HOW TO GROW CHILLI IN CONTAINERS/ POTS

Hi Friends,

I am back again with a new post on Chilli.

Another most important crop for your kitchen garden.  Chilli is an integral part of everyday food and an important part of our diet.  Available in more than 400 different varieties, different colours, shapes, sizes and even taste.  Consumed all over the World as a spice.  Its botanical name is Capsicum Annuum but commonly known as Hot Pepper, Bell Pepper, Sweet Pepper, Cayenne Pepper etc.

NUTRIENT VALUE

A good source of Vitamin C.  Also stimulate blood circulation and boost metabolism.

SEASON/ TEMPERATURE

Chilli is a warm season crop and a heat loving pant.  It requires good amount of heat/ direct exposure of Sun.  If you live in a very hot zone then do take care of your plant as it may get sunburnt.

PROPAGATION

Seeds should be sown in seedling trays or small plastic containers.  Water them thoroughly after sowing.  They will take 7 -10 days to germinate.  If your planning is to transplant the seedling, do wait until the *true leaves come, which is a signal that your plant is ready for transplanting.

*True Leaves: the second pair of leaves which came after germination.

CONTAINER/ POT SIZE

Best is to use one plant per pot/ container.  Minimum container size is 8” (W) x 10” (H). The pot should have big drainage holes to help balance out the moisture level of the soil. Drainage holes will allow excess water to leave the pot, minimizing the risk of root rot.

SOIL

Chillies grows best in well drained fertile soil with rich organic material. Soil should be loosely placed into the containers.  Do not compress as chillies grow better in loose soil.

FERTILIZER

Best is to use compost vermiculite or an organic fertilizer.  A monthly dose of 15-15-15 organic fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium will do.

HARVESTING

They will take around 70 – 90 days for harvest ready.  Also depends upon the variety chosen.  Use a cutter or a sharp knife to remove chillies from the plant.  Do not twist or pull as this can damage the plant.

Bye for now.  Will be back soon.

Look forward to your comments and suggestions, as always.

Happy container gardening.

HOW TO GROW SPINACH (PALAK) IN CONTAINERS/ POTS

 

 

 

Spinach known as Palak in India.  Easy to grow and ready to eat within 50 days time.  A best crop for a beginner vegetable gardener.

 

SEASON/ TEMPERATURE

Spinach is a cool weather crop but can be grown in warm season as well.  In warm climatic conditions we need to take extra care such as grow them under shades and avoid direct sun light.  If you are growing it in winters, 6 – 8 hours of direct sun light will be fine.

 

PROPAGATION

Grow Spinach plant from seeds.  They are very cheap and easily available at your nearby nursery. As the roots can be disturbed while transplanting, sow seeds directly in container.  They will germinate in approximately 4-7 days. Sow seeds 4-5 inches apart in a row and 4 inches spacing between the rows.

 

WATERING

Water Spinach regularly, avoid overwatering.  Keep soil moist and don’t let soil to dry out completely.

 

CONTAINER/ POT SIZE

Minimum container size recommended is 6” H (Deep) x 10” W with lots of unobstructed drainage holes to allow excess water to leave.

 

SOIL

It grows best in loose well-drained garden loom with lots of organic matter but not too acidic. 

 

FERTILIZER

Feed them with Cow’s dung/ Compost Tea.  You can add a little bit of neem cake as well.

 

CARE

Look for Aphids, Caterpillars, Blight, Mildew.  Best is to use organic pesticides to drive them away.  Growing them in cool weather and avoid watering on leafs can help and prevent from disease.

 

HARVESTING

Spinach is ready to harvest within 45 – 50 days after planting.  Cut outside leafs so the plant can continue to produce more leafs.  Once it starts to grow taller, harvest the entire plant.

 

Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.

 

Meet you soon with more ideas, till then Good Bye.

 

WARNING: ANY PESTICIDES SPRAYED/ USED ON PLANTS CAN BE HARMFUL.  ALWAYS CHECK WARNING LABEL BEFORE APPLYING ANY CHEMICAL TO A PLANT.  WASH YOUR FRUITS, VEGETABLES THOROUGHLY BEFORE CONSUMING.

HOW TO GROW CUCUMBER (KHEERA) IN CONTAINERS/ POTS

 

 

Cucumber, commonly known as Kheera in India, normally used raw for salad throughout the world.  It is easy to grow in containers but requires plenty of vertical space and can be tricky to grow.

 

SEASON/ TEMPERATURE

Cucumber thrives in heat and humidity as it is a warm season crop.  It requires warm temperature to grow quickly and needs 8 hours of direct sunlight.

 

PROPAGATION

Sow seeds directly in the container to avoid disturbance to the root system while transplanting.  They will germinate in approximately 4-7 days.

 

WATERING

Water your plant regularly but do not overwater.  Keep soil moist as it develops best when soil moisture remains even.  A mature plant requires plenty of water.  Don’t let soil to dry out as it affects the growth of your plant.

