Mr. Allah Dad Khan discusses the importance of kitchen gardens. Kitchen gardens provide households with fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs. They can be ornamental or simple. The main purpose is to provide a continuous supply of fresh, nutritious vegetables for a family throughout the year. Some benefits include being a hobby, saving money on food costs, teaching children responsibility, and producing vegetables free from market diseases and pesticides. Kitchen gardens also promote health, recreation, and environmental sustainability. They enhance interest in farming and help combat global warming.

2. Kitchen Garden Importance
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

4. Introduction To Kitchen
Gardening
It is worldly wisdom that we should eat our greens.
That is the way to health, and if we grow our own
greens, we will have health and happiness.
Whenever you take up any creative activity you are
bound to be happy, gardening included. Kitchen
gardening adds so much spice to one's life. Our
elders laid much emphasis on the importance of
garden produce for good diet, well before doctors
started advising us about vitamins, minerals, and
fiber.

5. Definition
A kitchen garden has numerous definitions. Also
called potagers, the more common French term,
these gardens are meant to supply the
household with some vegetables, fruits or herbs.
They may be highly ornamental, featuring lots of
other plants that can make the garden very
pretty, or then can be very simple, with just a few
plots to grow food a family would enjoy eating.

6. HOME OR KITCHEN GARDEN
The main purpose of a kitchen gardenis to provide
for the family, daily withfresh vegetables rich in
nutrients and energy.There will be continuous supply
of vegetables throughout the year and for each of the
season .The vegetables are grown according tothe
taste of the family members.The size of the garden
depends onthe size of the family andon the
availability of land.

7. Importance
1.It is a best means of recreation and exercise to family members.
2.An excellent hobby and healthy occupation for the young andold during their leisure
time.
3.Outs down the expenditure on purchase of vegetables.
4.An ideal medium for training children in duty and order.
5.Vegetables grown in one's own home with one's own labourhave special appeal to his
or her palate and the dividendspaid by these in the form of pleasure and satisfaction or
priceless.6.Vegetables grown in kitchen garden are fresh andare free from market
infection.
kitchen gardening is a very delightful hobby
b) green vegetables protect us from diseases
c) some of the vegetables in the forms of roots and tubers provide us heat and energy


8. Plants can provide provide us
fresh air and health.
6. Enhancement of interest towards farming.
7. A step against Global Warming.
Thereafter, food produced in a kitchen garden usually does save money
and tends to taste better than grocery store purchased fruit and veggies.
Life-long skills in the kitchen and garden
Introduction to and appreciation of fresh seasonal food Socialisation
through team work, sharing a meal and working with volunteers Practical
understanding of environmental sustainability Understanding the link
between good food choices and optimum health Active, hands-on activity
and exercise

9. Kitchen Gardening
We can do kitchen gardening in pots, roof, backyard and
containers. There are many social benefits of kitchen
gardening too, among which there is a provision of green
space inside the house for better and cleaner environment
and fresh air. Among the nutritional benefits, it’s the taste, the
quality of food that matters and it’s the surety that no
hazardous pesticide has been used. It can be done as a
hobby and for leisure time also, as it is a perfect pastime for
the whole family. It’s soothing and relaxing for everyone,
especially for senior citizens that can enhance their mind and
hand coordination and muscle strength. It’s economical,
beneficial and it saves money from market buying and a good
business if done on a big piece of land,” they said.

10. Tasteful Kitchen Garden Plan:
Here is a rough design for a kitchen garden based on the average garden size. The
center beds are approximately 4' X 6' and the overall area is about 22' square.