Nutrition Garden

Introduction

Nutrition Garden is of great importance for ensuring nutritive diet. The garden not only ensures the nutrition of the family but also positively utilises the labour, land and free time of the family as well as improves the financial condition of the family. They can grow different seasonal varieties utilising organic manures and production methods.

Objectives

The nutrition garden uses the waste water of the house and other compostable materials to grow vegetables for the needs of the family. The vegetables being sold in the market usually employs chemical fertilisers. These chemicals are used for removing weeds, killing pests, etc. and they bio-accumulate in these crops. Consumption of these vegetables has many ill impacts on our health.

Chemical fertilizers in the vegetables also results in different taste.Hence we shall make shallow trenches in empty plots around our house and grow vegetables.

Selection of the Location

Location for kitchen garden shall always be selected at close to the house preferable at a place behind the kitchen. Being close, it takes lessertimes to access and also safety can be easily ensured. For kitchen garden close to house a plot of size 1-1.5 dismile land shall be selected. The land should be so selected that irrigation can easily be arranged for. Well’s water, bathing water, or kitchen’s waste water shall be transferred to the kitchen garden. The plot shall be empty so that there is ambient sun’s light. It should have protection from stray animals as well as should have high fertility.

Nutrition Garden Preparation

The plot size of kitchen’s garden shall depend on land’s availability, number of member’s in the family, and time availability. The cropping is done based on crop cycle, intensive gardening and inter-cropping so that needs of the family gets fulfilled.
In this modeltallerplants shall be planted in such a direction that it doesn’t shade the other plants. Simultaneously the vegetables shall be chosen in such a manner that they supplement the nutritional requirements of the soil.
The area of nutrition garden shall be segregated in the following manner:
• It shall be divided into 8-10 seedbeds, and each seedbed shall be such made that their width is not more than 2 feet. Space for movement shall be left between the seedbeds.
• To the south such plants shall be planted which are of low length and to the north taller plants shall be planted. This would ensure taller plants don’t shade the shorter ones.
• Fruit plants shall be planted to the north itself.
• All around the kitchen garden, encirclement shall be made on which according to the season creeper based vegetables shall be grown.
• Crop rotation and intensive cropping method shall be adopted. At any time of the year there shall be 5-6 vegetables shall be planted, 2 leafy vegetables and 1-2 tubers shall be planted.
• Between 2 seedbeds on the mound tuber plants like radish shall be point.
• At one of the corners of the garden water tank shall be planted, where the household waste water shall be stored to irrigate the crops. In the other corner of the garden Nadep shall be constructed, where crop remains and biodegradable household waste are composted. These two pits shall stay covered.
For making nutrition garden one probable structure is being given. Depending on the need and availability of space needed requirements can be made. It is to be noted that, in any case the variety of vegetables and fruits don’t reduce.
Crop/Season Kharif Rabi Jayed
Vegetables Tomato, brinjal, cucumber, gourd, French bean, pumpkin, lady finger, cauliflower, chilli Tomato, brinjal, frenchbean, pumpkin, gourd, ladyfinger, sem, capcicum, chilli, cauliflower, Tomato, brinjal, French bean, pumpkin, gourd, ladyfinger, sem, capcicum, chilli, cauliflower,
Leafy Vegetables Spinach, red saag, bathuwa, poin, munga Spinach, bathuwa, mustard, peas, red saag, poin, munga Spinach, red saag, bathuwa, poin, munga
Tubers Radish, yam, pechki, sakhin Carrot, beatroot, onion, garlic Radish, yam, [enchki, sakhin
Fruits Papaya, munga, guava
Plan shall be ready beforehand for planting different crops for the year. While planning following points shall be kept in mind:
• Seedbed’s condition and adoption of crop cycle accordingly.
• Type of crops and their variety.
• Time of sowing.
• Availability of organic manures for the plot.

Nutrition Garden Preparation and Manure Management

Before initiating nutrition garden the chosen land shall be ploughed and tilled at least 2-3 times. Before final ploughing, sufficient vermi-compost in proportion of 1kg per square metre or cow-dung compost in proportion of 3-4 kg per square metre shall be applied. There after accordingly planning shall be done for making seedbeds.
Trichoderma mixed cow-dung manure, nadep manure or vermi-compost is also good. After cropping depending on the need Ghanjeevamrita or Jeevamrita shall continue to be applied. For controlling pests and diseases organic medicines like Neemastra, Brahmastra, sour buttermilk mixture shall be applied. Any form of chemical fertilizer of medicines shouldn’t be applied.

Sowing of crops

Depending on the sowing methodology adopted vegetable cropping can be done in two ways:
Sowing plants through transplantation: Brinjal, cauliflower, tomato, chilli, etc. plants shall be transplanted as there wouldn’t be too many plants of different types. Hence, preparation of nursery shall be according to the selection of the plants.
Sowing of Seeds:Carrot, radish, lady finger, and spinach etc. seeds shall be so selected that they are disease resistant and they are according to the liking and preference of the owner.

Benefits of Nutrition Garden

• As organically produced the fruits and vegetables have greater nutritional value and absence of chemical presence.
• It saves us from buying vegetables and fruits from the market and saves us some money.
• Depending on the needs and liking of the family continuous supply of fruits and vegetables is maintained.
• As different varieties of vegetables and fruits are grown, the nutrition contains variety of food.
• It’s an important tool for children’s training, entertainment and exercise.
• Self-cultivated crops arouse more interest within the family. It also is an aesthetic source with peace of mind and beauty.
• Growing population, uncertainty of weather, undernutrition, excessive use of chemical fertilizer, etc. are prevalent problems. Nutrition garden can be an effective solution in response to all the issues arising from the above mentioned issues.