6 Must-Haves for a New Kitchen Gardener
Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to prep a lot to start your kitchen garden. Just these six elements will do
The Indian climate is great for growing a variety of vegetables and herbs at home. If you have a patch of land, a terrace, a balcony, a wall or even a windowsill that receives sunlight, you can start growing veggies and herbs according to your specific microclimate. Most of the time, there’s no need for any fancy equipment; you probably don’t need a set of gardening tools right away either. But here is what you do need.
If you are a new kitchen gardener, pay special attention to the visual appeal of the pots. For a long time, till your new plants sprout and grow, you will only be looking at your pots, so make sure they look pretty to you. Your kitchen garden, apart from being a source of chemicals-free veggies for your household, can also add to the decor element of your home. It’s a worthwhile investment of your money and time.
You can take plain terracotta pots and paint them. There’s also a very wide ceramic range available in the market.
You can take plain terracotta pots and paint them. There’s also a very wide ceramic range available in the market.
2. Good soil
This is where it starts getting a little daunting for new gardeners, and the more one reads, the more complicated it seems to get. What is coco peat? Where to get sand and manure? What is the difference between compost and vermicompost? Aren’t all soils the same?
Actually all soils aren’t the same, and the subject of different varieties of soil is indeed a complex one. However, to keep things simple, try to look for ready potting mix that is available in nurseries or online. The best solution is to ask a neighbour who is a gardening enthusiast too.
This is where it starts getting a little daunting for new gardeners, and the more one reads, the more complicated it seems to get. What is coco peat? Where to get sand and manure? What is the difference between compost and vermicompost? Aren’t all soils the same?
Actually all soils aren’t the same, and the subject of different varieties of soil is indeed a complex one. However, to keep things simple, try to look for ready potting mix that is available in nurseries or online. The best solution is to ask a neighbour who is a gardening enthusiast too.
The soil must provide nutrients and moisture to your plant. Each kind of plant requires slightly different kind of nutrition but the basic requirements are largely the same – nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulphur and micronutrients like iron, manganese, boron, zinc, copper, etc. Most organic fertilisers like compost and vermiwash will provide these nutrients.
As for moisture, just make sure that the soil doesn’t look too wet or too dry. Adjust your watering accordingly.
As for moisture, just make sure that the soil doesn’t look too wet or too dry. Adjust your watering accordingly.
3. Water
Water performs a similar function in plants as it does in the human body. It is the carrier fluid that runs through the plant and distributes nutrients. The soil should never be too wet or too dry. If you allow the soil to dry out too much, it stresses the plants and retards their growth; let it get waterlogged and the roots can’t breathe and will start rotting.
Be gentle while watering your plants so the soil doesn’t get washed away (accompanied by the seeds or young seedlings) leaving the roots exposed. Sprinkle water over your plant rather than pouring it in a sharp stream from a spout or hose. If watering is adequate, the leaves will look healthy and plump.
Water performs a similar function in plants as it does in the human body. It is the carrier fluid that runs through the plant and distributes nutrients. The soil should never be too wet or too dry. If you allow the soil to dry out too much, it stresses the plants and retards their growth; let it get waterlogged and the roots can’t breathe and will start rotting.
Be gentle while watering your plants so the soil doesn’t get washed away (accompanied by the seeds or young seedlings) leaving the roots exposed. Sprinkle water over your plant rather than pouring it in a sharp stream from a spout or hose. If watering is adequate, the leaves will look healthy and plump.
4. Sunlight
This is one resource that you can neither buy nor control and it’s the most important ingredient for the growth of your vegetables and herbs. All you can do is make the most of the sunlight available to you. Carefully study the movement of sun at your place and choose the right spots for your plants.
Fruits and vegetables require eight hours of good sunlight. Leafy vegetables and herbs can do with less or with diffused ambient sunlight too.
This is one resource that you can neither buy nor control and it’s the most important ingredient for the growth of your vegetables and herbs. All you can do is make the most of the sunlight available to you. Carefully study the movement of sun at your place and choose the right spots for your plants.
Fruits and vegetables require eight hours of good sunlight. Leafy vegetables and herbs can do with less or with diffused ambient sunlight too.
5. Fresh air
Your kitchen garden needs fresh air too. The movement of air refreshes the plant’s supply of carbon dioxide, which is a necessary ingredient for photosynthesis – the process through which leaves make their food.
If your garden is indoors then try opening the windows for a while every day. Or if you have a mix of inside and outside areas then circulate your pots every couple of weeks. Movement of air is also needed for the pollination of the flowers of some plants to start the process of making fruits and vegetables. Insects like bees and butterflies are pollinators, and should have access to the flowering plants.
Your kitchen garden needs fresh air too. The movement of air refreshes the plant’s supply of carbon dioxide, which is a necessary ingredient for photosynthesis – the process through which leaves make their food.
If your garden is indoors then try opening the windows for a while every day. Or if you have a mix of inside and outside areas then circulate your pots every couple of weeks. Movement of air is also needed for the pollination of the flowers of some plants to start the process of making fruits and vegetables. Insects like bees and butterflies are pollinators, and should have access to the flowering plants.
6. Seeds and saplings
Depending on available sunlight, space and your preference, get the right starters for your garden – either seeds or saplings. If your nearest nursery does not stock the seeds you want, you might need to make a trip to a specialised nursery. You can even grow chillies and tomatoes from the seeds of these veggies lying in your fridge. Try it.
If you plan to plant many pots with different seeds, remember to label the pots once you sow them as you might not be able to recognise the sprouts later on.
Depending on available sunlight, space and your preference, get the right starters for your garden – either seeds or saplings. If your nearest nursery does not stock the seeds you want, you might need to make a trip to a specialised nursery. You can even grow chillies and tomatoes from the seeds of these veggies lying in your fridge. Try it.
If you plan to plant many pots with different seeds, remember to label the pots once you sow them as you might not be able to recognise the sprouts later on.
Potting station
This is not a must-have but if you can swing it, then your gardening chores will become so much more convenient. A potting station is a small area where you can treat your pots, mix soil, do some re-potting as and when necessary, and add your compost top ups. This could also be the spot to stock most of your gardening stuff.
As you will see, if you organise your storage and the working area a bit, it will increase the probability of you working more with your plants. And as a new kitchen gardener, that’s what your plants need most of all – your time and attention.
Read more:
8 Challenges for First-Time Kitchen Gardeners
7 Steps to a Kitchen Garden in a Small Apartment
Tell us:
How did you start your kitchen gardening journey? Tell us in Comments below.
This is not a must-have but if you can swing it, then your gardening chores will become so much more convenient. A potting station is a small area where you can treat your pots, mix soil, do some re-potting as and when necessary, and add your compost top ups. This could also be the spot to stock most of your gardening stuff.
As you will see, if you organise your storage and the working area a bit, it will increase the probability of you working more with your plants. And as a new kitchen gardener, that’s what your plants need most of all – your time and attention.
Read more:
8 Challenges for First-Time Kitchen Gardeners
7 Steps to a Kitchen Garden in a Small Apartment
Tell us:
How did you start your kitchen gardening journey? Tell us in Comments below.
Focus on the kind of pots you want. Apart from size and depth, which should be suitable for the plants you have in mind, the material that the pot is made from is important too.
While plastic pots abound these days and are available cheaply and easily, in the interests of the environment, do try to avoid them. Other more eco-friendly materials are terracotta, ceramic, wood and metal. Each material has its pros and cons; the ones which tick most boxes in favour are terracotta and ceramic.