Grow and eat Healthy Nutritious Vegetables at Home

This blog is very informative for Agriculture and botany students. It is about Horticulture Articles, Jobs, admission, and organic farming.

 Summer Vegetables

 

Temperature is one of the most critical factors affecting the germination of the seed.

Common Name	Sowing temp	Common Name	Sowing temp
Cucumber	15.5c°	Egg plant	18c°
Tomato	10c°	okra	35c°
jalapeno	15-30c°	bean	12c°
Anaheim pepper	18c°	Swiss chard	25c°
onion	12c°	sorrel	7c°
Zucchini	30-35c°	collards	20c°
Scallop squash	30c°

Early Planning

Early Planning Prior to starting kitchen gardening following aspects must be considered; Firstly, don’t mix different kinds of vegetables, it may be helpful to set up land every time for planting new seeds. Secondly, direct sunlight is vital so choose a sowing area that must receive at least 7 to 8 hrs of direct sunlight. Thirdly, vegetables like bitter gourd, cucurbits, and bottle gourd, etc. having a growing habit of vines must be growing separately from non-vine vegetables. Lastly, such vegetables (vines) must be grown closer to some support like a wall or vertical sticks.

Preparation of land

The key to a fruitful vegetable stand is the preparation of land. For kitchen gardening, the area must have good aeration and drainage properties. Before seed planting (1 to 2 months) organic matter must be added to mix well with the soil. Natural organic matter sources like leaf litter or animal dung must be used. In the case of a small cultivated area, it can be prepared by hoeing using manual tools and using a chisel or other plows to prepare a larger piece of land.

Ø Method of sowing

The time and method of planting varies with the kind of vegetable. Use recommended plant-to-plant and row-to-row distance to get maximum vegetable crop yield. Note: For garlic leveled soil must be prepared for sowing. For winter vegetables (salad leaves, cabbage, cauliflower, and onion) a nursery must be raised. 30-35 days old seedlings transferred to the field having furrows. Such winter vegetables must be planted on each side of the furrows.

 

Ø irrigation

For irrigation purposes, clean drinking or tap water without excess salts (having EC< 1.5 dS m -1 ) must be applied when needed. After completion of seed sowing and when nursery seedlings are transferred, the cropped area must be irrigated. In order to get maximum germination percentage the level of water must not be above the furrows otherwise a compact soil layer hampers the germination process. During summer, a Nutrient Management in Kitchen Gardening: Learn to 336 Produce Pesticide Free Beneficial Fruits and To Production, weekly basis irrigation of fresh water must be applied while on the other hand, in winter season irrigate the field according to the requirement to avoid water stress in plants.

Fertilizer recommendations It was recommended that 0.700 Kg, 0.250 Kg, and 0.300 g of DAP, urea, and potash respectively be used per marla of cropped area. Moreover, after flowering as well as after two to three harvests urea @ 0.100 g per marla should be applied.

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How to grow coriander cliantro

 

How to grow coriander?

There are two ways to plant the coriander

1: via seedling

2: via selfseeding

Seedling:

You can get seedling from nursery.

Grow from seeds:

If you want to grow from seeds you should remove the seed cover. Remove the cover very carefully with shoe because seed is very small. You can pick the seed powder and spread it all over a pot. Keep it in sunny area and well moisturized. You can also plant the seeds 2 inches apart from each other to get seedling.

Plant site:

There should be full sun.

Soil:

It should be loamy well drained and fertilized.

Planting distance:

Row to row distance: 12 to 18 inches

Plant to plant distance: 6 inches

Irrigation:

Seeds have to be well watered during the germination stage. But do not over water it will cause seedling rot.

Fertilizer:

Use organic fertilizer you can fertilize 25 feet with water in which you have add ¼ cup of organic manure.

Spray the leaves and the plants with 250g of neem oil in 5 gallon of water.

Harvesting:

Harvest the plant before flowering. Cut them off 2 inches above the tip.

