Types of vegetables gardening

Dr K K Misra, Dr Khushbu Kholiya, Rimi Mandal and Ashish Kumar

Vegetable farming can be classified into various types depending on the acreage
cultivated, method of cultivation and purpose of vegetable production. Based upon these
facts vegetable cultivation is divided into the following types of gardens.

Kitchen Garden

Kitchen garden or home garden is defined as growing of vegetable crops in the residential
houses or in their vicinity to meet vegetable requirements of the family throughout the year.
To produce insect and disease free vegetables, commercial growers often resort to
indiscriminate use of pesticides that might lead to serious health hazards. Under such
Circumstances raising one’s own kitchen garden to produce healthy and residue free
Vegetables have got an added advantage. The most fundamental determinant of success of a
Kitchen garden is its location. As the family members perform most of the garden operations
in their spare time, the location should preferably be in the backyard of the house. Secondly it
Should be near the water source. The kitchen garden should never be located in a shady place
rather it should receive sun light for most part of the day. However in cities, there is hardly
any choice as regards size, shape and location is concerned. Under such situations, whatever
Space is available has to be utilized. If the garden is located outside the house a live fence all
around be raised to protect the garden.
The following principles should be considered while designing a kitchen garden;
() Land should preferably be selected in the backyard of the house. Rectangular shape is
Preferred to the square one.
(ii) The lay out should allow access to all parts of the garden.

(iii) Quick growing fruit trees e.g. papaya, kagzi lime etc. should be located on north side
of the garden so that they do not shade other crops.
(iv) Climbers e.g. cucumber, pea etc. can be trained on the fence.
(v) Several sowings or succession of sowings of one particular crop e.g. fenugreek,
radish, okra, cauliflower, etc., at short intervals should be done to ensure a steady
supply of vegetables for a longer period
(vi) Ridges which separate the beds should be utilized for growing root vegetables e.g.
radish, turnip etc.
(vii) Inter-space of slow growing crops e.g. cauliflower, cabbage, eggplant etc. should be
used for quick growing crops like turnip, radish, leaf beet etc.
Selection of crops for kitchen garden depends on two factors i.e. size of the garden and
choice of the family. Only those vegetables are grown which are suited to the region and
produce satisfactory yield. The cultivars should be selected according to the suitability for the
region and season. Preference is given to those crops where freshness is important from the
edibility and food value point of view. Such crops include tomato,, beans, pea, salad
crops, leafy vegetables etc.
Tentative monthly programme for kitchen gardening in north Indian plains
January: sow/ plant muskmelon, watermelon, coriander, lettuce, spring potato, European
radish and late cauliflower (if not planted earlier).
February: sow/plant okra, luffa, cucumber, snapmelon, amaranth, bottle gourd,
Pumpkin, summer squash, bitter gourd, European radish, leaf beet, pointed gourd, eggplant,
And tomato.
March: repeat showing of okra, amaranth and leaf beet. Sow cowpea, cluster bean,
roundmelon and other above-mentioned crops if not sown already. Plant elephant foot yam,
peppermint and artichoke.
April: continue with the crops sown in March.
May: Sow rainy season okra, luffa, radish, cucumber, bottle gourd, bitter gourd and
pumpkin.
June: Continue with the crops sown in May and also sow early cauliflower, cowpea,
cluster bean, Dolichos bean, round melon, sweetpotato and radish.
July: Sow early cauliflower, cluster bean, bottle gourd, okra, tomato, Dolichos bean,
and eggplant. Also sow radish, leaf beet and cauliflower of second group.
August: Plant, cauliflower, leaf beet, turnip (Asiatic type), and carrot. Also sow
cabbage, fenugreek, knol-khol, Chinese cabbage, onion bulb sets (kharif onion), beetroot and
coriander.
September: sow early pea, coriander, onion bulb sets (kharif onion), radish, carrot,
turnip, celery, beetroot, Dolichos bean, cauliflower (late group), cabbage, knol-khol, lettuce,
leaf beet, potato and pea.

October: Sow/ plant parsley, lettuce, parsnip, potato, turnip, beetroot, radish, garlic, pea,
French bean, onion and knol-khol.
November: sow the crops mentioned for October. Also sow pea, tomato and spinach.
December: Sow tomato, spinach, late cauliflower and pea, if not planted already.

