Balcony Gardening Tips: If you want to enjoy fresh and healthy green vegetables even in summer, you can easily grow them in the balcony or small garden of your home. Plants like amaranth, fenugreek, spinach, tender mustard leaves and red amaranth grow rapidly and thrive even in small spaces.
Grow Saag at Home: Nowadays people are paying more attention to healthy eating, and for this fresh green leaves and vegetables are very important. If you have a small garden or balcony, you can easily grow a variety of green leaves. The special thing is that there are some green leaves which flourish even in the summer months. Home grown green leaves are not only fresh but also chemical-free.
Amaranth Greens
Amaranth is one of the easiest and fastest growing greens to grow in summer. It can be easily grown in pots or grow bags. Once the seeds are sown in soil, regular watering should result in lush green leaves within a few weeks. Amaranth is rich in nutrients and can be used in dal, mixed vegetables or parathas.
Fenugreek (Fenugreek Greens)
Fenugreek is another great option to grow in the balcony of your home. Its seeds germinate quickly, and plants grow well even in small spaces. Fenugreek plants grow rapidly when given moderate sunlight and regular watering. The taste of its leaves is slightly bitter, but they are considered very beneficial for the body.
Spinach
Spinach is a green leaf rich in nutrients which you can easily grow in pots. Light and fertile soil should be used to grow it. Spinach plants grow rapidly when provided with regular water and a little sunlight. In no time, you can be plucking fresh leaves to use in vegetables, soups or salads.
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soft mustard leaves
Tender mustard leaves can also be grown at home. Once the seeds are sown in pots, the plants germinate quickly. Although mustard generally grows well in cool climates, its tender leaves can still be picked in the early summer months. These leaves have a slightly pungent taste and are commonly used in traditional saag or mixed vegetables.
Red Amaranth
Lal saag, also known as red amaranth, is a great option to grow in the summer season. Its red and green leaves look very attractive and beautiful. It requires very little care to grow, provided regular water and adequate sunlight, it grows rapidly and produces nutrient-rich green leaves to eat.
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How to protect your plants from extreme heat
- Water only in the morning and evening – Watering in strong sunlight can weaken the roots of the plants, hence, water lightly in the early morning or evening.
- Protect from direct sunlight – When the temperature reaches 45°C, keep the plants under a ‘shade net’ or a light cloth, so that their leaves do not get scorched.
- Maintain moisture in the soil – do not allow the soil to dry out completely. Maintaining light moisture in the soil keeps leafy vegetables fresh and green.
- Use mulching – Laying a layer of dry leaves or grass on top of the soil helps in retaining moisture in the soil for a longer period of time and keeps the plants protected from heat.
- Keep the pots in a cool place – Avoid placing the pots directly on hot surfaces like the ground or ceiling, instead, place them on a stand or wooden plank.
- Use organic fertilizers – By giving vermicompost (earthworm manure) or cow dung manure to the plants every 10-15 days, they remain strong and their leaves grow faster.
- Remove dry leaves regularly – Remove yellow or dry leaves from the plants from time to time, doing so will help new and fresh leaves grow faster.