Indoor Plants, vegetable garden

How to Start a Home Vegetable Garden in Winter – Eat Fresh & Save Money

August 20, 2019
Water and watch them grow

Winter does not mean you have to resign to a lifeless garden. Fortunately, you can grow your pesticide-free vegetables in colder months and enjoy them through the season. Loaded with essential vitamins and minerals, these winter vegetables keep you fueled all day and are excellent additions to your diet.
Do not let these dropping temperatures lower your spirit of vegetable gardening. Follow these easy-to-follow steps to start a personal home vegetable garden in winter and reap the benefits of fresh, homegrown food in your backyard or terrace.
How to Start a Home Vegetable Garden from Scratch in Winter?

  1. Evaluate the space.
Balcony vegetable garden
Balcony vegetable garden

It is a common misconception that vegetable gardening can be done only in houses with extensive gardens. The good news is that you can grow a varied mix of herbs and vegetables in an apartment too, whether it is a corridor, a balcony, or any open space.
You can also place pots or containers near the windows that receive sufficient sunlight in winter.
Vertical gardens are an excellent option for small apartments, for which all you need is a wall and some sunshine to grow greens.

Vertical garden
Vertical garden

2. Decide the right type of pots.


After you have finalised the area for setting up your home vegetable garden, select the kind of pots that will work best in the chosen space. For balconies, planters (a decorative container for growing plants) and pots on the floor work well in winter as they will get sunlight for at least some part of the day. Hanging baskets and tubs are popular options for indoor spaces like room and kitchen windows.

Planters or containers for vegetable gardening in an apartment
Planters or containers for vegetable gardening in an apartment

Use shallow pots for fenugreek (methi) and coriander (dhania), medium pots for spinach (palak), radish (mooli) and mustard (sarson) and deep pots for lettuce, amaranthus (chaulai), and Malabar spinach. Since most of these winter plants have nearly the same root depths, the minimum depth of the planter should be about 6 inches.

3. Shortlist the vegetables to grow.
Once you determined the space, the amount of sunlight, and the size of the pots, it is time for
shortlisting the herbs and vegetables you would like to plant. In winter, leafy vegetables such as
mustard, lettuce, and spinach are easy to grow and can be harvested quickly. They thrive in
most parts of India during winter.
Cucumbers, tomatoes, and carrots are ideal for beginners. Herbs like basil (tulsi), coriander, and
mint flourish in both pots and the ground. Once you gain more experience and confidence, you
grow exotic vegetables, including bell peppers, broccoli, and zucchini.

4. Prepare the right potting soil.

You can either purchase a readymade potting mix from a local nursery or prepare your inexpensive potting soil. Collect some garden soil. Mix it with organic matter such as compost/old manure which acts as a source of nutrients for the plant. The quantity of compost/ manure should be at least half the amount of garden soil.
Keep in mind that manure is rotten down for a minimum of 6 months before using it as fresh manure comprises weed seed that can harbour diseases. Moreover, a high level of nitrogen content in fresh manure can burn your vegetables.
There is no need to add cocopeat to the soil mix in the winter garden. Fill the soil in the container. While filling the pot or container with the soil, leave about 2 inches of the container empty at the top. This lets water sit and percolate over time. Now, water the soil thoroughly.

5. Sow seeds or saplings.
After watering, the next step is sowing. Seeds take more time to sprout as compared to saplings, i.e. young plants. Let us look at the benefits and sowing instructions for some of the easiest winter vegetables to grow.
● Fenugreek or methi
Spread the methi or fenugreek seeds in a shallow planter. Around 50 seeds per 2 square foot area are good enough. Cover it with a centimetre layer of soil and put the planter in a
partly-shaded space.
● Coriander or dhania
For planting coriander or dhania, break open the outer covering of the coriander seeds. This makes the process of germination easier. Now, sow them the same way as you sowed
fenugreek seeds. Layer them with a 1-cm thick layer of soil and place the pot in a semi-shaded
spot.
● Spinach or palak
Prized for its richness in iron, calcium, vitamin K, vitamin A, folate and whatnot, this sweat leafy vegetable enhances vision and strengthens muscles. With an abundance of potassium and no sodium, spinach is advantageous for high blood pressure patients.
As mentioned earlier, you can use a medium-sized container for spinach. Sow around 12
spinach seeds per square foot in 2 cm deep wells. Add a layer of soil over the wells and keep the container in the shade.
● Radish or mooliHigh on fibre, radish regulates bile production, protects your liver, and betters digestion. Owing to vitamin C, zinc, and phosphorus, radish keeps your skin healthy and glowing.
Radishes require more space than other vegetables. Sow the seeds with at least 2-inch
distance between each other and at a 1-inch depth. Place the pot in a partly-shaded shaded area.
● Mustard or sarson
Packed with calcium, magnesium, folic acid and vitamin K, mustard is one of the most commonly used plants in cooking. It lowers cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart diseases and cancer.
Sow mustard seeds at about 2-inch distance from one another in 1 inch deep wells. Mustard demands extra nutrition for growing. Therefore, consider adding a centimetre thick layer of compost or manure.
● Lettuce
Extremely low in fat, lettuce in the diet can help you lose weight. It is a super quick and simple plant to grow. One cup of lettuce consists of only 5 calories and 2 grams of carbohydrates. Its folic content helps in fighting anaemia and keeps diabetes and cancer at bay.
Sow lettuce seeds in 1 inch deep wells. Maintain a distance of 2 inches between two seeds.
Lettuce enjoys being in the sun, so do not expose it to direct sunshine.
● Red amaranthus or chaulai or cholai
Rich in iron, calcium, vitamins A & C, red amaranthus or chaulai has medicinal properties. Its leaves are used for curing ulcers and chronic cough.
This leafy vegetable requires ample space, so keep a distance of about 5 inches between the two chaulai seeds. Sow them 2 inches deep into the soil.
● Malabar spinach
Technically not spinach, Malabar spinach grows like a climber. A powerhouse of vitamin C,
vitamin A, iron and calcium, it is beneficial for improving eye-sight, immunity as well as strengthening bones and teeth. You can boil its leaves and put in saag.
For sowing Malabar spinach seeds, maintain 2-inch distance between them and place 1-inch
deep into the soil. They flourish in the semi-shaded area, especially in winter.6. Water and watch them grow.