Model of Vegetable Nutrition Garden

The suggested model of ‘Vegetable Nutrition Garden’ has several modifications over the
conventional Kitchen Garden. The new model can fit in urban and peril-urban households
where limited space is available for growing vegetables. The crop sequences are selected in
such a way that the garden remains occupied throughout the year. The crops and their
varieties are scientifically selected for their rich nutrient contents and least pest and disease
problems, thus minimizing the use of pesticides. As per the given plan, up to three annual
vegetables per year can be grown on the same piece of land. Layout and planning of 6 6m
Vegetable Nutrition Garden is given in Fig . requirement of vegetables
recommended for the garden is given in Table 3.1. The model produces about 300 kg of
vegetables annually, enough to meet dietary allowance of an average sized family consisting
of two adults and two children.
BLOCK A BLOCK B BLOCK C BLOCK D BLOCK E

TABLE 3.1 Spacing requirement of vegetables grown in Vegetable Nutrition

Garden
Name of Vegetable Spacing (cm) Name of Vegetable
Spacing (cm)
Bottle gourd 80 * 45 Mint
15 15
Onion 15 7.5 Chinese cabbage /
Cabbage 30 20/45 30
Radish 45 7.5 Long melon
80 30
Garlic 15 7.5 Kang kon / Sweet potato
20 20 / 60 30
Lettuce 45 30 Vegetable mustard /
Cauliflower 15 10 / 45 30
Coriander 15 10 Pea
30 7.5
Brinjal l 45 30 Okra / Bitter gourd
45 15/80 45
Lab lab/Turnip 45 30/ 45 7.5 Basella / Arvi
20 20/45 20
Chili 60 45 Broccoli
45 30
Methi 15 10 Carrot
45 7.5
Amaranthus 45 30 Cucumber
80 30
Palak 15 5 Tomato
80 30
Cowpea 30 15 Capsicum
60 30
Sponge gourd 80 45
3.2.
MARKET GARDEN
Farms those produce vegetables for supply to consumers in the local market is called a
market garden. Since people living in cities usually have neither the space nor the time to
devote to gardening, there developed a tremendous demand of vegetables. The ultimate aim
of vegetable production in market gardens is their quick disposal in nearby market. Hence,
nearness to market with a reliable transport should not be ignored. For a long time, market
gardens were located at a distance of 10-15 km from the cities. However, with the expansion
of cities and improvement in road and transport network, such gardens are located even
beyond 30-40 km from main cities. The farmers adopt intensive cultivation to earn maximum
Profit from small to medium land holdings. Therefore, the fertility of soil needs to be
replenished with the application of organic manure etc. Municipal compost and sever water
are also important sources of restoring soil fertility. To fetch remunerative price in the
market, farmers adopt cultivation of early/ off-season vegetables. However, the grower needs
to be well trained to succeed in this specialized type of farming. The grower also needs to
develop good marketing skills as no middleman is involved in disposal of the produce.
As intensive as well as extensive vegetable culture characterizes market gardens, a lot of
green matter is added to the soil every year. Decomposition of the green matter and the
compost added to replenish depleting soil fertility slowly but surely changes the soil reaction
to acidity. It is therefore important to get the soil tested periodically i.e. every three or four
years. Application of lime is desirable if the soil pH turns acidic.
TRUCK GARDEN
The word truck has been derived from French word ‘o barte’ meaning ‘to barter’. This is an
extensive type of farming where one or two crops are grown in large quantities to feed the
distant markets that are located hundreds of kilometres away from the growing areas. Since
farms are located away from the consumer markets, middleman is involved in marketing the
produce. Due to large-scale production, farming is usually mechanized. In this type of garden,
varieties should possess special attributes to withstand distant transportation. This is
particularl true with the perishable vegetables. For example, Punjab grown tomatoes,
especially variety Punjab Chhuhara, were transported to as distant places as Mumbai.
Similarly, Punjab Sunehri variety of muskmelon is transported from Punjab to Srinagar in J
and K. Vegetables like pea, tomato, cauliflower etc. grown in the moderate climates of Solan
and Shimla in Himachal Pradesh are transported to the neighbouring states of Punjab,
Haryana and Delhi. Non-perishable vegetables like potato, onion,, pumpkin etc., do not
suffer transport losses and can be transported to any part of the country.
