cabbage, carrot Knol-Khol, lettuce, leaf beet, potato, and pea.

October: sow or plant parsley, lettuce, parsnip, potato, turnip, beetroot, radish, garlic, pea, French bean, onion, and Knol-Khol.

November: sow the crops mentioned for October month. Also sow pea, tomato & spinach.

December: Sow tomato, spinach, late cauliflower & pea, if not planted already

To make and supervise a kitchen garden easily, and to give the best production, the following things are important:-

Good management of the Kitchen garden needs knowledge of all these. Then we can make our kitchen garden is more successful.

1. Site selection
2. Water management
3. Seed & seedlings
4. Protection
5. Fertility
6. Design of the garden

Kitchen Garden Site Selection:

1. There will be a limited choice for the choice of sites for kitchen gardens and the final choice is usually the backyard of the house.
2. This is convenient as the members of the family can give stable care to the vegetables during leisure and the wastewater from the bathrooms and kitchen can easily be diverted to the vegetable beds.
3. The size of a kitchen garden depends upon the availability of land and the number of persons for whom vegetables are to be provided.
4. There is no restriction in the shape of the kitchen garden, but wherever possible rectangular shape garden is preferred to a square one.
5. With succession cropping and intercropping, 5 cents of land would be adequate to supply vegetables for an average family of four to five persons.

Land preparation:

1. Firstly a thorough spade digging is made to a depth of 30 to 40 cm.
2. Stones, bushes & perennial weeds are removed.
3. Hundred kg of well-decomposed farmyard manure or vermicompost is applied and mixed with the soil.
4. Ridges and furrows are formed at a spacing of 45 or 60 cm as per the requirement.
5. Flatbeds can be formed instead of ridges and furrows.

Pick the type of plants & flowers you want to have in your garden:

1. Take your climate and the rising season in your area into consideration when choosing vegetables.
2. Include plants that you plan to utilize in your cooking. Kitchen garden ideas contain tomatoes, snap peas, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, and herbs.
3. Buy seeds online or find seeds or seedlings at local nurseries.
4. Combine flowers & vegetables for healthy partnerships and an aesthetically pleasing look. This is known as a “potager” method garden. This type of companion planting can be beneficial for your harvest. Certain types of flowers can magnetize the pests that would otherwise harm the vegetables.
5. Perennial fruit trees & flowers can be used as border plants and will return each year.

Plan the arrangement of your plants and hard cape basics:

1. Consider the mature height & spread required for the different plants. Remember to leave room to access plants for harvesting.
2. To decide which plants may need a trellis and find the right spot for it.
3. To determine how you will use plants and hard cape edging to define your garden space and design any pathways for your kitchen garden.
4. Plant your vegetables & flowers.
5. Water your plants before plant to loosen the root balls.
6. Pay attention to plant spacing and timing, which will differ from the plant. Plant the vegetables or flowers by digging holes with a plant spade that are wider than the root ball just as deep. Fill dirt back into the hole around the plants & pat the soil down. Add mulch to protect the plants and stay moisture in.
7. Water the fresh plants immediately. Continue watering frequently, but do not overwater.

Harvest your kitchen garden as the vegetables mature:

1. Harvest times will differ depending on the vegetables, the timing of plantings, and your location. If you include a different variety of plants, you can enjoy fresh vegetables and flowers from your garden throughout the growing season.

Advantages of Kitchen Garden:

• The kitchen garden method is not expensive.
• Will get a regular and a handy supply of good quality vegetables for your family.
• Produce from the Kitchen garden is very rich in nutritional content.
• The vegetables in the Kitchen garden contain all kinds of vitamins and minerals.
• They contain no toxic materials that of vegetables that you will get in the market.

Kitchen Garden Disadvantages:

• Everyone doesn’t get enough time to spend in the garden. Hence it might result in a failure.
• While you will lose some of the precious space in your home.
• You may have to face some challenges while working in the Kitchen Garden.

In case if you are interested in this: Okra Growing Tips, Ideas, Secretes, and Techniques.