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Growing Methi in Pots, Terrace, Indoors from Seed

Introduction to growing Methi in Pots: Methi is an annual herb in the Fabaceae family and it is easy to grow in pots. Methi is a green leafy vegetable is also called Methi. While Kasuri Methi is a dried form of methi leaves.  It is an all-purpose plant. Methi seeds are used as a spice, dried leaves as an herb, and fresh and tender plant leaves as a green leafy vegetable.

A guide to growing Methi in pots (Fenugreek) from seeds

Growing Methi is very easy, whether you live in a warm climate or cool, both on grounds or in containers. You can also grow it indoors on windowsills in small containers. As the plants are small and occupy very little space it is advantageous to growing Methi in your balcony, patio or any such place in your apartment or house. Fill up the container with well-drained soil so that the water doesn’t stagnate and place it in a sunny spot. Not just 6 or 8 hours but Methi needs a continuous supply of bright sunlight to thrive. Though it needs shade too, natural sunlight favors your Methi crop. If the day temperature dips or there isn’t enough light, ensure the containers stay in dim daylight at least.

Methi seeds must be sown directly into the soil with not more than 0.5cms deep and 20cms apart. Though the plant leaves grow bushy, the roots are very fragile and shallow. So spacing will never be a problem and just ensure you don’t sow too many seeds making the pot messy.

In this article we also discussed the following topics;

  • Time to take Methi/Fenugreek to grow
  • Methi growing tips
  • Process of growing Methi/Fenugreek from seeds
  • Growing Methi/Fenugreek microgreens
  • Propagation of Methi//Fenugreek
  • Growing methi/Fenugreek at home
  • Methi/Fenugreek growth stages
  • Growing Methi/fenugreek in containers

Methi plants are low maintenance plants and need some soil, a bit of sunlight and water to grow this plant. You can grow Methi plants on any type of pot or container.

Growing a Methi plant is easy. This quick-growing vegetable is full of nutrients and you can grow it indoors on windowsills in small pots. Plant Methi in balcony vegetable garden or patio, terrace, and rooftop. Kasuri Methi or dried Methi leaves have almost the same nutritional benefits as that of fresh leaves. Kasuri methi is low in calories, which means it can fit into any diet.

Climate and soil for growing Methi in pots

Methi can be grown on a wide variety of soils but clayey loam is better. The soil pH level should be 5.8 to 8.2 for its better growth and development. Methi plant is a sun-loving plant that is grown as a cool-season crop. It grows optimally in well-draining loams or sandy loams with a pH level of 5.8 and 8.2.

Prepare your soil for growing Methi in pots

Methi seeds should be continually kept moist, but you also have to make sure they don’t become overwatered. For that purpose, you will want to make sure that the water can easily drain away by breaking up any large chunks of soil. You can mix in river sand to make it drain better, and add organic compost material and manure to help fertilize it better. You’ll need to make sure that there is space to cover your seeds with more potting soil. If you are planting your Methi seeds in an outdoor garden, you’ll want to dig the ground up to 25 cm down to break up the soil.

If you are using a container (like a pot or an aluminum pan) with loose potting soil instead, you probably won’t need to break any of the soil once you have poured it into the container. Be sure to leave some space between the top of the soil and edge of the container to fill in more soil on top of the seeds once they have been sown.

You should not miss the How to Grow Garlick Without Soil.

Growing conditions for Methi in pots

Methi will grow up to 2 feet tall and will display pale yellow and white flowers from midsummer on. Methi is best started 4 to 6 weeks indoors before the last frost of the season. Seeds should be sown ¼ inches deep in a lightweight medium and keep well-moistened. Moderate water slightly once Methi seeds start to germinate. Methi is a legume, and may not be tolerant to the disturbance after germination. To minimize this, sow Methi seeds in biodegradable pots that can be transplanted directly into the ground later. Methi must be grown in full sun to part shade or filtered sunlight. For best results, sow in well-drained, loamy, and slightly acidic soil.

Growing Conditions for Fenugreel Leaves.
Growing Conditions for Fenugreel Leaves.

Methi propagation

Methi is propagated from seed and does not withstand transplanting. It must be direct seeded to a depth of 1 to 2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) allowing 7.5 cm (3 in) between individual plants and 20 to 45 cm (8–18 in) between rows. It may also be spread by broadcasting.

Methi growth stages

Methi will grow up to 2 feet high. It produces clover-shaped foliage that can be picked at any time, but young plant leaves tend to be less bitter tasting. An annual legume, the Methi plant can fix nitrogen into the soil as most legumes do. This unique trait makes the soil surrounding the Methi plant rich in nutrients. The plant leaves and stems offer valuable nutrients such as potassium, ascorbic acid, proteins, and niacin.

Growing process of Methi in pots

The Methi can be easily grown in any container or ground. The advantage of growing Methi in a pot is that it can be moved to indoors in the case of frost. If you grow Methi herb in a pot, you can keep it indoors for ready use in the kitchen. Methi grows in-ground and in a rectangular Styrofoam fruit box of height about 10 inches.