GARDEN FOR VEGETABLE FORCING
The word forcing designates growing of vegetables out of their normal or usual growing
season. Most of vegetables are perishable and cannot withstand long storage. Therefore,
vegetable forcing has developed to supply farm fresh vegetables to the consumers for most
part of the year. In developed countries like the USA, Japan, Canada and parts of Europe,
glass house structures are constructed for vegetable forcing. In a glass house, temperature,
light, carbon dioxide and relative humidity are controlled artificially and the technology is
expensive. Cultivation of vegetables under protected conditions ensures better quality,
uniformity and extended availability period. The cost of production and subsequent sale price
is out side the reach of a common Indian consumer. Therefore, the growers are not yet
prepared to enter into this costly venture. On the other hand, some cheap but efficient
polythene structures have been designed to produce summer vegetables in winter months. In
winter season, 4-6 C higher temperature can be maintained inside the poly-house without any
heating provision, which provides better conditions for plant growth. During extreme
summer, desert coolers and sprinklers are installed to reduce the temperature by 5-10 C.
Honeybee boxes are placed inside the poly-house to facilitate pollination in cross-pollinated
vegetables. If poly-house is small, pollination is done manually.
Vegetable forcing can also be adopted without any provision or structure when specific
production techniques or varieties of certain vegetables bred only for growing in the offseason
are available. The examples are;
Forcing in Cucurbits
Cucurbits, especially muskmelon, watermelon, cucumber etc. are forced to grow early in
polythene bags of 10 15 cm size and 100 gauge thickness. Sowing is done in end of January
even when winter is severe in north Indian plains. Pre-sprouted seeds are used to boost early
emergence. Transplanting of seedlings in early March gives fruits about 20 days earlier than
the direct sown crop. In addition to producing higher early and total yield, transplanted crop
escapes the attack of red pumpkin beetle.
Another method of producing early cucurbits is riverbed cultivation. The available weed
free fertile soil in river beds provide ideal conditions for cultivation of a number of cucurbits
including muskmelon, watermelon, longmelon, cucumber, bitter gourd, ash gourd, pumpkin,
bottle gourd and sponge gourd. Tomato, eggplant, carrot, radish and spinach are also grown
successfully. Trenches are dug 2-3 m apart in late October and most of cucurbits are sown in
November or December. Due to low temperature, pre-sprouted seeds are used and young
seedlings are protected from frost. Seedlings of tomato, eggplant and are transplanted in
September-October.
Forcing in Tomato
Normally tomato is transplanted into the field in February to avoid cold and frost injury
to the crop. However, by adopting remedial measures, the crop can be sown in end October
and transplanted in early December. This crop is protected from frost and chilly winds during
winter by erecting sarkanda (wild Saccharum) or polythene cover. The cover is erected at an
angle of approximately 45 . As soon as the risk of frost is over, the cover is removed.
December planting not only advances fruit availability but also increases total yield due to
extended fruit setting period. Another off-season crop of tomato is panted in mid-August to
mid-September in north Indian plains. The crop matures in December-January. However, the
varieties to be cultivated in this season should be resistant to leaf curl virus.
Kharif Onion Production
Kharif onion production technology has been developed to supply onion in winter months
when the stocks of the normal crop harvested in April-May are exhausted. Agrifound Dark
Red (ADR) is the most suitable varieties for kharif onion production. For kharif crop, seed is
sown in mid March and seedlings are uprooted in end June when bulbsets attain pencil size
thickness. These bulbsets are stored in ventilated rooms and are transplanted in mid August.
The crop is ready for harvesting in early December.
Role of Varieties in Vegetable Forcing
Other than adopting standardized technology for vegetable forcing, selection of
appropriate variety is a crucial factor. Take for instance cauliflower, a winter season
vegetable. Except two or three months of intense heat, its curds are available throughout the
year. This is possible due to proper selection of the variety. Early Kumari is a known variety
of cauliflower capable of tolerating high temperature. Similar is the case in radish. Pusa
Chetki, a heat tolerant variety, is recommended for the summer season and Pusa Himani, a
temperate type, is recommended for spring season. In pea, Hara Bona, Arkel and Matar Ageta
6 have the potential to tolerate high temperature. With the development of leaf curl virus
resistant varieties like Punjab Varkha Bahar 1 and Punjab Varkha Bahar 2, it is now possible
to extend tomato cultivation to the rainy season which otherwise was not possible due to
severity of the disease.
