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Saturday, 9 July 2011

5 seeds to sow from your kitchen cupboard

This week we continue our series with steps to start your kitchen garden. Once your pot is ready with compost- soil mix,  its time to sow seeds. No need to put it off till you find time to go to a nursery. Just take a peek into your kitchen cupboard and get going!

Sow a few of those corriander seeds,
For a generous supply of its fragrant leaves!
Sow some of those chana seeds,
And cook the most mouth-watering treats!
Bring home the exotic flavors of Punjab,
Plant mustard to cook sumptuous sarso ka saag!

Plant a few of those fenugreek seeds,
To enjoy its benefits in just a few weeks!

And last amongst the five but certainly not the least,
To spice up your lives don't forget those chillies!
- Swati Barve
5 tips on sowing your seeds. 1.     Click here to view the full moon days. Sowing seeds four days before full moon gives great vitality to the
.      plants.
2.       Soak seeds preferably in Amrut Jal or water for 24 hrs
3.       Sow them in the evening
4.      Scatter them over coco peat
5.      Cover with coco pea t/ soil double the size or volume of seed. 1.      We use coriander for both its seeds and leaves.  The leaves can be used raw in chutneys, salads, or as  garnishes in curries for the wonderful flavor.
2.       Sow coriander seeds where you want them to remain. Do not transplant.
3.       Choose a recycled tub or wide container having depth of at least 6 – 8 inches.
4.       Coriander should be sown every few weeks to ensure a continuous crop through the growing season which  is from Oct-  March . Did you know : Coriander seed is technically a fruit containing two seeds in it. So the round thing that you see has two seeds in it. Each of them will grow into a coriander plant. The fruit can be sown whole or split and sown. When split, it increases the germination rate since it scarifies the seed.
So how do we sow a coriander seed. Read HERE 2.      Sow  seeds where you want them to remain. Do not transplant.
3.      Choose a recycled tub or wide container having depth of at least 6 – 8 inches.
4.      Chana should be sown in October – November- December
5.      Harvest tender leaves for veggies, and allow to seed for consuming tender green chana! Did you know: tender leaves can also be consumed?
Well here are FEW RECIPES  you can check out! Sow in months of October – February. Can be grown in small tubs. Needs full sunlight.
Sowing fenugreek enriches the soil with nitrogen.
Harvest tender leaves from 15th days onwards. Matured leaves can be harvested at end of three months.
Add freshly chopped young leaves to salads, vegetable bean soups,cauliflower and potato  dishes.
Use sparingly, as the leaves are rather bitter.
Did u know: Fenugreek lowers blood sugar levels, and has been used experimentally as an oral insulin  substitute! Mustard plants need very little care and enjoy cool weather.
Sow in months of October – January.
Sow your mustard seeds about a 1 inch apart. Once they sprout, thin the seedlings out so that they are 6 inches apart. Plant greens six inches apart.
Planting successive small crops, separated about a week apart, results in a continuous supply of greens.
Mustard needs  very less water.
Leaves as well as seeds can be harvested and used. As the mustard flower grows and matures, it will form pods. Watch for these pods to start to turn brown. Another sign that you are nearing harvest time will be that the leaves of the plant will start to yellow. Be careful not to leave the pods on the mustard seed plant for too long as they will burst open when fully ripe and the mustard seed harvest will be lost.
Did you know? There is a National Mustard Day.
Mustard leaves are good for your health. High in vitamins. It is high in Vitamin A and C, contains calcium and iron. It has cancer fighting beta carotene, antioxidants. To sow indoors sow 3 seeds in a tray/container .After germination and when the seedling has reached 4cm in height, transplant your plants into a larger pot.
Place them in a position that receives a good amount of light.
When the plant is around 6 inches tall you can remove the growing tip, this will encourage the form of the plant to become more bush like. The longer you leave the chilies on the plant, the hotter in flavour they will become. Leaving the chillie on the plant after it is ready for harvest will result in a decline in further yields.
Ref :  Gardening Patch.com

We hope these little tips will help you take the next step towards setting up your kitchen garden!
Lots of Cheers and smiles
Urban Leaves
Posted by urban leaves at 23:42 
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