What to Grow in a Kitchen Garden: Sowing Calendar by Month
What to grow in a kitchen garden depends on the month more than anything else: in the plains of Pakistan and North India, October is for palak, methi and dhania, February to March for chillies, bhindi and gourds, and late August to October for the tomato nursery. Get the timing right and even a few pots on a roof in Lahore, Karachi or Delhi keep giving. This calendar lists what to sow, what to pick and what job to do each month, with notes for Karachi and the hills.
Before you start
- Written for: the plains (Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, interior Sindh)
- Karachi and coastal Sindh: winter is the main season; almost no frost
- Hills (Murree, Swat, Shimla): most sowing moves to March to September
- Cool-season crops: palak, methi, dhania, mooli, sarson, peas
- Warm-season crops: chillies, bhindi, gourds, tulsi, chaulai
- Straddles both: tomato, with a spring and an autumn crop
How the growing year works in the plains
Think of two gardens sharing the same pots. The winter garden (rabi season, roughly October to March) grows leafy greens and roots that hate heat. The summer garden (kharif, roughly March to October) grows fruiting plants that hate cold: chillies, bhindi, lauki, tori, karela. Tomato sits awkwardly in the middle. It wants warm days but struggles to set fruit in the fierce heat of May and June, so the plains grow it in the mild months either side.
The two dangerous stretches are the frost nights of late December and January in Punjab and Delhi, and the 45°C weeks of May and June. Almost every job in the calendar is about sowing so plants dodge one or both.
Did you know? Tomatoes and chillies both come from the Americas and only reached South Asian kitchens within the last five centuries.
Month-by-month sowing calendar
For the plains. Each row compares the same three things, so it’s a table; swipe sideways on a small phone.
| Month | Sow | Harvest | Main job |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Palak, methi, mooli; tomato and chilli seed trays indoors | Palak, methi, dhania, mooli, peas | Cover pots on frost nights |
| February | Last dhania; bhindi and gourds late in the month | Greens, peas, mooli | Transplant tomato and chilli seedlings after frost |
| March | Chillies, bhindi, lauki, tori, karela, kheera, tulsi | Last greens before they bolt | Repot herbs, add compost |
| April | Chaulai, kulfa, lobia, more bhindi | Spring tomatoes, dhania seeds | Mulch; get the shade net ready |
| May | Very little: chaulai, kulfa | Bhindi, gourds, pudina, tulsi | Shade, water at dawn, stop feeding |
| June | Gourds and bhindi late in the month | Gourds, bhindi, lemongrass | Heat protection; clear drainage holes |
| July | Gourds, bhindi, lobia; herb cuttings root fast | Gourds, bhindi | Empty saucers weekly; raise pots |
| August | Tomato nursery late in the month | Chillies, gourds | Watch for fungus; trim leggy herbs |
| September | Tomato nursery; palak, methi, mooli late in the month | Chillies, bhindi | Clear tired summer plants |
| October | Palak, methi, dhania, sarson, mooli, carrot, peas, garlic | Chillies | Transplant tomatoes; fresh compost |
| November | Dhania, palak, methi in batches; peas, garlic | First palak and methi cuts | Move tulsi and ajwain leaves to a sheltered wall |
| December | Small batches of greens; tomato and chilli trays under cover | Greens, mooli | Frost covers, water less |
Treat every month as a window of a few weeks, not a date. A warm October in Multan and a cold one in Amritsar can push things by a fortnight either way.
Karachi and coastal Sindh
No real frost, so the winter garden runs longer and better. Sow tomatoes from September to November and pick from December to March. Greens do well from October to February. The long, humid summer is hard on leafy greens, so from April to September lean on chillies, bhindi, gourds, lemongrass and pudina in some shade.
Hill areas
In Murree, Swat, the Kashmir valleys or Shimla, winter is too cold for most crops. Sowing moves to March to June once frost ends, and tomatoes and chillies ripen in July and August. Leafy greens can grow almost all summer.
How to grow the key crops in pots
How to grow palak from seeds
- Soak palak seeds in water for 12 hours (overnight); the hard coat softens and they sprout faster.
- Use a container at least 15 cm deep. Sow seeds 1 to 2 cm deep and about 5 cm apart.
- Keep the soil damp, not wet. Seedlings show in about 7 to 10 days in cool weather.
- Start cutting outer leaves at about 30 to 40 days and leave the centre to keep growing.
- Sow a small batch every 2 to 3 weeks from late September to February for a steady supply.
Methi and dhania follow the same pattern, only faster for methi. For cooking what you grow, see our methi saag guide and the hara dhania guide. For the heat-proof summer greens, the chaulai and kulfa guide fills the May gap.