 

CONTAINER/ POT SIZE

Minimum container size recommended is 12” H x 10” W with lots of unobstructed drainage holes to allow excess water to leave.

 

SOIL

It grows best in loose well-drained potting soil with lots of organic matter.  Equal parts of planting mix and potting soil will work.

 

FERTILIZER

Best is to use organic fertilizers in growing season. A 5-10-5 fertilizer in an interval of 30 – 45 days is fine.  If your plant is giving you satisfactory results then no need to fertilize it often.

 

CARE

Check for pickle worms, cucumber beetles and Aphids.  Best is to use Neem Oil or organic pesticides to drive away the insects.

 

IT REQUIRES SUPPORT
Trellis or Stake is must for vine variety however it will help bush variety too.  I will share some ideas on how to making trellis in my next posts as this is a must for all vine variety plants.

 

HARVESTING

Cucumbers are ready to harvest within 50 – 80 days after planting (depending upon the variety you have chosen).  Pick them fresh when they start to ripen.  Pick them up regularly as matured fruits can become bitter.  Remove fruits by cutting with the help of scissor or sharp knife as the vines are sensitive.  Pulling the fruits can damage the vine and will not be able to produce more fruits.  Keep 1 or 2 fruits up to full maturity for seeds.

 

Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.

 

Happy container gardening.

 

WARNING: ANY PESTICIDES SPRAYED/ USED ON PLANTS CAN BE HARMFUL.  ALWAYS CHECK WARNING LABEL BEFORE APPLYING ANY CHEMICAL TO A PLANT.  WASH YOUR FRUITS, VEGETABLES THOROUGHLY BEFORE CONSUMING.

 

HOW TO GROW POTATO IN CONTAINERS/ POTS

 

 

 

Potatoes are one of the favourite home grown vegetable throughout the world.  It is very easy to grow.  The science of growing potatoes in containers is very simple.

 

COMPANION PLANTS

Cabbage, Beans and Marigold are the best companions for Potato plant.

 

SEASON/ TEMPERATURE

Best to grow them in spring season, can be grown in summer and warm climatic conditions.  They will not grow in Winter Season as they are very sensitive to low temperature.  They grow best in partial sunlight/ under the shade.  Direct exposure of Sun for a long period should be avoided.

Potato plant requires a good amount of sunlight during the day for growth. The optimum temperature is 15-25 degree celsius for potato planting.

 

PROPAGATION

Pick a potato with some eyes.  Keep it in a cool dark place to allow some eyes to sprout.  Sprouts will come out within 5-7 days.  Once sprouted keep 3 or 4 healthy sprouts and remove the rest by rubbing off with your fingers/ thumb.  Now cut the potato in 2 or 3 parts ensuring everyone has at least one or two eyes on it.  Leave them for another week’s time to dry.  Your potato plant is ready to be planted in container.

 

 

Fill the container with soil up to 4 or 5” from the bottom.  Now place the seeds on it and cover it with another 2 or 3”of soil.  Cover your container with more soil after your seedling reaches approximately 7” in height.  Add more soil once your seedlings start to grow up.

 

CONTAINER/ POT SIZE

Minimum container size is 10” (H) x 14” (W) with big drainage holes to allow excess water to leave

 

SOIL

Potatoes like loose, well-drained soil with enriched organic material.  Add manure or home garden compost for best results.

 

WATERING

Pay close attention while watering your plant and do not overwater.  The soil should be moist, never wet or not completely dry.  Use your fingertip for checking the soil.  Imbalance of moisture level results in rough-skinned/ knobby tubers.  Overwatering will drain out organic material of soil and also cause root and tuber decay.

 

FERTILIZER

Cow dung or garden compost works best for Potato plant.  In case of using fertilizer use organic fertilizer.  Do not feed them with non organic fertilizer as it can harm tubers and also not good for your health.

 

CARE

Potatoes are prone to diseases such as blight, leaf hopper.  Do not keep potato plant near tomato, cucumber or squashes.

 

HARVESTING

Potatoes are ready to harvest after 10-11 weeks.  By this time the plant will flower and leaves/ stems of your plant will be completely yellow.  Harvest all potatoes else they will rot.  Dig out your potatoes; brush off the soil clinging to the potatoes.  Don’t wash them until right before you use them. Washing potatoes shortens their storage life.

 

Look forward to your comments and suggestions.

 

My best.

 

WARNING: ANY PESTICIDES SPRAYED/ USED ON PLANTS CAN BE HARMFUL.  ALWAYS CHECK WARNING LABEL BEFORE APPLYING ANY CHEMICAL TO A PLANT.  WASH YOUR FRUITS, VEGETABLES THOROUGHLY BEFORE CONSUMING.

