10 Vegetables and Fruits to grow at Home - Kitchen Garden


The trend of kitchen gardening in Pakistan is increasing day by day. People are anxious about having a small corner, in their backyard or balcony or even at the roof, allocated for growing vegetables and small size fruit plants. And in some big houses, people also likes to grow some large size fruit plants. Every person has his own reasons for growing vegetables and fruits at home; some people take it as a hobby, some other likes to have fresh organic food while many people see it as a money saving activity as these plants grow almost free plenty of food which is sufficient for a family. The population is increasing and land for cultivation is decreasing, resultantly vegetables and fruits are becoming expensive. To cope with this problem, you can grow your own food items at your home.
kitchen-garden

You can grow as many types of plants as you want but you should consider having a small garden in your home. The kitchen garden will produce fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables for you and your family and also it will increase the aesthetic value of your house. It is healthier to grow your own food and it also saves a lot of money. Although growing a garden may seem complex but certain plants will grow very easily.

You can grow these plants in a corner of your backyard and if you don't have a backyard, you can grow small vegetables in your balcony in hanging pots or plastic bottles. You can also place some pots filled with soil on the roof for this purpose. The major advantages of kitchen gardening is pesticide free and high nutritional vegetable and herbs. If these are grown at home, your family could be able to get a balanced diet.

Here I am listing some common popular vegetables and plants:

1. Coriander (دھنیا)

Its leaves and seeds have a strong smell and a spicy taste and widely used in making Pakistani and Indian dishes to enhance their taste. It can easily be grown at home. It can grow within weeks.

2. Green Chilli (سبز مرچ)

Chilly pepper is a shrub-like plant. It is the most widely used vegetable, it is used for the preparation of all type of vegetables, pulses and meats. It is super easy to grow this plant.

3. Tomatoes (ٹماٹر)

Tomatoes are the most commonly used vegetable after peppers and potatoes. Keep it inside for 4 to 6 weeks before shifting in the sunlight. Summer season is best for growing tomatoes. They are ready for harvesting in 60 to 100 days.

4. Bell Pepper (شملہ مرچ)

It is a very flavorful vegetable which is used in many oriental dishes and in fast foods like pizza toppings etc. You can grow it in your kitchen garden very easily.
You can grow it in pots or land. Just like tomatoes, keep it inside for 4 to 6 weeks before shifting in the sunlight. Its best plantation time is early summer. It will be ready in 60 to 80 days.


Tip: Never grow peppers and tomatoes together. There should be some distance of few rows between these two.

5. Spinach (پالک)

It is a very easy crop to grow. 
It can be grown in sunlight or light shade. You can grow it in any season by providing a suitable atmosphere but it is a cold friendly crop. Its harvesting time is 45-50 days.

6. Mint (پودینہ)

In the start of the summer season, take some roots cuttings of the mint plant and sow them in the soil, it will start growing after a few weeks. Once grown up few shrubs, it will be sufficient for a household. People use it to make fresh sausages mostly by mixing it with yogurt. 

7. Lemon (لیموں)

Lemon is a type of citrus fruit but mostly used in cooking dishes and giving them some sour taste. There are many varieties of this plant. If you grow a plat of lemon at your home either in the soil or in a pot, it will produce lemons more than your family's requirement. Usually, it gives two crops each year. It will prove itself the most money saving plant.


Following are some fruits which typically cannot be grown in pots. They also require comparatively larger space.

8. Orange (مالٹا)
9. Guava (امرود)
10. Mango (آم)

Other Plants

You can also grow many other plants e.g lettuce, cucumber, radish, carrots etc.

Some Useful Information and Tips about Kitchen Gardening in Urdu

Horticulture Research Institute, National Agriculture Research Center, Islamabad has published a very useful Urdu booklet for the promotion of kitchen gardening in Pakistan. Considering it very useful, here we are giving a few pages of this booklet:



Are you already growing or will grow any of these plants at your home?

7 Comments

  1. AnonymousJune 20, 2022

    بہت اچھی معلومات ہیں ۔ شکریہ

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJune 27, 2022

    I am interested in enhancing the awareness about container gardening for under priviliged localities. wondering if there are any groups / NGOs working in this area?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are welcome to write a comprehensive post about it and we will publish it with your name.

      Delete
  3. As salam o alaikum,
    I am newbie in gardening and learned a lot during last couple of months and raised vegetables like tomatoes, coriander, long green chillies, short green chillies, okra, mint, spinach, etc. One can find my work at: www.YouTube.com/@homegardenpk
    Feel free to share your experiences and expertise as well.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousMay 01, 2023

    Here's a list of popular vegetables grown in Pakistan, along with the months in which they are typically available and the areas where they are commonly grown:

    1. Winter Vegetables (October to February):
    - Punjab: Cauliflower, cabbage, radishes, carrots, peas, spinach, fenugreek leaves (Methi), turnips, and mustard greens (Sarson ka saag).
    - KPK: Cauliflower, cabbage, radishes, carrots, peas, and spinach.
    - Balochistan: Radishes, carrots, and spinach.

    2. Spring Vegetables (March to May):
    - Punjab: Tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, cucumbers, eggplant (Brinjal), bottle gourd (Lauki), bitter gourd (Karela), and corn.
    - Sindh: Tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant (Brinjal), and okra (Ladyfinger).
    - KPK: Tomatoes, cucumbers, and okra (Ladyfinger).
    - Balochistan: Tomatoes, cucumbers, and okra (Ladyfinger).

    3. Summer Vegetables (June to August):
    - Punjab: Tomatoes, bell peppers (Capsicum), zucchini, okra (Ladyfinger), bitter gourd (Karela), eggplant (Brinjal), and bottle gourd (Lauki).
    - Sindh: Tomatoes, cucumbers, and okra (Ladyfinger).
    - KPK: Tomatoes, cucumbers, okra (Ladyfinger), and eggplant (Brinjal).
    - Balochistan: Tomatoes, cucumbers, okra (Ladyfinger), and eggplant (Brinjal).

    4. Autumn Vegetables (September to November):
    - Punjab: Radishes, carrots, peas, spinach, fenugreek leaves (Methi), cauliflower, cabbage, turnips, and mustard greens (Sarson ka saag).
    - Sindh: Cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, and radishes.
    - KPK: Cauliflower, cabbage, radishes, carrots, and peas.
    - Balochistan: Radishes, carrots, and spinach.

    Please note that the availability of vegetables may vary slightly depending on the region and weather conditions.

    ReplyDelete
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