A kitchen garden is a small space in or near your home where you can grow vegetables and fruits for household use. It can be managed according to the available space, simply having a few pots on a window, a plastic container on the balcony or a plot backside of your kitchen. It’s a cost-effective strategy for people living in developing areas. On the other side for those who live in developed areas, it’s the best way to get chemical-free food and to maintain sustainable living.

Why raise a Kitchen Garden

The production of vegetables is increasing at the farm level, but there are some constraints, so there is a need to grow a garden at the household level. These constraints are

• Use of pesticides and other chemicals that contaminate food
• Rise in serious health issues among consumers due to unsafe agricultural strategies
• Higher market prices of fruits and vegetables, less affordable for many families
• Low-quality and less nutrient-containing food.

Principles of Kitchen Garden

The primary aim of raising a kitchen garden is to produce nutrient-rich and pesticide-free fruits and vegetables. For better production of fruits and vegetables, some key principles must be followed

• Say no snthetics _ Natural method for kitchen garden

The use of chemicals will fail the primary aim of your kitchen garden. Weed infestation, pest attacks, and disease attacks are some of the main problems a garden or farm can face. Always use organic and natural methods to cure them.

To control weeds check out your pots or backyard plot daily. Manually pull out the weeds in the early stage. If you will follow this strategy your kitchen garden will be weed-free all the time. A weed-free garden reduces the competition of plants for resources.

A pest attack can severely damage the plants of your kitchen garden. Pest spray is a threat to quality of fruits and vegetables. Use of neem oil, chili garlic spray and soap water spray are some organic methods to control pests as an alternate to chemicals.For more details read this article https://earth.org/how-to-grow-produce-without-using-pesticides/

• Easy Access to Natural Resources

Besides all other secondary factors air, sunlight, water, normal temperature and soil are some essentials for a plant to stay alive. Ensure your pots are placed in a location with easy access to sunlight and fresh air. You must have a shower to irrigate them properly.

In the case of plots select a suitable site or make the available site suitable for raising a kitchen garden. The area that you select for your garden should not be in a dark position. It must receive five to six hours of direct sunlight.

The three golden standards of timely planting, timely irrigation, and timely harvesting are essential for cultivating nutritious food. In addition to having easy access to natural resources, growing a kitchen garden successfully depends on time. For more details read this article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_health

• Healthy Soil Reflects Better Production

For improved plant development, make sure the soil is ready before planting or sowing the plants. Remove any stones, plastic, and other impurities from the soil. To stop disease assaults, sterilize the pots before planting.

Maintain the nutrient balance of your soil. Add organic matter to the soil. Particularly reduce the competition of your soil by removing all extra plants from the sites. Never irrigate the soil with contaminated water.

Remove the compaction of your soil by performing tillage operations such as hoeing ploughing and digging. It will make the soil loose and suitable for seed. The seeds will be able to sprout their plumule and radicle more easily.

• What to plant – when to plant

As Money, planning also saves time and extra effort in gardening. Make a list of all the vegetables and herbs you need for your kitchen according to season. This planning will avoid confusion and you will never be panic in any situation.

Make a seasonal list of vegetables and herbs that your family uses regularly. Sort out those vegetables herbs and fruits that can be grow in your garden. Focus on plants that suit your local climate and growing conditions. This helps you grow what you actually need.

Proper timing is essential—sow seeds at the right time for each crop. Late sowing can lead to weak plants or low yield. A well-planned planting calendar leads to a healthier and more fruitful garden. the more the leaves do photosynthesis , the more they will be healthier and rich in nutrients.

• Emotional Connection with Plants

Every living thing feels emotion and plants are no exception. Daily visit your garden and sit near the plant with a smiling face. Your positive energy will thrive the potential of the plants to grow well and faster. Never leave your garden or plants in pots unattended.

Plants also respond to sound, according to researchers. A plant in a peaceful environment, surrounded by pleasant voices, grows and develops more quickly compared to one grown in a noisy environment. So try to keep your selected site peaceful and pleasant. For more details read this article https://medium.com/insights-of-nature/emotional-connection-with-plants-43abfb2498c1