VEGETABLE GARDEN FOR PROCESSING
The type of farming that produces vegetables with a sole objective of supplying to the
processing industry is termed as vegetable garden for processing. Vegetable production for
processing mainly canning, freezing and dehydration is distinct from fresh market vegetable
production. The vegetables meant for processing are grown exclusively in field under
naturally occurring conditions. A significant quantity of vegetables meant for fresh market
consumption especially tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber and lettuce is grown in green houses
where the environmental conditions are artificially manipulated. For processing, only one or
two varieties of one or two crops are grown on a large scale to produce in bulk. The farming
is generally mechanized and away from the cities. The varieties are selected in such a way
that there is a continuous supply of raw material to feed the processing units for a longer
period. There are specific varieties for processing purposes. For example, in tomato recovery
of processed product is determined by the TSS (total soluble solids) content of fruits. The
processing varieties, therefore, ought to possess higher TSS content. The pH of fruits ranges
between 4.0-4.5 to restrict the growth of thermophyllic organisms. Besides, the fruits have a
balance acid: TSS ratio to impart desirable flavour to the product. The fruits are firm to
withstand distant transportation, bulk handling and mechanical harvesting. The fruit colour is
deep red (high in lycopene) to impart attractive colour to the processed product. Otherwise,
the processors add synthetic dyes, which may prove health hazardous. Further, there are
different varieties for different processing methods viz. canning, freezing, paste, powder,
juice, etc.
Gardens for vegetable processing are very common in countries like the USA, Canada,
Australia and some of the European countries because of the well-established processing
industry. This type of farming is not very well developed in India. Vegetables meant for
processing are grown on contract basis. For example, tomato and are commercially
grown in Punjab for processing. Disease free seedlings of the suitable varieties are raised and
supplied to the growers by the processing units. Farmers raise the crop and supply the
produce to the processing units under pre-decided terms and conditions. Some of the units
engaged in processing include Hindustan Levers, Zahura (tomato), Nijjar Agro, Nijjarpura
(tomato and) and PepsiCo, Channo (), PAGRO Foods Ltd., Fatehgarh Sahib, etc.
VEGETABLE GARDEN FOR SEED PRODUCTION
Seed production is a highly specialized farming and only trained grower possessing technical
know-how succeeds in such a pursuit. This type of farming is adopted in large areas for the
production of vegetable seeds. Locations prone to natural vagaries e.g. rain at the time of crop
and seed maturity are avoided for seed production. Similarly, areas those are infested with
diseases especially seed borne ones are also excluded from seed production. Sowing time of
seed crops is adjusted in such a way that it escapes the infection by the disease causing
pathogen. For example, seed potato produced in mid-hills of H.P. etc. is free of tuber borne
viruses due to absence of the insect vector. In north Indian plains, disease free seed potatoes
are produced from mid. October to end December through the ‘Seed Plot Technique’. This
period witnesses lowest population of aphids, an insect vector.
To maintain genetic purity, the field for seed production should be free from volunteer
plants. In cross-pollinated crops, normally one crop variety is planted at one location. Beehive
boxes are also placed inside the seed production blocks to enhance pollination and
consequently seed yield. Insecticides are sprayed only during morning and evening hours
when bees are inactive. A proper isolation distance between varieties of the same crop and of
other crops those are cross-compatible, is maintained to produce true-to-type seed. The
isolation distance depends upon the crossing behavior (self, often or cross-pollinated) of the
crop and category (breeder, foundation or certified) of the seed. Off-type plants from the seed
production block are removed at vegetative, flowering and fruiting/ pod formation stages.
Owing to the diverse agro-climatic conditions, strong production infrastructure, abundant
manpower and market opportunity, India holds tremendous promise for vegetable seed
exports especially of hybrid seeds.
3.7. VEGETABLE GARDEN FOR EXPORT
General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT), formerly known as the World Trade
Organization (WTO), has provided new opportunities to India for the export of vegetables.