How to grow tomato plants in pots
Use a big pot: 30 to 40 cm deep, holding 15 to 20 litres of mix. Sow seeds 0.5 cm deep in a tray, move seedlings to their pot at 4 to 6 weeks, when they have 4 to 6 true leaves, and bury the stem a little deeper than before; tomato stems grow extra roots. Give 6 to 8 hours of sun, a stick or stake to tie to, and even watering. Uneven watering (bone dry, then flooded) is behind most split fruit and dark, sunken patches at the base of the tomato. Expect the first ripe fruit roughly 2 to 3 months after transplanting.
Chilli seeds not germinating?
Chillies are slow and fussy about warmth. Seeds can take 1 to 3 weeks to show, and in cool soil (below about 20°C) they may sit and rot. The usual causes:
- Too cold: sow from late February once nights are warmer, or keep January trays indoors in a warm spot.
- Too deep: cover with just 0.5 cm of fine soil.
- Too wet: damp, not soggy; water with a spoon or a sprayer.
- Old or kitchen seeds: seeds from the spice jar are often old or heat-dried and sprout poorly. Buy a fresh packet.
Transplant into a 25 to 30 cm pot when seedlings are about 10 to 15 cm tall. Green chillies are usually ready to pick 2 to 3 months later. For picking and storing the harvest, see our hari mirch guide.
Missed a sowing window? What to do instead
It happens every year. You don’t lose the season.
- Buy seedlings. Nurseries sell tomato, chilli and brinjal seedlings in season, which saves 4 to 6 weeks.
- Switch to fast crops. Methi leaves are ready in 3 to 4 weeks, mooli in about 6. Late for tomatoes in October? Plant greens and try tomatoes in the spring window.
- Use cuttings. Pudina, tulsi and ajwain leaves root from cuttings almost any month outside winter frost and peak heat.
The busy family’s three-pot plan
One pot of pudina all year. One pot that grows methi and dhania from October to March, then chaulai from April to September. One big pot for a tomato in October, swapped for a chilli plant in March. Three pots, a green garnish nearly every week.
Myth: seeds from a shop tomato grow the same tomato
Sometimes, often not. Many round, glossy market tomatoes are hybrids (a cross of two parent lines), and their seeds grow a mixed bag: different sizes, shapes and flavours, some good, some poor. Desi and heirloom tomatoes come much truer from saved seed. People believe the myth because a few sprouted seeds from a salad tomato do grow and fruit, which is fun, but it’s a lottery. For a reliable crop, buy a named variety. Did you know? Each round “seed” of dhania is really a tiny dry fruit holding two seeds, which is why crushing it gently in half helps it sprout.
Many bought seeds are coated with a coloured fungicide. Keep packets away from children, wash your hands after sowing, and never sprout or eat treated seed. Don’t spray insect killers on anything you’ll eat; wash all homegrown produce under running water before cooking. Wear gloves for soil and compost, cover cuts, and keep children from putting soil or seeds in their mouths. On a roof, keep pots and children away from low parapets. In May and June, do garden work before 9 am or after 6 pm, and in the monsoon empty saucers weekly so they don’t breed dengue mosquitoes.
Kitchen garden questions, month by month
What vegetables can I grow at home in pots?
Palak, methi, dhania, mooli, chillies, tomatoes, bhindi and pudina all do well in pots. Gourds such as lauki and tori grow too but need a large pot and something to climb.
Which month is best to start a kitchen garden in Pakistan?
October in the plains. The heat has broken, the monsoon is over, and the easiest crops (palak, methi, dhania, mooli) grow fast. February to March is the second good start, for summer crops.
How do I grow tomato plants in pots?
Use a pot 30 to 40 cm deep, 6 to 8 hours of sun, a stake and steady watering. In the plains sow the nursery in late August to September or in December to January under cover.
Why are my chilli seeds not germinating?
Usually cold soil, sowing too deep, soggy soil or old seeds. Sow 0.5 cm deep in warm weather, keep damp not wet, and use a fresh packet.
How do I grow palak from seeds at home?
Soak the seeds overnight, sow 1 to 2 cm deep in a pot at least 15 cm deep, and keep damp. Start cutting outer leaves at 30 to 40 days.
What can I sow in summer when it is 45°C?
Very little. Chaulai, kulfa and lobia manage the heat, and pudina and lemongrass keep going in part shade. Most sowing waits for late June or July.
When should I sow dhania in the plains?
From about October to February. In summer it runs to flower in days, so keep a pot going through the cool months and sow a pinch every 2 to 3 weeks.
Is the calendar the same for Karachi?
Not quite. Karachi has no real frost, so tomatoes and greens do best from October to March. The humid summer suits chillies, gourds and bhindi better than leafy greens.
How do I protect pots from frost in January?
On cold, still nights, move pots under a roof or against a house wall, or cover them with an old sheet. Remove the cover in the morning so plants get light.
Can I grow a kitchen garden on a roof?
Yes, and roofs get the most sun. Check that the roof drains well, keep heavy pots near walls and beams rather than the middle, and give shade in May and June.
More ideas for growing and using what you have are in Zero-Waste Kitchen.