Growing of vegetables around or near house for household use is called kitchen gardening. Due to ever increasing population and increase in demand of vegetables, farmers have adapted new techniques to increase per unit vegetables production. This involves use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Although, production of vegetables has increase at farm level, but quality of vegetables is seriously affected. Moreover, irrigation of vegetables with sewage water in per urban areas has arose serious health concerns for consumers. Hence, purpose of kitchen gardening is to produce organic vegetables free of any pesticides and chemicals for domestic use.
For Successful Cultivation of Vegetables at Domestic Level, the Following Principles Needs To Be Followed
- Acquisition of direct sunlight:
- Selection of the site:
- Selection for the type of soil:
- Easy access to the kitchen garden:
- Appropriate irrigation for kitchen gardening:
- Air circulation in vegetables
- Planning for Kitchen Gardening
For the achievement of better production, the following measures could be adopted
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How much area required for vegetable cultivation
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Vegetable to be cultivated
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To keep the production technology literature
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Time required look after vegetable gardening
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To acquire necessary things viz., implement for land preparation, implements for cultivation, seed, fertilizer and organic pesticides.
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Source of guidance in case of sudden adverse condition.
To Grow Vegetables at Household, the Following Points Must Consider
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Timely planting of vegetables provide good production.
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Grow such vegetables on small plots which give longer harvest duration e.g. spinach, fenugreek etc.
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Grow vegetables on ridges, vegetables cultivated on flat surface are prone to attack of diseases e.g. root rot and collar rot in chilies.
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Cucurbits (Vine vegetables) are trained along bamboos, ropes/nets so that air can pass through, climbing not with the walls.
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When vegetables germinate in different kind of containers, keep this in mind that neither moisture may dry nor irrigate too much so that it can cause different type of diseases.
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Vegetables grown on different containers must place where the sun have at least 6 to 8 hours and place at least one feet away from the wall.
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When vegetables are ready for harvesting, pick it immediately, otherwise its quality may deteriorate.
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If vegetables grown at household level are more than our requirement then it should be stored in a well manner so that it can save for a long period and on re-using its quality may not deteriorate e.g. for storage of peas blanching is necessary. Fresh peas put into boiled water for one to two minute, immediately drain out, dry and store it in a safe packaging. In this way biochemical activities will be stopped during storage. And it can be stored in freezer for a longer period. And in this way its quality will not deteriorate. Each vegetable is stored in a distinct process for further such information contact Post Harvest Department of Agriculture Institute and contact number is 041-9201686.
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Periodic sowing should be adopted for long time and continuous supply of vegetable e.g. if radish is sown in one time then its cultivation would also at the same time which can be used only up to few days. If we do sowing with interval of ten days then it supply should be continuous same is the case with other vegetables.
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Bacterial and fungal affected plants could provide edible fruit. Apart from these some plants are affected with sucking pest and virus and plant leaves seen small and diseased are safe to consume. In the same way if brinjal plant are affected by primary attack of borers and if the fruit is saved from rottening, the affected part should be cut and rest of the healthy fruit can be consumed and safe for health. However in contrast to this situation the plants which are sprayed by pesticide could not be used safely even after multiple washings with clean water especially those plants which are sprayed with systemic poison which is against the recommendation of agriculture. Now a day’s pesticides with very short residual effect are available which can be consumed after a day or two after spray and washing them with clean water.To encourage the people for kitchen gardening, a vegetable see kit containing all the important vegetables sufficient to be sown for 5 to 8 Marlas of land, is prepared and supplied on cheaper rates along with their production technologies. Almost 270000 seed packets are sold in rural and urban areas annually.