Lately, India is emerging as a major exporting country for a number of vegetable crops. Total
export of vegetables is of the order of over R 4867 crores during 2015-16. Of these, onion
accounts for more than 77 per cent. Vegetables being exported from India include onion,
potato, okra, baby corn, tomato, pickling cucumber,, French bean, bitter gourd and
bottle gourd. Among fresh vegetables, okra accounts for 60 per cent of the export. The area
under pickling cucumber for export is increasing in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and
Maharashtra. The major importing countries of okra are West Asia, West Europe and the US.
Among processed vegetables, major demand is for dehydrated onion, garlic and processed
cucumber and gherkin.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)
has identified asparagus, celery, sweet pepper, sweet corn, pea and cherry tomato among
nontraditional
vegetables for export. For export, the product should be true-to-type as per the
declared variety and standards, uniform in shape, size, colour and free from chemical
residues. Vegetables should be properly graded and packed in good quality boxes of
appropriate sizes. The requirement of variety of vegetable and its quality for Europe, Japan,
Australia, and USA etc. is different to that of Gulf countries and the Southeast Asian
countries.
Vegetable garden for export must meet the quality standards of the importing countries.
Some of the specific requirements of vegetables for export are listed in Table below.
ORGANIC VEGETABLE GARDEN
The conventional farming approach is to apply important nutrients directly into the soil
solution at rates and times to satisfy plant requirements. Synthetic chemicals are used to
control insect-pests and diseases. Chemicals are also used to affect physiological processes
and conditions such as flowering, fruit setting, colour development and ripening. However,
injudicious use of chemical fertilizers especially nitrogenous fertilizers leads to degradation
of the earth environment and outbreaks of aphid and other sap-sucking pests. Insecticides also
kill natural enemies of weeds; fungicides kill soil micro-organisms that control nematodes;
and both insecticides and fungicides reduce earthworm population, thus lowering soil fertility
and water infiltration rates. Nevertheless, human survival depends on agriculture production

Export quality requirements of different vegetable crops

Crop Desirability
Okra green, tender, 6-9 cm long
Chilli green, 6-7 cm long
Bitter gourd green, 20-25 cm long with short neck
Bottle gourd light green, straight, cylindrical in shape, 25-30 cm long
Pickling cucumber green, small sized, weighing 160-300 fruits per kg
Tomato round , medium sized, deep red colour for Middle East and cherry
tomatoes for
Europe
French bean straight 10-12 cm long, round green pods
Onion (large) () 7-8 cm in diameter, yellow/ brown in colour, round
or spindle shaped for
Japan and European countries
(ii) 4-6 cm diameter, light to dark red colour, round shape, strongly pungent
for Gulf and South-East Asian countries
(iii) 3-4 cm in diameter, light red and round shape for Bangladesh
(small) () 2-3 cm in diameter, dark red and round in shape
Multiplier onion 2.5-3.5 cm sized bulblets of bright red colour
Garlic white round, 5 cm and above, bigger cloves 10-12 mm and above with10-15
in number
For Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, 4-5 cm size bulbs are also accepted
Potato white, oval, 4.5-6.0 cm size
Bangladesh demand red types; and Iraq and Iran demand yellow flesh
potatoes
being improved and earth’s environment being sustained. The concept of organic farming is
to feed the soil and not the plant.
Organic farming, therefore, is a production system that avoids or largely excludes the use
of synthetically compounded fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators etc. To the maximum
extent feasible, organic farming systems rely upon crop rotation, crop residues, animal
manure, green manure, legumes, off farm organic waste, mechanical cultivation, mineral
bearing rocks and aspects of biological control to maintain soil productivity and tilth, to
supply nutrients and to control insects, diseases and weeds. The crops and the crop varieties
are selected carefully as some crops are less prone to the attack of insects and diseases and
thus can be grown easily without any chemical sprays. These crops include beet, carrot,
onion, garlic and leafy vegetables. However, some losses/ damages caused by insects,
diseases and weeds are expected in Organic Vegetable Gardens. There are many techniques
that will reduce the need for synthetic pesticides and improve soils without chemical
fertilizers.
Nutrient Management in Organic Vegetable Gardens
Application of manures, rock minerals, bio-fertilizers and crop rotation with legumes and
catch crops are an integral part of Organic Vegetable Gardens to maintain nutrient status
the soil. Crop rotation plays an important role not only for weed control and soil management
but also for the supply of nitrogen. Green cover of soil is maintained as much as possible with
green manure and under sowing. The practice increases soil organic matter, soil nitrogen, as
well as other nutrients. This also helps to reduce soil erosion and leaching of nutrients.
