How to Start Winter Vegetable Garden in India | Best Winter Vegetables

Want to know How to Start Winter Vegetable Garden in India? Here’s a complete guide with all the information you need to have your homegrown harvest!

Growing your greens is always a good feeling, and this way, you will also be able to enjoy an organic harvest. If you are looking forward to growing veggies in the cold season, then here’s all you need to know about How to Start Winter Vegetable Garden in India!

Have a look at the best vegetables to grow in a balcony here

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How to Start Winter Vegetable Garden?

To Start Winter Vegetable Garden, you need to have a small open space with good sunlight. This is the basic requirement to grow your veggies in the cold season. Even if you don’t have a large garden, you can also grow these vegetables in pots! This way, you will still have a winter vegetable garden, but in pots!

Location

If you have plenty of space in the yard, prepare a garden or raised bed for vegetables. Make sure that the area receives ample sunlight and is not shady.

If you do not own large space, go for container gardening. This way, you’ll be able to grow veggies in a balcony too!

Sunlight

To grow quality vegetables, you need to provide them with at least 4-5 hours of direct sun daily. Choose a spot that gets bright light to get a plentiful harvest.

Soil

For a garden bed, a well-draining and porous soil is best. Amend its quality by adding manure or compost.

For the containers, go for any standard potting mix. Make your own by blending two parts of peat moss, one part of compost or manure, one part of garden soil, and one part of perlite or coarse sand.

Watering

Water the plant deeply whenever the topsoil feels dry to touch. Keep vegetables slightly moist all the time but ensure never to overwater the plants. Also, never let the soil dry out completely.

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Sowing the Seeds

Purchase quality seeds from a local nursery. For the garden, maintain the spacing of 18-36 inches between the seed rows. Sow the seeds at a depth of twice the width or diameter of the seeds. Water well, and the seeds will sprout in 2-4 weeks.

Not sure from where to purchase seeds? Check out the Indiagardening shop for buying good-quality seeds!

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Taking Care of Vegetables

Mulching

Mulch the garden soil around the plant base with grass clippings, shredded bark, leaves, and straw. This will hamper the weed growth, keep the temperature even, and protect the roots from extreme cold.

Fertilizer

Use cow dung manure, liquid seaweed, fish emulsion, or bone meal once in 5-6 weeks during the growing period to foster healthy growth of the vegetable plants.

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Best Vegetables for Winter Garden

1. Carrot

Botanical Name: Daucus carota subsp. sativus

Sowing Time: October-November

Carrot is easy to grow and also does well in containers too. You can also choose from a lot of varieties!

2. Cabbage

Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea var. capitata

Sowing Time: September-October

You can grow cabbage in the garden or a 10-12 inches pot. Use 10-5-5 fertilizer, once every two weeks, for best growth.

3. Cauliflower

Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea var. botrytis

Sowing Time: September-October

Sow the seeds in a seed starting mix, 1 or 2 cm deep and 4 cm apart. It will also grow well in a 10-12 inches pot.

4. Peas

Botanical Name: Pisum sativum

Sowing Time: September-October

Peas grow easily in the garden and 8-12 inches pots. Sow its seeds in a seed mix and ensure it gets plenty of sunlight.

5. Pepper

Botanical Name: Capsicum annuum

Sowing Time: October-November

The plant grows well in a 10-12 inches deep and wide pot. For best flavor, it needs 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day.

6. Radish

Botanical Name: Raphanus sativus

Sowing Time: November

Growing Radishes in Containers and Pots is also quite easy. Sow the seeds 1/4 or 1/2 inch deep in an 8-10 inch container.

7. Spinach

Botanical Name: Spinacia oleracea

Sowing Time: September-October

Sow seeds 1/2 inches deep directly in the garden or pots. Keep the plant safe from the harsh afternoon Indian sun.

8. Garlic

Botanical Name: Allium sativum

Sowing Time: September-November

The best thing about garlic is growing it in small, 6-8 inches pots. Insert cloves in seed starting mix, water well, and keep them in bright light.