Best plants to grow in India before the monsoon arrives

The Indian monsoon is considered to be one of the most significant seasons for home gardeners. With slightly dropping temperatures and gradually building up humidity levels, some vegetables, herbs, and flower plants are preparing to thrive in the upcoming monsoon period. Usually, gardening specialists recommend sowing different plant species before the onset of monsoon rainfalls to ensure healthy development. No matter what kind of outdoor space you have – whether it is terraces, balconies, or backyard areas – the right choice of plants might bring excellent results. Here are six plants that most Indian gardeners prefer growing before the onset of the monsoon season.

One of the favorite vegetables to grow before monsoon in India is okra. Due to rising temperatures and gradually developing moisture, okra seeds germinate faster during the mentioned period. Once established in your garden, they continue thriving further in monsoon months due to regular precipitation. Usually, okra requires rather simple maintenance measures and produces its fruits continuously within a few weeks of sufficient watering and adequate sunlight conditions.

Chillies are highly recommended to grow before monsoons since the plants become established before heavy rains come. Green chili plants are widely grown by Indian households in terrace and balcony boxes since they prove to be highly useful for daily cooking. To ensure healthy growth, gardening experts advise providing chillies with enough drainage and sunlight. However, once monsoon arrives, the plant continues thriving if the root area doesn't suffer from waterlogging.

The pre-monsoon season is favorable for growing coriander due to slightly cooler and increasingly humid weather conditions that stimulate leafy growth instead of hot summer temperatures. It is quite convenient to sow coriander in shallow containers or raised beds since they develop rapidly in such conditions. Due to their frequent use in Indian cuisine as seasoning agents, these herbs continue being quite popular.

Leafy vegetables, including spinach, are preferred to plant before monsoon season since high summer heat might adversely affect leaf development. During the pre-monsoon week, slightly cooler temperatures and moisture improve the chances of better growth. The plant is harvested regularly whenever the leaves reach their maximum size. Being fast-growing, spinach proves to be quite convenient for beginners' kitchen gardening experiments.

Marigolds are easy plants to grow even before the arrival of monsoon rainfalls since they cope with changing climatic conditions very well. Their vividly colored flowers continue blossoming beautifully through rainy months and attracting pollinators like bees or butterflies in a natural way. These flowering plants are often grown near vegetables by gardeners since they are known to repel pests. Their low maintenance needs provide an ideal fit for balconies and terraces.

Bottle gourds are vigorous plants that benefit from monsoon rainfall. Therefore, gardeners tend to sow seeds in advance to let them develop in advance before rains start. Warm soil stimulates seedling growth while future monsoon rainfalls ensure further speedy vine growth. Usually, bottle gourd plants require additional supports like fences or trellises. Many Indian families prefer growing these vegetable plants since they yield richly during monsoon months.