Think twice before you throw the kitchen scraps in the
dustbin. The scraps can be used to grow organic produce in the pot. There is no
need to spend money to buy seeds separately from the nursery. Most households
do not have their own kitchen garden and buy vegetables from the outside
vendor. Lockdown is an opportunity to become self-reliant and try hands at
growing your own greens. Though the essential item shops are open during the
covid-19 pandemic, going outside can be a challenge. You can grow variety of
produce in the home backyard, balcony or the terrace garden. As a beginner,
start with the easy to grow veggies like tomatoes, chillies, coriander and mint:
Tomatoes (Tamatar) - Tomato
is a warm season crop. The ideal months to plant tomatoes is between March-June.
Cut the ripe tomato into slices and place them 2 to 3 inch deep in the soil. In
about 15-20 days saplings will grow and in couple of months the plants will produce
lovely fruits. Install wooden sticks in the pot and tie the plant stems with
the thread otherwise plant will bend because of the weight of the fruit.
Chillies (Mirch) - Take the dried red or the green chilli,
remove all the seeds. Place the seeds on
the wet paper towel to germinate. After one week, sow the seeds 2-3 inch deep
in the soil. Seeds can also be planted directly but do not bury too deep as it
will reduce the germination rate. In 10 days, leaves will start to appear. In
about 2 months, plant will grow in height and start flowering.
Coriander (Dhaniya) - Crush the coriander seeds lightly so
they split in to half. Sow the seeds in the soil and cover with the potting
mix. Seeds will germinate in 7 to 10 days and coriander can be harvested in
about a month by cutting off the individual stems. Coriander is the favourite
garnish in the Indian dishes. It can grow all seasons with the sunlight
adjustment.
Mint (Pudina) - The leftover mint from the bunch bought from
the supermarket store can be used to grow more mint in the pot. Remove the
bottom leaves from the stem cuttings and place them in the water. Once roots
grow, transfer the cuttings in the soil. Mint leaves will flourish in a months’
time.
Water the plants regularly to keep the soil moist. If the
soil is too dry or overwatered it can obstruct the growth of the plants. The
preferable time to water the plants is in the morning or the evening.