Storage of coriander:

Coriander leaves can be stored by freezing and drying. Hang them in corner of kitchen and then store in airtight container.

Note:

Self-seeding:

You may want to keep one cilantro plant to seed its own. During the summer when the stalk is going to produce flowers and seeds do not remove it from the bed the next season the fresh plants are growing from seeds. You should not need to sow them fresh.

Storage of coriander seeds:

Wrap the seed heads in paper bags. The plant is growing to dry up and the seeds are going to fall into the bags, then store them in air tight container.

Reference: The Magic of Coriander For Cooking and Healing

By John Davidson, Dueep J. Singh:

 

 

 

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How to grow Cherry Tomatoes

Production technology of cherry tomatoes

Collect your things for cherry tomato plantation

Soil, seed, pots, fertilizer, trowel

Varieties

Small fry best for container, julliet, super sweet 100

         

determinate	Semi determinate	indeterminate
Length : 1 meter Fruits can be picked over a period of few weeks Cherry tomatoes fall in this category	Length:1.5-2 m Fruits can be picked over a period of 2-6 weeks Cherry tomatoes fall in this category Best for home garden	Length : 5 meter Fruits can be picked over a period of 12-20 weeks Cherry tomatoes fall in this category

Sowing time:

The optimum temperature for cherry plantation is 27-30°c.

Best soil for cherry tomatoes:

The desired soil pH should be between 5.8-6.4.  Fertilize the plant regularly and use low nitrogen fertilizer for fruit production and low vegetative growth.

How to grow

Sowing media:

70 % , peat moss 20 % and green waste compost.  Potting soil is too heavy for seed starting so 2 part soil and 1 part sphagnum peat moss is best. Germinate best in dark condition light will inhibit growth.

  Seed:

Plant seed to a depth approximately twice the thickness of the seed, water and tamp soil firmly. Cover pot with clear plastic wrap and wait for germination. Keep soil moist but not saturated and keep pot out of direct sunlight to avoid overheating. Uncover at the first sign of sprouts.

 Location

Cherry tomato requires full sun. Keep them in south direction.

Transplants:

Remove all lower leaf stems. Place plantlet in three inch deep in soil, leaving only upper two levels leaves exposed

 Irrigation

Irrigate regularly and avoid splashing irrigation water on plants.

Fertilizer

Apply the starter solution by diluting inorganic liquid compound fertilizer at a rate of 2.4 g (240N-210P-200 K mg) in 50 ml water per plant.

Harvesting

Harvesting time is month of May of cherry tomatoes.

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How to grow chillies at home

Chillies

Collect your things for chillies plantation

Clay loam Soil, 25 cm diameter and 35 cm deep pot, seeds

Varieties:

Bell pepper

jalapeno

cayenne

Tabasco

Ajis

Sowing time:

There are two crops of chillies Rabi and Kharif. In Balochistan and Punjab only kharif crop is grown and in Sindh both types of crops can grown.

Best soil for chillies:

Clay loam soil is better for chillies.  Sandy soil is not better for chillies production. Soil ph for spinach is 6-7.5.

How to grow:

Take a 6 inch diameter and 8 inch deep pot.  For a small pot you can grow 1 plant otherwise keep 4-6 inch space between seed at the time of sowing. Plant the seed 1/8 inch deep. It has deep tap root system.

Direction:

It requires sun to partial shade. It can bear shade. Keep the pot in south direction

Irrigation:

Do irrigate more time for dense growth. First irrigation applies after sowing then continues after 8-10 days.

Fertilizer:

Use poultry manure at high rate. Vermicompost and phosphate rich organic manure is best to increase yield. Apply vermicasting comprised on niger and karanj cake three times to pots. 

