A Series of Lectures By Mr. Allah Dad Khan Former DG Agriculture Extension KPK , Provincial Project Director CMP II MINFAl Islamabad and Visiting Professor the University of Agriculture Peshawar Pakistan

2. Kitchen Gardening Pre
Requisite
A Series of Lectures
By
Mr. Allah Dad Khan
Former DG Agriculture Extension
KPK , Provincial Project Director
CMP II MINFAl Islamabad and
Visiting Professor the University
of Agriculture Peshawar Pakistan

3. Vegetables grown in Pakistan
More than 35 kinds of vegetables are grown in numerous eco-systems in
Pakistan from the dry zone to the wet zone, low elevation to high
elevation, rain fed to irrigated and low input to very high input systems
such as plastic houses. During summer and spring season, tomato,
chilies, brinjal, potato, cucumber, gourds and okra are abundantly
available. During rainy season, gourds, cucumber, beans, okra and
brinjal are common. The winter season is the most important for
growing a wide variety of vegetables including, cauliflower, cabbage,
lettuce, spinach, onion, potato, carrot, radish, turnip, coriander,
fenugreek and peas. Vegetables produced in different zones by using
different production technologies during different seasons are traded
across regional markets of Pakistan in order to meet consumer demand
across the country. Varied agro-climatic conditions prevailing in
different provinces of the country also contribute to year round
production of different kinds of vegetables. Thus many vegetables can
be grown and seen in the market during any season.

4. What type of soil do you have?
You've probably heard that the ideal garden soil is a rich loam.
But what exactly is this?
A rich, loamy soil contains a range of mineral particle sizes——
from microscopic clays to relatively large grains of sand.
These particles are bound together into groupings of various
sizes called aggregates. Soil composed of these aggregates has
lots of pore spaces of various sizes, and these spaces contain
water and air. If all the spaces contain water, the soil is
waterlogged; few plants can withstand such saturated soils for
long, because plant roots need air.

5. Planning a Vegetable Garden
Planning is the first and most basic step in home
vegetable gardening. Planning not only saves
time when you’re ready to plant but also gives
you an idea of the types and quantities of seeds
or plants you’ll need. Most importantly,
planning helps assure that the home garden will
satisfy your needs and desires.

6. Choosing the Site
Vegetables grow best in an open, level area where the
soil is loose, rich, and well drained. If the quality of the
soil is poor, mix in 2-3 inches of topsoil, peat moss,
strawy manure, compost, or leaves plus fertilizer. The
more organic matter or topsoil you add, the more you’ll
improve your soil. Avoid heavy clays, sandy soils, and
shady spots

7. Protection from wind:
Strong winds dry out plants and soil, and can topple tall
plants like corn and sunflowers. Wind is a little harder
to plan for, but if you have the choice, choose a spot
that is protected from your area’s prevailing winds. If
your worst winds come from the north, then a garden
on the south edge of a row of trees will receive some
protection. Just be sure your windbreak doesn’t shade
your garden! You can set up a snow fence or plant some
low shrubs to help break the wind without sacrificing
sunlight.

8. Water:
Locate your garden near a water source, or have hoses
that will reach it. (Underground soaker hoses save
water and time, so consider installing them before you
plant.)

9. Choosing Varieties
How do you choose among all those luscious-sounding
tomato varieties! (Especially if you are looking at photos
on a cold January day!) Though there’s nothing wrong
with choosing a variety because you like how it looks,
you may
want to consider some other characteristics that can
make your job as gardener a little easier.

10. Disease Resistance
There are cultivars (cultivated varieties) of many garden
plants that have shown resistance to certain pests. If you
know a pest is common in your region, by all means choose
a resistant variety! If you don’t know what pests you might
encounter, you might want to plant a few disease-resistant
plants

11. Short or Long Season
If you like to have the first ripe tomatoes on the block,
or you live in a region with relatively short summers,
choose varieties that mature the fastest. Some tomato
varieties, for example, ripen 60 days after
transplanting, while others need 85 days or more to
maturity.

12. Growing Habit
Bush beans, as the name implies, grow as small,
freestanding plants, while pole beans need
something to climb.
Some types of squash grow in compact form,
while others need lots of space for their vines to
run

13. Hybrid or Open-Pollinated
Hybrid plants often are more productive and disease-
resistant than open-pollinated (non-hybrid) varieties.
However, there’s a drawback. If you like to save seed at
the end of the season for planting the following year,
avoid hybrids. Their seed doesn’t come true -- that is,
the resulting offspring plants may not have all the
positive characteristics of the parent plant.