Bio-fertilizers fix atmospheric nitrogen with the help of specialized soil micro-organisms.
Micro-organisms e.g. bacteria, blue green algae and some fungi are either free living in soil or
symbiotic with plants and directly or indirectly contribute towards the nitrogen nutrition of
the plants. In areas where legume vegetables are being sown for the first time, seed is treated
with Rhizobium culture to ensure proper nodule formation and early growth. Rhizobia are
naturally occurring soil bacteria that fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil. They live in
symbiosis with legume plants and are found in nodules on plant root system. There are
different cultures for different crops. The culture emulsified in 10 per cent sugar (jaggery)
solution is rubbed thoroughly to give a fine coating to the seed. Treated seeds are dried in
shade before sowing. The non-symbiotic micro-organisms like nitrogen fixing
cyanobacterium (Aulosira fertilissima) and non-nitrogen fixing cyanobacterium (Spirulina
subsulsa) are helpful in fixing atmospheric nitrogen and release of unavailable nitrogen
present in soil. Mycorrhizae fungi live symbiotically with crop plants. It obtains
carbohydrates from the plants and in return supply nitrogen and moisture to the plants.
Application of basic slag, rock phosphate and potash of magnesia supplies other plant
nutrients. For example, limestone and marl supply calcium; gypsum supplies calcium and
sulfur; rock phosphate supplies phosphorus and calcium; dolomite supplies calcium and
magnesium; and basic slag supplies iron, calcium, magnesium and manganese. Gypsum as a
source of calcium is preferred in soils where pH is high. Other trace elements are also
supplied through various types of rock dusts e.g. basalt.
Alternative means of Insect-pests and Disease Control in Organic Vegetable Gardens
Pest and disease control in organic vegetable gardens is accomplished through careful
selection of crop varieties (resistant) that are adapted to the local conditions, cropping
systems and tillage. Genetic (sterile insect technique), biological (natural enemies and insect
pathogens), biotechnological (resistant gene transfer across species) and physical
(microwaves, heat, cold etc.) are the other methods employed for pest and disease control.
Some of the examples are:
• Red pumpkin beetle is a serious pest of cucurbits. Growing of cucurbit seedlings in
polythene bags to enhance maturity also helps escape the attack of red pumpkin
beetle, a serious pest of direct sown crop. (Details see under Vegetable Forcing).
• Net house technology is helpful in growing vegetables free of insect damage and
insect transmitted diseases without chemical sprays. The technology is especially
useful in crops like tomato, eggplant etc. where chemicals are repeatedly sprayed to
guard against fruit borer.
• Soil borne pathogens like Sclerotium rolfsii, causing collar rot of tomato, are
controlled by soil solarization. For solarization to be more effective, the moist soil is
covered with transparent polythene sheet in hot summer months. Double-layered
polythene mulches are more effective than the single-layered ones. The practice is
also effective against soil inhabiting nematodes. Mulches, both polythene and plant
debris, serve as barrier against diseases like buckeye rot of tomato that is spread by
soil splashing onto the plants. Mulches also reduce a number of soil insects like
Colourado potato beetle and prevent decay of fruits touching the soil.
• Use disease free seed especially to manage seed borne diseases. Rogue-out diseased
plants as early as possible to check their spread to healthy plants. Other cultural
practices followed to minimize diseases and insects include field sanitation, proper
plant spacing, bed planting where ever possible, crop rotation with non-host crops,
drip irrigation, vertical training of crops like tomato, beans, cucumber, bitter gourd,
luffa etc. Training of plants e.g. tomato, beans and some cucurbits on fence or trellis
improves air circulation thus minimizes chances of appearance of diseases and
insects. This also minimizes contact of fruits with the infected soil and reduces
chances of diseases like buckeye rot of tomato and other fruit decays. Keep the field
clean by removing plant debris and weed plants. This is important because many
plant pathogens and insects survive on plant debris and weed hosts.
• Increasing soil organic matter controls nematodes as micro-organisms attack them,
which proliferate in high organic soils. Application of organic manures also helps in
controlling common scab of potato by favouring micro-organisms antagonistic to the
scab pathogen. Fertilization with compost suppresses the incidence of Colourado
potato beetle in potato.