Harvesting:

Flowering will start after two month of transplanting. Harvesting should be done at right stage of maturity. The interval between harvesting should be 1-2 week and you will get pickings for three months about 6-10 pickings. Chillies should ripen 10 to 15 days under full sun

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How to grow Radish in pots at home (Organic Gardening)

How to grow Radish in pots at home (kitchen Gardening)

Collect your things for Radish plantation

Soil, seed, pots, fertilizer, trowel

Varieties                

Sixty days, Mino early long white, green neck

Sowing time:

It can be grow from July to September. The optimum temperature for radish plantation is 20-30°c. It is grow well at 18 °c.

Best soil for radish:

It can be grow on all types of soil but mostly it like rich sandy and moist soil.

How to grow

Radishes have shallow root system (various according to variety) from 15 to 60 cm. Take a 4 cm deep pot and plant a seed more than 2cm deep and 4 inch apart for obtaining long roots.

Location

Radish requires full sun. Keep them in south direction.

Irrigation

Radish requires mostly moist condition. Frequent irrigation is required however in winter with four days interval watered the plants.

Fertilizer

Put leaf mulch around the plant. Use the alfalfa meal organic fertilizer for radish. Spread it for getting best result.

Harvesting

Harvesting time is depending on the varieties although radish is ready from 40-45 days. However early varieties can be harvested within 25-30 days. Late harvesting is the cause of bitter taste. To ease the harvesting irrigates the radish plants.

Tips

Radish can be growing as inter-crop. Inter-crop the radish plants between beans, tomatoes Brussels sprout cabbage and tomatoes.

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How to grow spinach in pots at home [kitchen gardening]

 Spinach:

Collect your things for spinach plantation

Clay loam Soil, 6 inch in diameter and 8 inch deep pot, seeds

Varieties:

Desi palak

English palak

Kandiari

Sowing time:

It can be grown all year round. In Punjab it can be grow in the month of July- August while in arid areas it can grow after rainy season.

Best soil for spinach:

Clay loam soil is better for spinach.  It can tolerate slightly alkaline condition. Soil ph for spinach is 6-7.5.

How to grow:

Take a 6 inch diameter and 8 inch deep pot.  For a small pot you can grow 1 plant otherwise keep 4-6 inch space between seed at the time of sowing. Plant the seed 1/8 inch deep. It has deep tap root system.

Direction:

It requires sun to partial shade. It can bear shade. Keep the pot in south direction

Irrigation:

Do irrigate more time for dense growth. First irrigation applies after sowing then continues after 8-10 days.

Fertilizer:

Use organic manure for spinach best growth when plants grow. Fertilize the soil with organic fertilizer at time of planting and after first cutting.

Harvesting:

The crop is prepared within 6 weeks. At the length of 15-30cm of leaves are able to be plucked. 3-4 cuttings are taken

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How to grow okra at home

Okra

Collect your things for okra plantation

Seeds, 10-12 inch deep and 10 inch in diameter pots, soil, water, organic fertilizer

Varieties

Faisalabadi-1

Faisalabadi-||

Mirpurkhas-|

Mirpurkhas-||

Tarnab-13

PARC Green

Spiny

Exotic Cultivars

Emerald

Clemson

Perkins dwarf

Pusa green

Pusa sawani

Sowing time:

Okra loves hot weather. It can be grow in February and July. It can grow at 23°c -35°c. It will not germinate below 20°c.

Best soil for okra

It can grow on different kinds of soil but it grows best in medium loam soil. Mix equal parts of soil, vermiculite and organic matter.

How to grow

Okra has tap roots. Take a 10 inch or larger than pot or 5 gallon bucket. Sow 3-5 seeds at ½ inch deep. Keep 1-2 inch distance between the seeds.

Location

It requires full sun. Keep the plants in west direction

Irrigation

Irrigate the plants after 5-6 days regularly.

Fertilizer

At the time of sowing add chicken manure. Add 3 inch mulch when plants size is 1 feet. Use granular organic fertilizer at the time of flowering.

Harvesting:

When flower open pick the pods after 6-7 days.

Tips

 Choose a dwarf variety for pots.

Remove the hard seed coat by soaking the seeds in vinegar for 24 hours before sowing. 

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