Growing Green

Have you ever heard of a kitchen garden? A kitchen garden is a mini garden perfect for growing delicious, high quality fruits and vegetables in your own home. It is very economical as it is cheaper to grow your own fruits and vegetables rather than buying it from the grocery store or wet market.

Kitchen gardens are not as simple as its name portrays it to be. It comes with a lot of in depth research and meticulous planning. When researching, confirm the kind of fruits and vegetables you wish to plant. Before planting, work out the space needed in the kitchen garden. Don't forget to choose your plants wisely! You don't want to end up growing fruits and vegetables that you may never eat. It would be such a shame to watch the time spent growing and maintaining the plants go to waste. Before you start gardening away, bear in mind that some plants grow through transplanting and not through seeds. In addition, some plants can be really difficult to take care of. 

Some plants are just not worth its cost. For example, some plants take a long time to grow and once they are fully grown, the value of the produce may be a fourth of what planting and maintaining may have cost. In this case, you are better off buying those fruits and vegetables in a grocery store. If you are new to kitchen gardening, start with a small kitchen garden as it is easier to control. Having a small kitchen garden also attracts less predators such as squirrels, rabbits and raccoons. Parasites, however, will infest the plants regardless of the size of the kitchen garden. When faced with a parasite-infested plant, destroy it immediately before it spreads to the other plants in your garden.

My grandmother and mother worked in the farming business for a large portion of their working life. One very important tip they passed down to me was to ensure the spot I intend to pick to grow my plants should be exposed to plenty of sunlight. Secondly, when planting bitter gourds, do not plant anything else in that same patch of land as the produce planted in the same path of land will have a bitter tinge to it.

When the research and planning is complete, it's time to get down and dirty! Getting quality tools is the key to getting quality products. Wether it's the fertilizer you choose to use or even the spade, try to get your hands on the best. Remember, the best quality does not necessarily mean the most expensive. It takes a lot of patience and perseverance but the outcome is definitely worth it. Don't forget to abide by the instructions to growing plants.

Fertilizer is very important as it affects the growth of the plant. Try avoiding chemical based fertilizers and opt for organic based fertilizers. Organic fertilizers can be bought or it can even be made at home! Organic fertilizers can be made using the organic waste from your kitchen such as potato skins and apple peels. Just dump those in to compost with dead leaves, grass clipping and dead weeds - they all help! 

A reminder to always water your plants appropriately because sometimes, plants can die of water deficit or excess water. Gardening can be a treasured family activity or even a lifelong hobby. So start digging, planting, watering and fertilizing!