We all live in an era of organic foods but do you know not every organic food is organic. There are a number of organic brands that use the term ‘organic’ on labels but if these products are not certified then their authenticity is suspect. Organic food products are either grown under a natural system of agriculture, without the use of synthetic fertilizers or they are processed products made from organically produced raw materials. Now you can grow your own organic food in your mini kitchen garden in your apartment and here are the ways to grow it.
#1 Consider Your Options
You have various options like a small vegetable garden or herbs garden or flower garden. If you are choosing a vegetable or herbs garden then choose the vegetables and herbs which you use often and your family is willing to eat. If you are choosing the flower garden you can choose the flowers with fragrance, the color which will make your kitchen or balcony look nature touched.
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For vegetables, you can always choose tomatoes, chillies, bell peppers which will not occupy much space. You can always buy the seeds online. For herbs, you can go for coriander, microgreens, mint, parsley which are easily grown. Almost all vegetables and most flowers need 6-8 hours of full sun each day.
#2 Make efficient use of Space
We are going to create a garden in our balcony or kitchen windows so we need to be careful of space management. To efficiently use the space we have we can use hanging pots, wall planters, railing planters, shelves to arrange the pots. The more you arrange it the more attractive and organized the kitchen garden will be.
#3 Use of garden fertilizers
We want to grow some organic food so we cannot use chemical fertilizers. Instead, we can always use homemade fertilizers with the things used in our day to day kitchen. Scrapes from our kitchen, banana peels which are rich in potassium, egg shells, and coffee grounds can be used as fertilizers.
#4 The right amount of watering
The right amount of watering at the right time is needed for your kitchen garden. Seedlings should never be allowed to dry out so water daily. Sunny, windy conditions can dry out the soil more quickly so to find the right time of watering feel the soil 3 to 4 inches below the surface if it feels dry then it's time to water. Water slowly and deeply so the water soaks in. To avoid evaporation water the plants in the early mornings.
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#5 Your time and effort
You'll need to dedicate some time from your busy urban life to look after the plants you have chosen to grow. 15 minutes a day would be enough to do most of the basic tasks like watering, pruning and deadheading the fading flowers. You just need to be consistent with this minimal effort and you will get the maximum result.
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