Tropical and subtropical vegetables (2+1)

Homeor Kitchen garden/Nutrition garden

• Vegetable gardening can broadly be classified into the following types on the basis of production and utilization of the products. The popular and commonly used classification of types of vegetable garden was suggested by Thompson and Kelly.

I. Home or Kitchen garden/Nutrition garden:

Vegetables are grown in areas surrounding the house for fresh supply to kitchen for family consumption. The main purpose of kitchen or home gardenis to provide the family daily requirement with fresh vegetables rich in nutrients and energy. There is to be more or less continuous supply of a variety of vegetables throughout the year according to the season. It also provides recreation and exercise especially for ladies. A model kitchen/nutrition garden is depicted in fig. 1. In addition to the above, home garden can reduce the family expenditure and improve the standard of living.

Fig.1: Layout of model kitchen garden



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Table 1.Cropping pattern of kitchen/nutrition garden

Plot No.	Vegetables and period	Vegetables and period	Vegetables and period
1	Cabbage (October-February)	Cowpea (March- June)	Fenugreek (August- September)
2	Okra (September –December)	French bean (January -March)	Carrot ( June –July)
3	Chilli (June-May)	Garlic (june-December)	Radish ( June-July)
4	Peas ( September – November)	Tomato ( December –March)	Okra ( April –June)
5	Carrot (September –November)	French bean (December -April)	Cucumber (May –July)
6	Capsicum(September –December)	French bean (January -April)	Cucumber (May –August)
7	Beet root( September –December)	Cabbage (December –March)	Cluster bean (April –July)
8	Potato (November- February)	Amaranthus (November –April)	Cowpea (May –April)
9	Sweet potato(August –September)	Brinjal ( January -February)	Carrot ( June –July)
10	Palak ( September –November)	Capsicum( January – February)	Radish ( June –August)

Types of kitchen garden
a) Home garden having fruits and vegetables
b) Home garden having only vegetables
Kitchen gardens vary according to the size of the residential plot.
Eg: 1) Large size kitchen garden
       2) Medium size kitchen garden
       3) Small size kitchen garden
       4) Terrace garden: In cities/towns where only little space is available, one can grow vegetables in the pots, drums and other containers placed on terrace or roof.
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Advantages:
1) Kitchen garden is the best means of recreation and exercise
2) Kitchen garden is lowering down the vegetable bill: In kitchen garden, there is no transportation charge and middlemen’s share which greatly add to the price paid by the consumers in purchasing vegetables from the market.
3) It secures enough vegetables within the means of all classes at very cheap rate.
4) The cost of raising the vegetables in the kitchen garden through one’s own labour is far less than what a family spends on vegetables in the market.
5) Vegetables grown in the kitchen garden are nutritious, fresh and are not liable to infection with germs occurring in unsanitary markets.
6) Better utilization of available surrounding land, kitchen waste and kitchen water.

Planning and management:
Land:
           Land size depends on number of persons to be supplied with vegetables. An area of 250 sq.m can supply vegetables for a family of five members.
Location:
           As far as possible the kitchen garden should be located near the house especially in the back of the kitchen room. The soil should be preferably loam or sandy loam, well drained with rich in organic matter and nutrients.
Arrangement of crops:
          Perennials and fruit crops should be on one side or at one end of the garden, such a way that they should not obstruct field preparation and intercultivation. Cucurbitaceous and other vine vegetables should be grown near the fence. Quick growing plants should be planted in continuous rows as per our plan of supply of vegetables throughout the year.
Manuring:
          FYM or compost is best suited for kitchen garden. For best growth and development of crops chemical fertilizers are also used in addition to kitchen waste.
Interculture:
          As and when required, take up weeding, staking, thinning, earthing up etc., for good growth and development of vegetable crops.
Irrigation:
          Plants should be irrigated regularly Control of pest and
disease:
         Plant protection measures based on the need are taken up at appropriate intervals to control respective pest / disease.
Harvesting:
        Generally harvesting is done at right stage in order to get the quality products .according to requirement.
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