Planting is always an interesting practice, that almost everyone enjoys and waits for the beautiful outcome. Any barren place can be switched to a lively, beautiful and colorful place, where everyone would love to visit or walk by. This gift of nature is far intriguing as well as worthwhile. Besides, you spend the best of your hours in doing so. Gardening being useful for your place is also beneficial for the environment and the surroundings.
Gardening at home is a great practice, it can save you a fortune plus it can keep you physically active. Moreover, kitchen gardening is a practice that helps you grow vegetables and you can enjoy healthy vegetables and fruits from your own garden.
Growing a plant takes up to 2-3$, for example, a tomato plant that can yield up to 10 pounds of tomatoes in its season in only 100 square feet of area or 15 pounds of carrots from 20 square-feet.
There are different tricks & ways of doing kitchen gardening, it depends on how many areas do you have, so if you are a beginner then you are at the right place, below is the procedure on how to start it.
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Germination of seed
First, it is very important to use the correct method for seed germination & it is most critical. In this process, the seed grows into a new plant (in its first stage), there are a lot of factors that can affect the growth of the seed, for example, its temperature limit, water content or soil type. Before planting a seed into the soil, you should check its requirements, mostly the specification is given by the seller of the seeds. Below is the procedure for the germination of seeds.
1. Pre-soaking
Seed starts to grow when right amount of moisture is provided, this process is called dormant, this is why a seed takes more time for germination, so to ease this process we can use the trick of pre-soaking the seed any container for about 12 hours that will provide enough moisture to the outer surface of seed & will trigger in germination process. before planting any seed make sure that it is the right season to plant the seeds, mostly this description is written on the packet of seed provided by the seller.
2. Planting indoors
Buy a seed tray then adds soil to it, then plant the seeds & keep them indoor and moist. After some days (depends on the seed) seeds will pop out from the soil, in their early stages they are very critical, that’s why it is suggested to keep them indoors until they gain strength.
3. Controlling environment
This is a very essential part; seed needs its appropriate temperature and moisture content in order to grow. So, we should use temperature and humidity sensors in the soil. these limits are specified by the seller so in order to control it, we can UV light that will provide heat and light, heaters to control the temperature and humidifiers in the indoor space. You should check the temperature and moisture level consistently at least three times a day. lack of moisture content can lead to delay in germination and if the moisture content is in excess the seed will start to rot and decay.
4. Soil preparation
Quality of soil is very important for a plant to grow; good soil will result in a strong and healthy plant. for the preparation of the soil, we should use a mixture of different sands, slits, and clay. good soil should be soft and should have a good drain so that the water should not be stagnant, and the air should pass through the roots for proper growth.
Adding organic compost will improve the quality of soil, it will provide a good drain to the soil, will make the soil even softer & will provide nutrients to plant to grow fast and healthy. Organic composts are available in market but on another hand you can make your own organic compost, buy using plant leaves, cow manure, vegetable or fruit residue by staking them on each other, the process of decomposition will take place and when they fully decompose, it usually takes a month or two, you can use them accordingly.
You can also test your soil by knowing the quantity of the nutrient in the soil if it is lacking or abundant in quantity.PH level plays an important role for plant if the Ph level if between ( 6.8-6.7) it is good for the plant to absorb nutrients properly if PH level is below 6then your soil is acidic and above 6 then it is alkaline, your plant will not accept any nutrients no matter how much the soil I full of it. PH levels can also be tested by using PH-soil meter which is easily available in the market.
4. Planting the Seedling
When you start to notice that your plant in the tray has grown up, having three to five leaves and its stem is strong enough, then it’s time to take the seedlings from the trays and plant them into the soil. You can use different types of pots or just place them in your garden. After planting them outdoors you should use some protection around the plant because it can be eaten by squirrels, rabbits or other animals. You can place green nets around it or place some barrication around it.
Types of Kitchen Gardening
1.Container gardening
It is the simplest form and its easy for starters, all you need is some empty containers (mostly available in markets), soil, water & seeds. If you are tight on space this option best suits you. A variety of vegetables and fruits can be grown in container gardening for example tomatoes, spinach, finger lady, lemons, etc..
2.Ground gardening
If you have some soil in your backyard, then ground gardening will be the best, Area of 600 foot-square is enough to grow vegetables that can feed up to 9 months in a year to 4-5 persons of a family. All you need is good soil, compost, seeds, hand tiller and some fences around that area & you are good to go.
2.Vertical Gardening
Now a day’s vertical gardening has taken a boom, among those who don’t have enough space in their apartment or building, they are using this technique to produce vegetables. All you need is, a couple of PVC pipes you can arrange them according to the wall vertically upward connected with each other which are filled with soil, having some hole on some intervals for plantation.
Start kitchen gardening and enjoy perks of your own garden. Have a happy planting!