● Fenugreek or methi
Spread the methi or fenugreek seeds in a shallow planter. Around 50 seeds per 2 square foot area are good enough. Cover it with a centimetre layer of soil and put the planter in a partly-shaded space.
● Coriander or dhania
For planting coriander or dhania, break open the outer covering of the coriander seeds. This makes the process of germination easier. Now, sow them the same way as you sowed fenugreek seeds. Layer them with a 1-cm thick layer of soil and place the pot in a semi-shaded spot.
● Spinach or palak
Prized for its richness in iron, calcium, vitamin K, vitamin A, folate and whatnot, this sweat leafy vegetable enhances vision and strengthens muscles. With an abundance of potassium and no sodium, spinach is advantageous for high blood pressure patients.
As mentioned earlier, you can use a medium-sized container for spinach. Sow around 12 spinach seeds per square foot in 2 cm deep wells. Add a layer of soil over the wells and keep the container in the shade.
● Radish or mooliHigh on fibre, radish regulates bile production, protects your liver, and betters digestion. Owing to vitamin C, zinc, and phosphorus, radish keeps your skin healthy and glowing.
Radishes require more space than other vegetables. Sow the seeds with at least 2-inch distance between each other and at a 1-inch depth. Place the pot in a partly-shaded shaded area.
● Mustard or sarson
Packed with calcium, magnesium, folic acid and vitamin K, mustard is one of the most commonly used plants in cooking. It lowers cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart diseases and cancer. Sow mustard seeds at about 2-inch distance from one another in 1 inch deep wells. Mustard demands extra nutrition for growing. Therefore, consider adding a centimetre thick layer of compost or manure.
● Lettuce
Extremely low in fat, lettuce in the diet can help you lose weight. It is a super quick and simple plant to grow. One cup of lettuce consists of only 5 calories and 2 grams of carbohydrates. Its folic content helps in fighting anaemia and keeps diabetes and cancer at bay. Sow lettuce seeds in 1 inch deep wells. Maintain a distance of 2 inches between two seeds.
Lettuce enjoys being in the sun, so do not expose it to direct sunshine.
● Red amaranthus or chaulai or cholai
Rich in iron, calcium, vitamins A & C, red amaranthus or chaulai has medicinal properties. Its leaves are used for curing ulcers and chronic cough.
This leafy vegetable requires ample space, so keep a distance of about 5 inches between the two chaulai seeds. Sow them 2 inches deep into the soil.
● Malabar spinach
Technically not spinach, Malabar spinach grows like a climber. A powerhouse of vitamin C, vitamin A, iron and calcium, it is beneficial for improving eye-sight, immunity as well as strengthening bones and teeth. You can boil its leaves and put in saag.
For sowing Malabar spinach seeds, maintain 2-inch distance between them and place 1-inch
deep into the soil. They flourish in the semi-shaded area, especially in winter.

6. Water and watch them grow.

Water and watch them grow

After sowing the seeds and placing the pots in partially-shaded area, sprinkle water on the topsoil with a watering can. Refrain from using buckets and mugs as they cause depressions in the soil which might not be suitable for the freshly-sown seeds.
Except for mustard that thrives in the sun, winter vegetable plants do not prefer direct sun. Watch them every day and check their leaves regularly to spot any insect attacks. Remember to request your neighbour or friend to take care of the vegetable plants while you are away.
Winter is almost here! October is the perfect time for preparing a winter vegetable garden as most of these vegetables are ready for harvesting in a month or two. I hope you find this article helpful for starting a home vegetable garden in winter.

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