• Handpick and destroy larvae of insects that appear sporadically. This method of
control is very successful in small gardens and with large insects especially the
caterpillars. Use strong water sprays to wash-off small insects e.g. aphid, thrip,
whitefly, mite, etc.
• Avoid watering, especially through sprinkles, in late evening hours to minimize
occurrence of foliar diseases.
• Soil insects like grubs, cutworms etc. are exposed by soil tilling and are picked by the
birds. Young plants are protected from cutworms by placing a tinfoil collar around
the plant stem at ground level.
• Incorporated host plant resistance is an integral part of organic vegetable farming.
Some of the commercial vegetable varieties possessing resistance to various insectpests,
diseases and nematodes are listed in Table below
• Grafting on resistant rootstocks is helpful to combat soil borne diseases, especially
the wilts and the root knot nematodes. Use of grafted seedlings is also recommended
in hydroponics culture of tomato, eggplant, pepper and cucumber.
• Powdery mildew, a serious disease of cucurbits, is controlled by spray of cow milk @
10 per cent twice a week or 20 per cent once in a week. Cow milk has more than onemode of
action in controlling the disease. One, it directly affects the disease due to its
germicidal properties and secondly, various salts and amino acids present in the milk
act as a foliar fertilizer thus boosting the plant immune system.
• Various plant extract based natural pesticides are affective against insect-pests and
diseases.
The three types of natural pesticides used are biochemical/ botanical, microbial and
mineral based pesticides.
() Botanicals
Nicotine sulfate: It is extracted from tobacco or related Nicotiana species and is effective
against sucking pests like aphids, thrips, spider mites etc.
Rotenone: It is resinous compound produced by roots of several tropical and sub-tropical
plant species belonging to genera Lonchocartus and Derris. It is effective against caterpillars,
beetles, aphids, flea beetles, weevils and thrips.
Azardirachtin and Salannin: These are extracted from neem (Azardirachta indica), an
Indian origin tree, and are effective against gypsy moths, leaf miners, white flies, caterpillars
and mealy bugs.
Sabadilla: It is extracted from seeds of Sabadilla lily and is effective against caterpillars,
leafhoppers, thrips and bugs.
Pyrethrins: It is derived from dry chrysanthemum like flowers and is effective against
sucking pests.
(ii) Microbial pesticides
Use of microbial pesticides especially Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt.), a naturally occurring
bacteria, is a disease organism to various insect-pests. Various formulations of Bt when
sprayed on crop plants protect them from caterpillars of moths and butterflies. These
pesticides suppress and do not eliminate insect populations, have narrow target range, critical
application times and limited field persistence and shelf life. Microbial pesticides suppress
pests by producing toxins specific to pests, causing a disease and preventing growth of other
micro-organisms by competition. DipelTM, ThuricideTM and MVPTM are some of the
commercial formulations of Bt.
(iii) Mineral based pesticides
Sulfur: It is a naturally occurring mineral and is used to control fungal diseases of plants
and sucking pest. Commercial formulations of sulfur include Wettable Sulfur, ThioluxTM,
Lime Sulfur etc. and are used to control powdery mildew, certain rusts, leaf blights and fruit
rots; spider mites, aphids and thrips. Application of sulfur in hot and humid weather causes
burning of foliage.
Bordeaux mixture: It is primarily a fungicide and is effective against powdery mildew,
leaf spots, blights, anthracnose, downy mildew and cankers.
Weed Management in Organic Vegetable Garden
Following crop rotations, mechanical and manual inter-cultural operations and use of
mulches controls weeds in Organic Vegetable Gardens. Intensity of weeds is significantly
reduced when water is applied using the drip irrigation compared to surface irrigation. Crop
rotations involving paddy are effective to control even the most obnoxious weeds like nut
grass (Cyprus rotandus). Mulches are useful in most crops except the ones that are closely
spaced. They control weeds by blocking the sunlight. In general plastics, both coloured and
transparent, are used as soil mulches but some times plant debris is also used to cover the soil.
The later also nourishes the soil after it is decomposed. Mechanical inter-culture is convenient
in widely spaced crops like cucurbits. With little manipulation in plant spacing, mechanical
inter-culture can be employed in crops like tomato, eggplant,, etc.
