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sequences (Figure 3) have been recommended keeping in view the availability of 27 seasonal vegetables (Table
7). The time of sowing, spacing, plot size and plant population per plot are also given in Table 7. The packages of
practices followed to raise vegetables in nutrition garden were as per recommendations of the Punjab Agricultural
University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India (Anonymous, 2011).
Table 7 Cropping span and agronomic practices in a 6 ×6 m nutrition garden
S. No. Name of Vegetable
Cropping span Harvesting period Plot size (m
2
) Spacing (cm)
Plants per plot
1
Bottle gourd
Jun-Dec
Oct-Dec
3 ×1
80 ×45
12
2
Onion
Jan-May
May
3 ×1
15 ×7.5
267
3
Radish
July-Sept
Aug-Sept
2 ×1
45 ×7.5
60
4
Garlic
Sep-Apr
April
2 ×1
15 ×7.5
267
5
Lettuce
May-Jun
June
2 ×1
45 ×30
15
6
Coriander
July-Jun
Oct-Jun
1 ×1
15 ×10
67
7
Brinjal
Mar-Aug
Jun-Aug
3 ×1
80 ×30
20
8
Lab lab
Sept-Feb
Nov-Feb
3 ×1
45 ×30
22
9
Chilli
Mar-Oct
May-Oct
3 ×1
60 ×45
12
10
Methi
Nov-Feb
Dec-Feb
3 ×1
15 ×10
200
11
Amaranthus
July-Sept
Aug-Sept
3 ×1
45 ×30
22
12
Palak
Oct-Feb
Dec-Feb
3 ×1
15 ×5
400
13
Cowpea
Mar-Jun
May-Jun
3 ×1
30 ×15
67
14
Sponge gourd
July-Nov
Sept-Nov
3 ×1
80 ×45
12
15
Tomato
Dec-May
Apr-May
3 ×1
80 ×30
20
16
Mint
July-Oct
Sept-Oct
2 ×1
15 ×15
88
17
Chinese cabbage
Nov-Feb
Dec-Feb
2 ×1
30 ×20
33
18
Long melon
Mar-Jun
May-Jun
2 ×1
80 ×30
12
19
Kang kong
Mar-Oct
May-Oct
2 ×1
20 ×20
50
20
Vegetable mustard
Nov-Feb
Jan-Feb
2 ×1
15 ×10
133
21
Cowpea
July-Oct
Sept-Oct
2 ×1
30 ×7.5
44
22
Pea
Nov-Feb
Dec-Feb
2 ×1
45 ×15
88
23
Okra
Mar-Jun
Apr-Jun
2 ×1
20 ×20
30
24
Basella
Mar-Oct
May-Oct
2 ×1
45 ×30
50
25
Broccoli
Nov-Feb
Jan-Feb
2 ×1
45 ×7.5
15
26
Okra
July-Oct
Sept-Oct
2 ×1
80 ×30
30
27
Carrot
Oct-Feb
Jan-Feb
2 ×1
60 ×30
60
28
Cucumber
Mar-Jun
May-Jun
2 ×1
80 ×30
12
29
Palak
July-Jan
Oct-Jan
2 ×1
15 ×15
267
30
Capsicum
Feb-Jun
Apr-Jun
2 ×1
30 ×20
12
The model was set up at two locations; one at Vegetable Research Farm and other at the Vegetable Teaching Farm,
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India. The crops in the designed cropping sequence include:
cowpea, mint, coriander, bottle gourd, radish, lettuce, brinjal, chilli, amaranthus, sponge gourd, tomato,
longmelon, okra, cucumber and capsicum as the summer vegetables and onion, garlic, methi, coriander, vegetable
mustard, Chinese cabbage, garden pea, broccoli, carrot, lablab, palak (beet leaf) as the winter vegetables. Two
non-conventional leafy vegetable crops viz., kangkong and basella meant for saag (pot herb) preparation in
summer months have been included in the model. Most of the vegetables in the nutrition garden are direct sown
except tomato, chilli, capsicum, onion, brinjal and broccoli. The seedlings of transplanted vegetables can be sown
nearby nutrition garden. The success or failure of establishing transplants is plant age. All vegetable transplants
have an ideal age/size that enables them to continue active growth after transplanting. For example, the ideal age
for tomato transplants was 3-4 weeks, chilli and capsicum was 5-6 weeks. Vegetables like gourds, tomatoes, chilli,
brinjal etc need more space between plants than leafy and bulb vegetables like amaranthus, palak, onion, garlic
etc. The sowing of leafy and salad vegetables like methi, palak, coriander, amaranthus, kangkong, basella; fruit