This Methi herb can easily be grown in containers. Plant Methi seeds in a pot indoors on a sunny windowsill, or place pots on the balcony or in a patio garden. It is a shallow-rooted plant, so you don’t need a deep container. Use a wide planter around 6 to 8 inches deep with good drainage.

Then fill the container with 2/3 potting mix and 1/3 compost. Sprinkle seeds in the pot and add a thin about a 1/4-inch layer of soil to cover. Thin to 1 to 2 inches of space between seedlings. Make a Methi bed with cilantro or grow it alone. You can cultivate it from seeds and it is easy even for beginners. Sow seeds about ¼ inches deep in a good potting mix or soil in the desired spot or container when all the dangers of frost are passed, and the weather starts to warm up (for cool climate).

In case if you miss this: Potato Seed Germination Process.

Methi hates to be transplanted. Leave about 2 inches of space for each plant while sowing seeds. They’ll sprout quickly, and you’ll see seedlings just within 2 to 5 days. You can grow Methi in containers and it is similar to any other green vegetable. Take a shallow but wide planter at least 6 to 8 inches deep with good drainage. Methi has shallow roots thus it won’t mind the low depth.

Methi growing for sprouts

Methi can be sprouted as a salad and has a distinctive spicy taste. Be sure to use the seed for sprouting or culinary use, (packets of seed spice are fine) not a seed that can have been treated with a fungicide. Soak the Methi seed overnight, rinse well then leave in a slightly damp jar on its side, rinsing twice a day. The sprouts will be ready after a few days, and must be eaten before the sprouts are 3 to 4 cm long; otherwise, they start to turn bitter. 

Sowing the Methi seeds in pots

Methi Seeds.
Methi Seeds.
  • First, you have to buy the seeds, and to grow Methi plants you have to buy Methi seeds. Indian grocery Stores keep both the Methi seeds.
  • The plant does not like to be transplanted after germination, so the Methi seeds must be sown at the final place. Or you can sow Methi seeds in biodegradable pots which can be put directly into the ground later on.
  • Buy good quality seeds from a garden shop or use the seeds from the previous crop. Buy seeds from the Indian grocery shop, which grow well.
  • Sow seeds 5 mm deep and 50 mm apart in straight line trenches for seed sowing. You can sow the seeds in criss-cross patterns. Instead of sowing in trenches, you can just sprinkle the seeds on the bed and cover with soil.
  • Water well and keep soil well-moistened and seeds will germinate in 3-5 days.
  • In the areas of frost, it can be started indoors 5 weeks before the last frost of the season. The seedlings can be transplanted outdoors when the soil temperature range is around 15°C (60°F).
  • Sow seeds every 2-3 weeks in the season, so that when the first set of plants die and having the next set to get fresh green methi leaves.

Water for growing Methi in pots

Do regular watering to maintain the soil slightly moist. Care not to over-water the plant and avoid waterlogged soil. This will impede the growth and kill your Methi plant. If you are growing Methi indoors or in a shady area, be vigilant about watering.

You may also check the Growing Palak from Seeds.

Manures and fertilizers for growing Methi in pots

Methi does not need a lot of fertilizer. At the time of planting, you can mix manure or compost or time-based fertilizer in the soil, and keep it growing for a few weeks. And, feed the plant with balanced liquid fertilizer, every other week for more robust growth.

Besides 15 tonnes of FYM, a fertilizer dose of 25 kg Nitrogen, 25 kg Phosphorus, and 50 kg Potash per ha is recommended. Half of the nitrogen and entire quantity of phosphorus and potash are applied and the remaining half Nitrogen is applied 30 days after sowing. To obtain successful leafy growth, nitrogen should be applied after each cutting. When using Methi to improve poor soil, mixing a balanced organic fertilizer into the soil before planting will give better results.

Tips for growing and harvesting Methi seeds

  • Thin the plants after 5 – 6 weeks if they look overcrowded.
  • Avoid delaying the plant harvest to keep the pods from breaking open, as this can reduce the harvest significantly.
  • Add the plant waste to compost for rich nitrogen content.

Pests and diseases for Methi plant

Methi plant does not have many pests and diseases. Some pests and diseases that affect Methi plant are aphids, powdery mildew, charcoal rot, and root rot. You can easily save the plant from these problems by using organic pesticides regularly and watering properly.

Harvesting Methi

Harvested Methi Leaves.
Harvested Methi Leaves.

Methi plant grown for seed is ready to harvest within 3 to 5 months after planting. The Methi plants are harvested by uprooting and are then hung up to dry to allow seeds to be collected. In India, where the Methi plant is grown as a vegetable crop, young shoots and leaves are harvested earlier and the plant is allowed to regrow before harvesting again. The above information may be applied to growing metnthi kura in pots, how to grow methi at home in the water, growing methi in the backyard, growing metnthi kura in the balcony, growing metnthi kura in an apartment, and growing metnthi kura on the terrace.

You might be interested in Growing Leafy Vegetables in Pots.

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