Nutritive Value of Organically Grown Vegetables
All plants get their food from soil. Continuous crop cultivation on same land depletes the
soil of some nutrients. It is not possible to supplement soil with all plant nutrients through
fertilization. Foods grown on depleted soils are deficient in some important nutrients. Such
foods produce malnourished bodies prone to diseases. Injudicious use of nitrogen fertilizers
increases nitrate level of ground and surface water. Vegetables grown under such situations
especially lettuce and spinach suffer from higher concentration of nitrate content. The
nutritive value and taste of organically grown foods is superior to that of conventionally
grown ones. Nitrate level in vegetables grown with composted FYM is lower compared with
mineral fertilizer. Organically grown vegetables exhibit not only decrease in the
concentration of undesirable constituents but also increase in the level of desirable ones such
as iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C and other trace elements. For example,
organically grown leek has 3.74 times more vitamin C and carrot 2.3 times more -carotene
content compared to conventionally grown crops. Tomatoes produced with organic manures
possess better firmness and extended shelf life compared with the ones produced with
application of the chemical fertilizers.
Vegetables grown organically produce higher quantities of flavonoids. These are phenolic
compounds that have potent antioxidant activity and are produced in plants in response to
biotic and abiotic stresses. The need for these natural safeguards decreases when crops are
protected from insect-pests and diseases by applying chemicals. Organically grown
vegetables are, therefore, more nutritious due to presence of higher amounts of antioxidants.
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals present in the body system and minimize chances of
occurrence of degenerative diseases like cancer, arthritis, memory loss, paralysis etc..
FLOATING VEGETABLE GARDEN
Floating gardens are found in lakes of Kashmir valley especially the Dal Lake of Srinagar.
Most of vegetables in spring and summer seasons are supplied in Kashmir from floating
gardens. A floating base is prepared using the grass known as Typha that grows wild in
Kashmir. Compost and other organic matter spread over this base act as a seed-bed for
growing vegetables. Subsequent inter-culture operations and irrigation are accomplished with
the help of boats. Besides vegetables, flowers are also successfully grown in this type of
garden. This is a specialized type of farming and is, more or less, restricted to the Kashmir
Valley.
HYDROPONICS
Hydroponics is generally defined as the science of growing plants without using soil by
feeding them on solutions of water and mineral salts instead of relying upon traditional
method of cultivating the earth. The term hydroponics is derived from the Greek words
hudro-water and ponos-work means water working. Advantages of hydroponics over the
traditional method of crop raising include better quality produce, quick growth, no soil or
seedbed preparation, clean culture, consistent results and crop production even if the soil is
sick or unfit due to salinity, poor structure and drainage problem. Hydroponic systems have
some clear environmental benefits with the most significant being that they use 70-90% less
water compared with many forms of conventional crop production. There should be no
nutrient run off and hence reduced concerns about contamination of ground water, rivers,
streams etc.
The most widely used type of hydroponic system where a timer controls a nutrient
solution to drip on to the base of each plant from a small drip line. Some include a recovery
system where the excess nutrient solution that runs off is collected back to a reservoir for reuse.
Hydroponics is popular in the Netherlands, Spain, Canada, Japan, UK, USA, Italy, New
Zealand and Australia. Tomato, cucumber, lettuce and bell pepper etc. respond favourably to
the hydroponic culture. The worldwide area of hydroponics production has increased four to
five times in the last ten years or so.
Dr. William F. Gericke pioneered the technique of hydroponics. His soilless cultured
tomatoes attained height of 25 feet. After that, he started raising a wide variety of other
vegetables as well as flowers, root crops, fruits and cereals. The technology quickly spread to
other parts of the USA as well as some parts of Europe. During the world wars, millions of
tonnes of vegetables were produced for supply to the allied forces. The American armed
forces still continue with their soilless gardens in the Far East. There are full-fledged
hydroponics systems in Russian Space Station and American submarines. In countries like
England, Germany, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, etc. flower firms prefer to employ the
soilless culture for commercial purposes.
Green house cultivation throughout the world is generally hydroponics where plants are
grown with or without the artificial medium i.e. sand, gravel, vermiculite, rock-wool,
peatmoss or sawdust, all meant for only mechanical support to the roots. In India,
hydroponics center was established in 1946 at the Experiment Station near Darjeeling in West
Bengal with the objective to evolve simple and inexpensive methods of soilless gardening.