The ultimate objective of any kitchen gardener is to grow their own food. The reason for turning on the green thumb for any newly turned gardener is also more or less the same. One of the repeated queries that I encounter is about which vegetable, fruit or herb would be more fruitful and rewarding to grow at home.

Mostly, people want to grow something expensive to compensate for the price fluctuation — the likes of ginger, olives, cherry tomatoes, rocket salad, mushrooms and even saffron. Then, there are those who want to grow uncommon herbs, to give their food an appealing aroma. Finally, there are the ones who want to get multiple harvests and continued supply of whatever they are growing.

Unlike cabbages, cauliflower and broccoli — which usually have a one-time harvest and limited produce — the likes of green peppers, lemon and tomatoes account for continued and multiple harvests in a season.

Some gardeners are superstitious about growing peppers or chilli at home, believing that they may cause problems among those living there. As a result, lemon and tomato become the go-to plants to grow locally. The latter is more sought-after among the two due to its massive consumption in our local cuisine and daily........

© Dawn (Magazines)