A vegetable garden at home is a great way to grow daily food supplements for your family. To start a vegetable garden first find the appropriate space for gardening. It can be done on your home compound, terrace, and roof. Get some fertile soil and mix it with cocopeat in the ratio of 50:50. This is done to loosen the soil and store water for a longer duration. You can plant seeds directly on the earth or in plastic bags or clay pots. Fill the soil mixture on the pots and add some organic fertilizers like cow dung on the top. If you cant find cow dung you can also put inorganic fertilizers like Urea. Vegetables are seasonal so you will have to rotate the plants 3-4 times a year. You can get the seeds from a local seed shop. Remember to water your plants every day.

At my home, I have been growing the following vegetables:

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A vegetable garden has many benefits like free organic fresh food that saves your money and makes your health better. It will be soon an addictive hobby reconnecting with nature in your space.

Instructions for growing above vegetables at home

Mustard Green

Mustard green is taken as a green salad with various food. It can also be cooked by frying the leaves and adding spices to them, which can be taken with the main course. Furthermore, Mustard green is used to make traditional Nepali pickles called Gundruk. It grows throughout the year and requires moist fertile soil and a sunny area. During summer it quickly develops flowers, so winter is the best time to grow Mustard green.

It takes just 3 weeks to grow its leaves, the mature leaves are plucked for cooking while small leaves are left to grow.

Market Price 1-1.5 USD per bunch

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a delicious vegetable that can either be boiled or roasted and taken in the main course. It grows between October to March. It takes just 30 days for a Cauliflower to grow white flowers. Its leaves can also be used to make fermented pickle Gundruk. It also needs moist fertile soil and a sunny area to grow.

Market Price: USD 25-30 per piece

Gurjo – Tinospora Cordifolia

Gurjo is an ayurvedic medicinal plant used to strengthen immunity power. It is also used for treating hay fever, diabetes, high cholesterol, stomach ache, and itchy skin infection. It has anti-cancer and anti-oxidant properties.

Usage: Dried root, leaf, or steam is boiled and drunk to treat various diseases.

Cultivation: Gurjo can be cultured by planting its root. It can be grown in a drum, plastic bag, or clay pot. It is a perennial plant.

Coriander

Coriander leaves are used as fresh salad and as a curry taste enhancer. It is also an important plant to make various types of pickles. Coriander grows all year round. Its leaves are ready to be plucked in just 2 weeks of planting. It needs regular watering and a sunny area.

Market Price: USD 2-3 per bunch

Mint

Mint is used as a medicine for an upset stomach. It is also used to make a tasty pickle. It is widely used as a mouth freshener.

It grows all year round, needs very moist soil and water every day.

It can be easily cultivated by culturing its roots or stem.

Market price: 3 USD per pack

Round Chilies

Round chilies are sourer than other chilies. Unlike other chilies, it does not cause stomach pain. It is used as a fresh salad with the main course. It can also be made to pickle or preserved in vinegar. An essential ingredient for all the mouth water recipes.

It grows during summer from May to October. A 6-liter clay pot can grow up to 1Kg of round chilies during six months.

Market Price: USD 13 per 100gm

Holy Basil

Holy Basil is a Vedic medicinal plant. Tea made from its leaves cures lung problems, common cold, low blood pressure, and premature skin aging. Oil made from its seeds is added to daily food supplements to keep the mind and body healthy.

It grows from June to November and needs daily watering.

It is believed that the plant is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. So people worship it every morning.

Market Price: USD 7 per 100gm dried leaves

Lemon

A lemon plant can be grown in a clay pot. Some lemon plants like Golden Lemon can grow lemons throughout the year. Other common lemon plants grow fruits from October to December. Lemon starts to grow in the very first year of plantation. A 6l clay pot can grow up to 2Kg of lemons every year.

Lemon is a great source of Vitamins. It is taken as a fresh salad, made into a fermented pickle, or squeezed to make a range of drinks. Lemon plants are easy to grow and need less attention.

Market Price: 20 USD per Kg