 

HOW TO GROW CORIANDER / CILANTO (DHANIA) IN CONTAINERS/ POTS

 

 

 

 

A must grow for every kitchen garden.  Used everyday in India cuisine either in the form of seeds or leaves, spice up our food.  Another ideal candidate for container gardening and very easy to grow, grows very fast.  Yields at very early stage.

 

 

SEASON/ TEMPERATURE

Can be grown anytime of the year (specially in India) but needs to be taken care as it won’t survive in very cool or extremely hot climate.  As it grows very quickly, you can plant new batch of seeds in every 4-5 weeks gap during the growing season.  However it also depends upon how frequently you require this in your dishes.

 

Coriander Seedlings

PROPAGATION

Coriander is propagated from seeds.  Where to look for, well check your kitchen first as the chances are you will surely find them there or else can be purchased from a local general merchant shop or a nursery nearby your home.  Each Coriander fruit contains two seeds.  It is advisable to separate them before sowing.  They will germinate very fast.  It doesn’t transplant well.  Sow seeds directly in the tray type container instead of traditional round pot, to avoid disturbance to the root system while transplanting.  The distance between two seeds should be 3 – 4 inches and ½” deep in container. Maintain at lease 6-7” gap between them else overcrowedness can invite pests and diseases. They will germinate in approximately 4-7 days. Avoid moving pot from one place to another as it does not like to be moved.

 

 

WATERING

If you pour water on to the soil after sowing seeds in container or during germination process, the chances are seeds will be displaced.  To avoid this, keep a spray bottle to lightly moist the soil. Do not pour water directly for at least 5-7 days after sowing.  It doesn't require too much of a water once the plants established themselves.  As this is a cool season herb, keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged.

 

 

CONTAINER/ POT SIZE

Minimum pot size recommended is 18” Wide (W) x 8” Deep (H) The pot should also have several unobstructed drainage holes so that excess water should leave the pot.

 

 

SOIL

Coriander can grows in any type of soil but sandy loam well drained fertile soil enriched with dried manure is the best.

 

 

HARVESTING

Leaves are ready to use in approximately 15-20 days after germination.  The more you harvest the more it will grow.

 

 

Your comments and suggestions are most welcome.

 

 

Happy gardening.

 

WARNING: ANY PESTICIDES SPRAYED/ USED ON PLANTS CAN BE HARMFUL.  ALWAYS CHECK WARNING LABEL BEFORE APPLYING ANY CHEMICAL TO A PLANT.  WASH YOUR FRUITS, VEGETABLES THOROUGHLY BEFORE CONSUMING.

HOW TO GROW BITTER GOURD / BITTER MELON (KARELA) IN CONTAINERS/ POTS

 

The Bitter Gourd is commonly known as Karela in India, is one of the fastest growing climbing annual.  Can be grown easily in containers if you choose the right size.

 

NUTRIENT VALUE

High in Calcium, Potassium, Fibre and Phosphorus.  Good for strengthening immune system, Liver function, helps purifying blood and also keeps your skin clean and clear.

 

SEASON/ TEMPERATURE

Bitter Gourd is a warm season crop and thrives in heat and humidity.  It requires warm temperature to grow quickly and needs 6 – 8 hours of direct sunlight.

 

PROPAGATION

Soak seeds in water for approximately 24 hours for better results.  Sow seeds directly in the container to avoid disturbance to the root system while transplanting.  They will germinate in approximately 4-7 days.

 

WATERING

Water your plant regularly but do not overwater.  Keep soil moist as it develops best when soil moisture remains even.

 

CONTAINER/ POT SIZE

Minimum container size recommended is 8” H x 14” W, however best is to use 12”or larger size as I recommend, the bigger the better.  One of the benefit of large container is plant needs to be less watered.  The pot should also have several unobstructed drainage holes to help balance out the moisture level of the soil. Drainage hole allows excess water to leave the pot.

 

SOIL

It grows best in sandy loam well drained fertile soil enriched with compost and dried manure. Soil should be loosely placed in containers but not compressed.

 

FERTILIZER

Best is to use organic fertilizers in growing season. A boost of 14-14-14 fertilizer in an interval of 30 – 45 days is fine.  If your plant is giving you satisfactory results then no need to fertilize it often.

 

IT REQUIRES SUPPORT
Bitter Gourd grows as a vine.  Make a net structure above the plant using nylon rope or readymade nets can also be used.  You can also make a trellis from wooden sticks.  Make sure it should be at least 5-6 feet above from the ground or your plants level.  To avoid any direct contact of fruits with soil, mulch the ground with dried leaves and straws.

 

HARVESTING

Fruits are ready to harvest within 2 – 3 months after planting (depending upon the variety you have chosen).  Pick them fresh when they start to ripen, light green in colour, juicy but bitter.  Regular picking is recommended as matured fruits will become bitterer.  They also obstructs the growth of new fruits.  The more you pick, the more fruits your plant will produce.  You can leave 1 or 2 fruits to reach full maturity for seeds.

 

Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.

 

Wish you the best.