Growing edible plants at home is not a nightmare anymore. Some of the edible plant can be easily grown at home without much efforts.
Few things you will require is right soil for growing plants, plants seeds or saplings, and pot as per your space. After planting it requires regular monitoring and you are good to go.
Soil can be easily made at home using 3 ingredients: sand, mud and manure. If you are living in small cities these things can be easily arranged from local vendor. And organic manure is easily available at local dairy shop.
However if you are living in metros, you can get it arrange with the help of gardener or buy online. As per my observation organic manure is very helpful in plant growth in comparison to processed manure.
Edible Plants You Can Easily Grow at Home
I’ll discuss about these things like how to make soil, types of post in my next post. Right now I’m sharing my experience how I have grown the edible plants in my terrace garden.
Mint
Mint is one of the favorite cooling herbs for Indians. Be it beverages or curd the presence of mint add a refreshing taste and flavors. Mint has so many health benefits. It can be easily grown in your kitchen or terrace garden.
My mother has grown mint for the last 5 years. As per my observance, the soil should be a mix with mud, sand, and manure in the ratio of 2: 1: 1. It grows in high moisture conditions, so it requires watering twice a day.
The blooming season is from mid-February-October. At this time it’s bushy. Later on the density of the plant decreases. The plants are of small size and grow in bunches up to 6-8 inches.
The larger the pot the more mint plants will spread. Although you can plant it in a small pot it well. Good thing is that this plant doesn’t get affected by insects etc.
And hence require little care. Just the right amount of soil, water, and sunlight exposure and you are good to go.
Tomato
Tomatoes is one of those vegetables Without which both vegetarian and nonvegetarian dishes are incomplete. It is an essential part of Indian cooking. Tomatoes can be easily grown in Indian weather conditions.
Juicy and delicious tomatoes can be easily grown without much effort in your kitchen or terrace garden. The size of the pot should be medium. It requires watering twice a day in summers and once a day in winters.
The Harvesting season is during summers. You don’t need to buy tomato seeds. I’ve grown it with the leftover seeds of tomatoes.
After planting for 40-60 days, once the plant reaches 1-1.5 ft height flowers start coming. As the flower shed tomato fruit blooming up. Tomatoes are the summer season plant.
I planted it at the start of January. Slowly seeds germinate and plants start showing up. In February the size of the plant has reached more than 1ft in height, flowers coming up.
And as the flower shed, tomato grows. I’m planning to transfer it to a big container now someday. Also if you are living in flats, you can easily grow tomatoes in your balcony garden.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera has so many health benefits and is very popular among Indian households. I’ve already discussed Aloe Vera Health benefits here. You can easily grow Aloe Vera at home.
You don’t need to put in much effort. For me, it’s बेशर्म plant that grows even if I forget to water. It can be easily grown with the leaf of the aloe Vera plant.
If you know someone who has an aloe Vera plant ask for its leaf and plant it. It can be grown in big as well small pots. So if you are living in flats then also you can easily grow this plant.
Aloe Vera is never out of season and evergreen plants. Be it winters or summer you can easily use aloe for your hairs and skin.
Even you can eat it just by peeling the outer skin for its health benefits. Do grow aloe Vera in your kitchen garden and thanks me later.
It’s not prone to insects hence requires less maintenance.
Tulsi
Tulsi is a sacred plant that is worshipped in Indian households. And holds so many health benefits. You can grow tulsi at home using seeds or saplings.
You can plant it in a small or big pot as per the space you have. I’ve had tulsi plants in my garden for the last few years. It requires less maintenance. And available throughout the year.
My mother used it for making kadha, making tulsi, and green tea. No doubt it’s good for upper respiratory infections and good for immunity and fights against infections.
The plant height is usually around 2-3ft. It requires regular watering and an ample amount of sunlight. Hence can be easily grown on your flat balcony with sunlight. Insects doesn’t affect this plant.
The things I’ve shared here is as per my experience and observation. I’m not an expert, and may be some points be missing. You can give suggestions and correct me. If you have indoor plants do share your experience
‘This post is part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter‘
I have never tried growing tomato at home. But i have grown methi, coriander, mustard and wild sorrel. They taste really good in salads and quick bites. I will try growing tomato and take another shot at Aloe Vera. My last plant died.
At my mother’s place, we had grown all these plant as a mini garden and get all amazing benefits too. here in USA, I want to do same, after reading your post feeling inspired to do this soon.
Thanks for sharing list of edible plants which one can easily grown at home and we can also use these vegetables and herbs in home cooked meals. Even when you live in a big city, you can still live on a farm. This year I am planning to grow Mushrooms at home.
What a great information about such healthy and useful plants. I have grown basil and aloe vera at my home. Will try others as well.
I enjoy growing plants at home. They’re pretty to look at, they boost my mental health, and they’re good listeners.
It would be so nice if we can have our own kitchen garden. I did not know tomatoes can be grown at home too.