🥬 Edibles Encyclopedia • Hindi & English • Free
Edibles Encyclopedia खाद्य पौधों की पूरी जानकारी — Hindi और English में
Vegetables, fruits and herbs — complete growing guides, nutrition, harvest time and Indian kitchen uses
Spinach / Palak
पालक
Spinacia oleracea
Spinach / Palak — cut and come again every 3 weeks. Vitamin K 402% RDA. Iron absorption needs Vitamin C (add lemon). Bolts above 25°C. Succession sow every 2 weeks.
🌱 Oct-Feb (plains) | Year-round in hills
⏱️ 30-45 days — cut and come again
Watermelon / Tarbooj
तरबूज
Citrullus lanatus
Watermelon / Tarbooj — more lycopene than tomatoes! Rind = sabzi (citrulline for BP). Seeds = 28g protein (roast them!). Reduce water last 2 weeks = sweeter fruit. Rooftop ideal.
🌱 Feb-March (main) | June-July (monsoon)
⏱️ 70-90 days from sowing — 30-35 days after pollination
Stevia / Meethi Tulsi
स्टेविया / मीठी तुलसी
Stevia rebaudiana
Stevia — 200-300x sweeter than sugar, ZERO calories, ZERO GI! Less N fertilizer = sweeter leaves. Pre-flower harvest = peak sweetness. 200+ studies GRAS certified. Diabetic gold.
🌱 From cuttings (seeds unreliable) | March-September best | Pinch flowers always
⏱️ 3-4 months first harvest | BEFORE flowering = peak sweetness
Coriander / Dhaniya
धनिया
Coriandrum sativum
Coriander / Dhaniya — split seeds before sowing (2x germination). Succession plant every 2 weeks. Heavy metal detox science. Shade extends season. Add fresh only at end of cooking.
🌱 Oct-March (cool season) — direct sow only
⏱️ 25-35 days leaves | 90-100 days seeds
Strawberry
स्ट्रॉबेरी
Fragaria × ananassa
Strawberry — #1 food source of Fisetin (longevity compound!). Oct-Nov ONLY in plains. Runner propagation = infinite free plants. Does NOT ripen after picking — harvest fully red.
🌱 Oct-Nov runners (plains) | Year-round (hills) — runners not seeds!
⏱️ 3-4 months from runner | Free runners = infinite propagation
Aloe Vera (Edible Uses)
एलोवेरा / घृतकुमारी (खाने योग्य उपयोग)
Aloe barbadensis miller
Aloe Vera — CLEAR GEL = edible. YELLOW LATEX = laxative (drain first!). Overwatering = #1 killer. India world's largest producer. IBS + blood sugar clinically supported.
🌱 Year-round from pups | Allow cut end to dry 2-3 days before planting
⏱️ Outer mature plump leaves anytime | Drain yellow latex before consuming!
Fenugreek / Methi
मेथी
Trigonella foenum-graecum
Methi / Fenugreek — clinically proven blood sugar management. Nitrogen-fixing improves soil. Kasuri methi home drying guide. Hair growth paste. Avoid large doses in pregnancy.
🌱 Oct-Feb (cool season) — direct sow only
⏱️ 20-30 days leaves | 120-150 days seeds
Fig / Anjeer
अंजीर
Ficus carica
Fig / Anjeer — 11,000 years old (older than wheat!). Fresh figs 99% Indians haven't tasted. Soak 2-3 dried overnight = best constipation remedy. Winter dormancy = NOT dead. Easy cutting.
🌱 Feb-March cutting from dormant wood | Container excellent
⏱️ Cutting: 2 years | Two crops: Breba + Main (Aug-Oct)
Moringa Leaves / Sahjan Patta
मोरिंगा पत्ते / सहजन पत्ता / मुरुंगाई कीरई
Moringa oleifera — LEAVES PAGE (pods covered separately in vegetables)
Moringa Leaves — 7x Vit C, 4x calcium, 3x iron (all one leaf!). Leaves 10-25x more nutritious than pods. SHADE dry for powder (not sun — destroys Vit C!). Prune to 1.5m for easy harvest.
🌱 Year-round perennial | Prune to 1-1.5m for leaf access (pollarding)
⏱️ Young tender leaves continuous | SHADE DRY for powder (not sun!)
Showing 9 of 75 edibles
🌐 Explore DotIAM Network
Our other free platforms you'll love