Guide to Growing Fenugreek (Methi) at home
Fenugreek / Methi / Venthaiya keerai is an aromatic herb thats used in Indian cooking extensively. Adding Fenugreek (Methi) leaves to salads, parathas to Sambar’s and dhals, etc adds bags of flavour to the dishes and has medicinal properties too.
Fenugreek is the easiest of herbs to grow. It’s a very low maintenance plant and just needs some soil, bit of sunlight and water to grow. You can even grow methi without any soil, checkout the section below where u can grow methi in water.
Choosing the container for growing methi
You can grow Fenugreek / Methi on any type of container. I recycled some plastic containers by making some drainage holes at the bottom and used it. I have also used tetra pack juice boxes by cutting off one of the sides to grow small batches of fenugreek.
I start multiple small batches at once, so I can use the harvest out of each box in a single dish for my small family. I do this so as to not to disturb the other plants while harvesting what I need.
Growing Medium:
I usually add a couple of inches of soil to the box and scatter the seeds randomly or in rows, which ever takes my fancy on that day. They don’t mind being over crowded.
You need to top up the seeds with a layer of soil to cover them or the birds will eat all your seeds. Fenugreek / methi grows well in plain garden soil , there is no need to add additional compost.
Ensure the soil is well draining. You can add some sand (10-20%) to the garden soil to ensure good drainage.
Watering
Just sprinkle with enough water to keep the soil moist. The seeds will germinate in 2-3 days and keep growing at a good pace.
Do not over water.
If the container chosen is small it may need frequent watering.
Sunlight / Location Requirements for growing Fenugreek (Methi):
The fenugreek / methi plants can be grown even on a window sill. They need a bright location with indirect sunlight.
Also ensure they are not exposed to low temperatures or strong winds. They tend to fall over and not recover.
Harvesting, Storing and Cooking Fenugreek (Methi) Leaves
Some people like the tender fenugreek shoots and swear that they are the most flavoursome in just a weeks time. I like to let it grow a bit further to about 3 weeks before harvesting.
This is one of the fastest growing herbs, that gives you a good harvest in a short duration.
Its best to harvest before you spot the yellow leaves, as this indicates, that the plant is now starting to focus on flowering and the energy will start getting diverted towards flowering and the leaves may not be as tender.
To harvest , simply pull out the entire plant , cut off the roots and you can use the entire plant if its tender or if the plant is bit more mature, use only the leaves.
Pest control and other problems in growing Fenugreek (Methi)
Fenugreek (Methi) is a low maintenance plant and you won’t have any problems with bugs since this has such a short growing cycle. You would have harvested the crop, before any garden bugs lurking nearby realise its presence.
A couple of points to keep in mind are:
- Do not over water.
- Do not keep it in a very windy place.
Growing fenugreek (Methi) in water:
You can simply grow Fenugreek (methi) leaves in water by keeping it in a colander like container.
Spread a kitchen tissue on the colander and spread out the soaked fenugreek (methi) seeds .
Keep it on top a container that water just so that the bottom of the colander barely touches the water.
Keep it in a dark place until the seeds germinate (2-3 days).
Once they germinate keep it in a bright place. Do not keep it under direct sunlight.
They will be ready to harvest in about 10 days . If you are not adding any hydroponic nutrients to the water below, its best harvest around the 10 day mark as the leaves start yellowing if they are just grown with water and nothing else.
This is an amazing way to grow fresh fenugreek (methi) leaves even if you have no access to garden soil.
Nutrition Facts about Fenugreek / Methi
Fenugreek leaves are rich in dietary fiber, beta-carotene ,vitamin C and folate. While folate prevents heart disease, it also helps in the development of baby’s brain. This vegetable is also rich in iron and manganese.
Fenugreek (Methi) leaves are a nutritional powerhouse and should be included in our diet frequently.
Conclusion
If you start growing methi it will surely encourage your budding interest in gardening. Sow seeds every week to keep getting a continuous supply of this nutritious and flavoursome herb.
Happy Gardening :-).
