5 Must Grow Summer Veggies
5 Veggies to Sow in Spring
With days getting warmer, gardeners’ spirits soar high. And each one of us springs into green action. While beds are still full of winter crops and we are busy to conserve garden abundance as pickles, jams and dry powder, it is important not to forget sowing your favourite summer veggies in spring
Okra
Affectionately nick named, lady finger because of its slender feminine shape, Okra is grown for its seed pod. Plants are tall height and bulky with broad leaves and sown from seeds
Sowing Time: Early Spring ensuring warmer days ahead.
Propagation: Sow seeds directly in soil at a distance 10”-12 or prepare saplings in trays.
Soil Mix: Use compost rich, well-drained fertile soil. Fruit bearing heavy feeders need a booster midway ensures optimum growth.
Seed Spacing: Space seeds 10-12 inches apart.
Planting Depth: Plant seeds about 1 inch deep in the soil.
Light Conditions: Okra needs full sun to thrive and fruit.
Watering: Deep watering slowly increasing frequency to every day as temperature rises during hot weather.
Cucumber
Cucumber is a medium growth vine that thrives in warm regions. It’s one of the most loved cucurbit for everyday salads and dips.
Sowing Time: Early Spring
Propagation: Seeds directly sown in soil bed or pot.
Soil Mix: Use compost rich, well-drained fertile soil. Fruit bearing creeper needs regular boosters once a month to ensure optimum growth and good fruiting.
Planting Depth: Plant seeds about 1-2” inch deep in the soil.
Light Conditions: Cucumber needs full sun to thrive and fruit.
Watering: Deep watering slowly increasing frequency to every day as temperature rises during hot weather.
Extra care: Trelis support for the vine
3 G cutting: Trim primary branch 12th leaf length. Trim the secondary branches at 12th leaf. Trim tertiary branches at 12th leaf again. This ensures enough female flowers.
Amaranthus
A little forgotten green and usually ignored as a weed in urban gardens as it’s so easy to grow. Both red and green varieties were popular for its leaves and seeds in regional cuisines.
Sowing Time: Early Spring
Propagation: Broadcast seeds directly in soil bed or pot.
Soil Mix: Use compost rich, well-drained fertile soil.
Seed Spacing: Space seeds 1/2 cm apart.
Planting Depth: Few millimetres of soil cover is enough.
Light Conditions: Full to partial sun.
Watering: Deep watering slowly increasing frequency to every day as temperature rises during hot weather.
Bottle Gourd
The most favourite gourd vine grown by home growers for its versatile use in Indian kitchens.
Propagation: By seeds or saplings
Soil Mix: Use compost rich, well-drained fertile soil.
Planting time: Early spring
Planting depth: 2-3 inch
Light conditions: Full sun.
Watering: Deep watering to keep soil moist.
Extra care: Trailing support for the vine growth
3 G cutting: Trim primary branch 12th leaf length. Trim the secondary branches at 12th leaf. Trim tertiary branches at 12th leaf again. This ensures enough female flowers.
Capsicim
One of the most common pepper among home growers because of its versatile use in almost all cuisines. It is almost a perennial in
warmer regions and plants give good harvest for even two seasons.
Propagation: By seeds or saplings
Soil preparation: Use compost rich, well-drained fertile soil.
Planting time: Early spring
Planting depth: 1 inch
Light conditions: Full sun.
Watering: Regular watering to keep soil moist.
Ginger
Rhizomes in every day food that can easily be grown in pots or beds in home gardens.
Though rhizomes gets ready in more than 9 months, its loved for its spicy flavoured leaves all through growing period.
Propagation: By rhizomes. Keep them in dark place for its nodes to sprout
Soil Mix: Light, weight, loose, compost rich, well-drained fertile soil.
Planting time: Late spring
Planting depth: 2 inches
Light conditions: Full-partial sun.
Watering: Regular watering to keep soil moist.
Extra care: Trailing support for the vine growth