14. Seeds or Transplants?
 Which seeds should you sow directly in the garden, and which do
better if you plant them as seedlings (either purchasing transplants
or starting the seeds indoors yourself)?
 Many garden plants do just fine when you sow the seed directly in
the garden. These plants usually mature relatively fast; so direct
sowing works well. Plants with taproots, such as carrots, generally
don’t transplant well, so it’s best to start them from seed right in
the garden too.
 Other plants have long growing seasons, or must be planted
outdoors in early spring so they mature before the hot weather
arrives. These do best when set in the garden as transplants.
 Direct sow: Beans, beets, carrots, corn, lettuce, spinach, Swiss
chard, peas, radish, potato
 Plant transplants:
 Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cabbage, peppers, tomatoes, okra,
asparagus, rhubarb You can go either way with these: Cucumbers,
squash, muskmelon, watermelon, pumpkins, gourds

15. Size of Kitchen Garden
If you are new to gardening, you may wish to start with a relatively small
garden, say 10 foot x 20 foot.
Enthusiastic novices often till up a huge garden area, and then abandon it to
the weeds by July. A small, well-tended garden will produce more than more
than a large, neglected one
Single rows or wide-row beds?
If space is at a premium, creating 3- to 4-foot-wide beds will allow you to
grow more plants than if you plant in long single rows because less space
is wasted on paths. Plants in wide rows are spaced closer together, making
it easier to weed, feed, and water them.
Wide-row plantings do not have to be raised-bed plantings, but like raised
beds, the width of the row should be such that you can easily reach the
center of the bed from each side (3 to 4 feet)

16. Square Foot Gardening
Square-foot gardening is a form of intensive
gardening where you block off squares of space for
crops rather than planting them in rows. The name
comes from partitioning blocks of gardens space
that are 1 ft by 1 ft. Each square holds a different
vegetable, flower, or herb. These small 1-foot
squares are grouped together into blocks
Measuring 4 ft by 4 ft square.

17. Spacing of Plants -- Intensive
Gardening
 Individual plants are more closely spaced in a raised bed or
interplanted garden. An equidistant spacing pattern calls
for plants to be the same distance from each other within
the bed; that is, plant so that the center of one plant is the
same distance from the centers of plants on all sides of it.
In beds of more than two rows this means that the rows
should be staggered so that the plants in every other row
are between the plants in the adjacent rows.
 The distance recommended for plants within the row on a
seed packet is the distance from the center of one plant to
the center of the next. This results in a more efficient use
of space and leaves less area to weed and mulch. The close
spacing tends to create a nearly solid leaf canopy, acting as
living mulch, decreasing water loss, and keeping weed
problems down. However, plants should not be crowded to
the point at which disease problems arise or competition
causes stunting.

18. Gardening Spacing
Plant Inches Plant Inches
Asparagus 15-18 Beans 4-6
Beets 2-4 Broccoli 12-18
Cabbage 15-18 Carrot 2-3
Cauliflower 15-18 Cucumber 12-18
Egg plant 18-24 Lettuce Head 10-12
Lettuce Leaf 4-6 Melons 18-24
Mustard 6-9 Okra 12-18
Onion 2-4 Peas 2-4
Peppers 12-15 Potato 10-12
Pumpkin 24-36 Radish 2-3
Spinach 4-6 Squash 24=36
Tomatoes 18-24 Turnip 4-6

19. Raised Beds
 In raised-bed gardening the planting surface is elevated to
predetermined height. A raised bed can be a simple mound of soil
or an elaborate wood or stone structure. There are a number of
benefits to creating raised beds:
 Better drainage. Growing plants in raised beds is a logical choice
for gardeners with heavy, poorly drained soils. Raised beds permit
plant roots to develop in soil held above waterlogged or compacted
zones. This provides a more optimum soil environment for root
growth. As beds are built up, compost or other forms of organic
matter may be incorporated, further improving soil structure,
drainage and nutrient-holding capacity.
 Higher yields. Better root growth from improved soils leads to
higher yields for food crops and lusher growth of ornamental
plantings. Also, intensive planting in raised beds means more plants
can be grown in a smaller area than with conventional row-
cropping techniques. No space is wasted between rows.

20. Raised Beds
Expanded growing season. Better drainage speeds soil warming and
allow earlier spring planting. In Wet seasons, soil dries out faster,
permitting planting to proceed between rains. Maintenance.
Because plants are growing above the level of walkways, less
stooping is required for weeding, watering and other chores.
Intensively planted raised beds provide dense foliage cover, shading
out much weed growth. Pathways are more defined, so you (and
your visitors) are less likely to Trample new plantings.
Using difficult sites. Raised beds make gardening possible on sites
where growing plants would Otherwise be impossible. Rooftop
gardens and raised beds on top of solid rock are examples. Terraced
raised beds turn hillsides into productive growing areas while
reducing soil erosion potential.
Disadvantages: Raised beds are not the answer for all gardeners lacking
space. The initial labor cost to establish the beds may be high. Once
established, especially with permanent sides, it may be difficult to
use a standard size tiller for cultivation. The tendency of the soil in
raised beds to dry faster may Increase the need for irrigation later
in the season.

21. WHERE SHOULD I PLANT MY
GARDEN?
Your garden should be close to home or work and easily accessible.
You’ll soon grow tired of commuting to a distant location.
If you have no usable soil, you can build open-bottom containers on
top of almost
anything—even driveways, patios, and roofs. Choose a location that
receives full sunlight all day long (or at least from mid-morning
through the afternoon). Avoid trees, buildings, tall fences, hedges,
and bushes that would block out the sun. Shade retards plant
growth. For better results and less work, choose a level area. A
slight southern slope (toward the sun) is ideal.

22. WHERE SHOULD I PLANT MY
GARDEN?
Avoid north slopes (away from the sun). They have more shadows,
less direct sunlight, and are sometimes too cold.
If your ground is on a hillside, plant on the contour. Always level the
ground under the containers.
Locate your garden near a readily available source of good water.
Do not use low spots where drainage is poor. Plants must have oxygen
and will suffocate in standing water.
Avoid windy areas, or build windbreaks. Tender plant leaves are easily
damaged by strong winds.
Fence the area to protect against animal and human intruders. If
small animals are a problem, use wire mesh at ground level.

23. HOW BIG SHOULD MY GARDEN BE?
Available sunny space often dictates the size of your garden. A
small, well-tended, sunlit garden will yield more than a larger
garden in poor conditions. Container dimensions:
1. For two rows of plants, containers are ideally 10’ long, 18”
wide, and 8” high.
2. Placing two rows of plants close together reduces watering
and fertilizing by 50%.
3. Include a 3’ to 3 ½’ aisle between containers, and at least
one end aisle of 5’.
4. Wide aisles give ready access to plants for feeding,
watering, inspection, and harvesting.
5. Start small and provide regular care, and your success will
give you the training and incentive to increase your garden
size.

24. HOW SHOULD I ARRANGE MY
PLANTING AREA?
First create a blueprint of your garden area on scaled grid
paper, showing the number,location, and size of your
containers.
Orient your containers for maximum advantage of
sunlight,watering, and access.
As you place plants on your blueprint, put tallest varieties
on the north and east sides. Never shade short plants with
taller ones.
If necessary, place leafy crops, such as lettuce and spinach,
in locations with less optimal sunshine.

25. WHAT TOOLS DO I NEED?
A long-handled irrigation (or round-headed) shovel is important
for initial soil preparation and to remove perennial weeds and
their rhizomes.
A strong 12”- or 14”-wide garden rake is good for removing
weeds and leveling the soil, as well as for mixing and leveling
the custom-made soil in the containers.
A two-way hoe, sometimes called a scuffle or hula hoe, is best
for early weeding of small weed seedlings in the aisles. It cuts
them off just below the soil surface with very little movement
of the soil. Container gardens rarely require weeding.
If you’re watering by hand, a garden hose with a gentle
watering wand will let you water quickly without washing out
the custom-made soil from your containers. Plant-spacing
markers save time and give your garden a professional look
while providing equal light, water, and nutrition to each plant.
Two rows of ½” dowels, spaced 6” and 7” apart, will help you
plant most varieties properly. A wheelbarrow or large cart is
useful for larger gardens.

26. HOW SHOULD I PLAN MY TIME?
Schedule the time to create and grow your garden. Like a cow
that has to be milked twice daily, your garden needs daily care
and attention to produce a high yield of healthy crops.
Make a garden calendar and list the projects that need
attention. That way you will not forget important things like
planting dates. Plan on these time estimates for a garden of
ten container beds that are each 10’-long:
1. Six to eight hours to clear the area, construct containers,
and make aisles.
2. Four to six hours to prepare the custom soil, apply
fertilizers, plant seeds, and transplant seedlings.
3. Twenty minutes per day, preferably in the early morning, to
water, feed, prune, and otherwise care for your plants.
4. Two to ten minutes per day to harvest, depending on what
and how much you are harvesting.

27. HOW DO I PREPARE MY GARDEN?
Clear your garden area of everything—whether living or
dead—including trees, shrubs, bushes, flowers, grass, and
trash.
Eliminate weeds, both annual and perennial.
1. o Annual weeds can be plowed under or removed with a
shovel, rake, or hoe.
2. o Perennial weeds continue growing year after year.
These must be removed—roots, rhizomes (underground
stems), and runners. Otherwise they will be a constant
problem. Measure and stake the corners of your garden
as planned. Make sure your dimensions fit the number of
containers you want to have.

28. WHEN SHOULD WEED
CONTROL BEGIN?
Properly prepared containers require very little weeding.
Using clean, weed-free materials for your growing medium
is essential. Do not use soil,dirty sand, compost, or
manure. There are two main types of weeds:
1. Perennials, which grow for many years from rhizomes
(underground stems) and runners (above-ground stems).
2. Annuals, which grow from new seeds every year. There
are two main times to control weeds:
1. While preparing your garden soil before planting:
remove all weeds, including perennial rhizomes and
runners.
2. Immediately after weeds sprout, usually 7–10 days after
planting your vegetable crop: weed thoroughly now!

29. HOW CAN I PREVENT WEEDS?
Using a non-soil growing medium is one of the best ways to
prevent weeds in your garden. Other ways of preventing
weeds from getting into your containers include:
1. Irrigating with well water, the culinary water supply, or
filtered water.
2. Maintaining a wide weed-free perimeter around your
garden. Weed seeds often travel through the air.
3. Staying out of the containers. Shoes can carry weeds and
diseases.
4. Removing all weeds from the aisles when they are small
and before they produce seeds.